--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm one of those persons who think that…" description: "\"I'm one of those persons who think that watching black people suffer is not an idea of entertainment. I know a lot about African American history, whic..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/harry-lennix-25690_african-american_i-m-one-of-those-persons-who-think-that_1961877.jpg" --- # I'm one of those persons who think that watching black… ![“I'm one of those persons who think that watching black people suffer is not an idea of entertainment. I know a lot about African American history, which is just American history, it's always been very fascinating to me. The premise of the play is remembering and honoring those persons whose…” quote by Harry Lennix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/harry-lennix-25690_african-american_i-m-one-of-those-persons-who-think-that_1961877.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/harry-lennix-25690_african-american_i-m-one-of-those-persons-who-think-that_1961877.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/harry-lennix-25690_african-american_i-m-one-of-those-persons-who-think-that_1961877.jpg) > “I'm one of those persons who think that watching black people suffer is not an idea of entertainment. I know a lot about African American history, which is just American history, it's always been very fascinating to me. The premise of the play is remembering and honoring those persons whose stories would never be taken into account.” [Harry Lennix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-lennix/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The work aims to honor overlooked individuals, especially Black people, by presenting their histories as essential to American history. **In simple terms:** Honoring forgotten stories of Black people. Key Takeaway Learn and share marginalized histories. Themes history justice representation Mood somber determined Type educational activist When to use this quote - education - theatre - community dialogue Key Concepts African American history cultural memory Questions to Reflect On - What stories are missing from mainstream narratives? - How can we amplify marginalized voices? A Different Perspective Audience may resist confronting painful histories. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [African american](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-american/) [African american history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-american-history/) [American history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-history/) [Black people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-people/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [If, with the nation watching, three black women at three different levels can't get justice... for this community, you tell me where you're going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-rawlings-blake/if-with-the-nation-watching-three-black-women-at-three-different/) [Stephanie Rawlings-Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-rawlings-blake/) > [Precisely that, covering 500 years of African-American history in six hours. I've been working on this for seven years. The biggest challenge was deciding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-louis-gates/precisely-that-covering-500-years-of-african-american-history-in-six/) [Henry Louis Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-louis-gates/) > [ “Awad Ibrahim, Sudanese professor of education at the University of Ottawa, described the process \[of becoming Black in America\] in these terms: "To become… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-samy-alim/awad-ibrahim-sudanese-professor-of-education-at-the-university-of/) H. Samy Alim > [As we walked through the National Museum of African American History and Culture, I pushed my grandfather in a wheelchair he had reluctantly agreed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-smith/as-we-walked-through-the-national-museum-of-african-american-history/) [Clint Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-smith/) > [Every February, we celebrate the heritage and contributions of African Americans in North Carolina and around the country. North Carolina holds an important place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-cooper/every-february-we-celebrate-the-heritage-and-contributions-of-african/) [Roy Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-cooper/) > [I always say African American history is the quintessential American story. It's about perseverance and resilience - something everyone can relate to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-freelon/i-always-say-african-american-history-is-the-quintessential-american/) [Philip Freelon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-freelon/) > [African American history is really American history because African Americans really helped build this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-lemon/african-american-history-is-really-american-history-because-african/) [Don Lemon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-lemon/) > [The potential for greatness lives within us all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilma-rudolph/the-potential-for-greatness-lives-within-us-all/) [Wilma Rudolph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilma-rudolph/) > [Never be limited by other people's limited imaginations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/never-be-limited-by-other-people-s-limited-imaginations/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [My father was a slave and my people died to build this country and I am going to stay here and have a part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-robeson/my-father-was-a-slave-and-my-people-died-to-build-this-country-and-i/) [Paul Robeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-robeson/) > [I'm such a believer in going to set, even when you're not work because I think the best things to be learned, you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-collins/i-m-such-a-believer-in-going-to-set-even-when-you-re-not-work-because/) [Lily Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-collins/) > [I'm such a believer in going to set, even when you're not working, because I think the best things to be learned, you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-collins/i-m-such-a-believer-in-going-to-set-even-when-you-re-not-working/) [Lily Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-collins/) > [Goodness," Myrnin said quietly. "I don't think I should be watching this. I don't think I'm old enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/goodness-myrnin-said-quietly-i-don-t-think-i-should-be-watching-this/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [“Paranoia's OK," said Berry, "it's just a more primitive defense. If you think someone's watching you, you think you're not alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-shem/paranoia-s-ok-said-berry-it-s-just-a-more-primitive-defense-if-you/) [Samuel Shem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-shem/) > [I am a stress buster. Because I knew what people react or think after watching me on screen and I love it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakhi-sawant/i-am-a-stress-buster-because-i-knew-what-people-react-or-think-after/) [Rakhi Sawant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakhi-sawant/) ## More by Harry Lennix > [The Black church is extremely important in Black America. I think most Americans themselves believe in a divine power, in a god, and I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/the-black-church-is-extremely-important-in-black-america-i-think-most/) [Harry Lennix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-lennix/) > [My view is that "A Small Oak Tree Runs Red" is about putting people 'on the record,' who otherwise would have been forgotten, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/my-view-is-that-a-small-oak-tree-runs-red-is-about-putting-people-on/) [Harry Lennix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-lennix/) > [I think that one thing that America is guilty of is not ever apologizing for the greatest sin of the country, which is slavery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/i-think-that-one-thing-that-america-is-guilty-of-is-not-ever/) [Harry Lennix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-lennix/) > [I hope that people will come and experience our play 'A Small Oak Tree Runs Red' . I don't want anybody to suffer, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/i-hope-that-people-will-come-and-experience-our-play-a-small-oak-tree/) [Harry Lennix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-lennix/) > [Racism is a common thread among people of color, even though each experience with it is different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/racism-is-a-common-thread-among-people-of-color-even-though-each/) [Harry Lennix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-lennix/) > [I think that in some ways there is no more important thing in my life outside of family and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/i-think-that-in-some-ways-there-is-no-more-important-thing-in-my-life/) [Harry Lennix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-lennix/) > [I play piano, so when I'm learning a new or difficult piece, at some point I have to enjoy the music of the piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/i-play-piano-so-when-i-m-learning-a-new-or-difficult-piece-at-some/) [Harry Lennix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-lennix/) > [There was a lynching case as late as 2011, so it's not as far away as we think. I think persecution by powerful structures,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/there-was-a-lynching-case-as-late-as-2011-so-it-s-not-as-far-away-as/) [Harry Lennix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-lennix/) > [The most important thing in my life is that trying to ameliorate, redeem, the image in particular of African American men, or Black men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/the-most-important-thing-in-my-life-is-that-trying-to-ameliorate/) [Harry Lennix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-lennix/) > [The truth is more important to me than anything - my personal wealth or health or any of these things. I think that it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/the-truth-is-more-important-to-me-than-anything-my-personal-wealth-or/) [Harry Lennix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-lennix/) > [People learn who they are by the images of themselves, the representations that they seek.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/people-learn-who-they-are-by-the-images-of-themselves-the/) [Harry Lennix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-lennix/) > [Hollywood loves to pat itself on the back and espouse their rhetorically liberal points of view while they continue to be the 1 percent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/hollywood-loves-to-pat-itself-on-the-back-and-espouse-their/) [Harry Lennix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-lennix/) > [There may have been great scripts, and perfect actors to fill the roles, but those pilot projects could be stopped at an earlier point.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/there-may-have-been-great-scripts-and-perfect-actors-to-fill-the/) [Harry Lennix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-lennix/) > [The images that people see in the media of black people - whether journalistic or narrative - remain horrible. And those images, combined with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/the-images-that-people-see-in-the-media-of-black-people-whether/) [Harry Lennix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-lennix/) > [The concept of 'purgatory' is in Catholic Church dogma, and most black people are not Catholic - mostly their Christian realities focus on heaven…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/the-concept-of-purgatory-is-in-catholic-church-dogma-and-most-black/) [Harry Lennix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-lennix/) [Explore all 22 Harry Lennix quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-lennix/) ## More African american quotes > [This is, for an accomplished Latino, an accomplished African American, an accomplished anyone who disproves stereotypes, it's a constant battle in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/this-is-for-an-accomplished-latino-an-accomplished-african-american/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [I agreed a long time ago, I would not live at any cost. If I am moved or forced away from what I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-agreed-a-long-time-ago-i-would-not-live-at-any-cost-if-i-am-moved/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [There could be no more powerful argument against mixing religion and government than the success of independent African American churches in placing racial segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/there-could-be-no-more-powerful-argument-against-mixing-religion-and/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [“This popularity extended to Trump himself, who, according to private demographic research conducted at the time, was even more popular with African American and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-green/this-popularity-extended-to-trump-himself-who-according-to-private/) [Joshua Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-green/) > [American civil rights leader, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Lynching is a murder. For the past four hundred years our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/american-civil-rights-leader-where-do-we-go-from-here-chaos-or/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I know I'm more forgiving than most African Americans when it comes to second chances for White people who not only commit a racial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-capehart/i-know-i-m-more-forgiving-than-most-african-americans-when-it-comes/) [Jonathan Capehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-capehart/) > [Some Republicans gave up on winning the African-American vote, looking the other way or trying to benefit politically from racial polarization. I am here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-mehlman/some-republicans-gave-up-on-winning-the-african-american-vote-looking/) [Ken Mehlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-mehlman/) > [It's unfortunate that a lot of people think African-American female artists are monolithically R&B this-or-that, don't have to do anything by default.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/it-s-unfortunate-that-a-lot-of-people-think-african-american-female/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [Whereas our ancestors (not of choice) were the first successful cultivators of the wilds of America, we their descendants feel ourselves entitled to participate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-allen/whereas-our-ancestors-not-of-choice-were-the-first-successful/) [Richard Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-allen/) > [It may be changing, but still it's the one place, that total control of an institution, that African Americans have. So sometimes, you know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-emerson/it-may-be-changing-but-still-it-s-the-one-place-that-total-control-of/) [Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/) > [Most of the more celebrated names among African-American authors, poets, and artists are known to the world because of their association with specific cultural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aberjhani/most-of-the-more-celebrated-names-among-african-american-authors/) [Aberjhani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aberjhani/) > [I think it's easier for African American and white comics to be praised than it is Latinos because they think our culture or our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lopez/i-think-it-s-easier-for-african-american-and-white-comics-to-be/) [George Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lopez/) > [“Alabama in 1927 alone, 27,701 men were arrested on misdemeanor charges and offered for sale by county sheriffs. In Blackmon’s estimation, “roughly half of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-haney-l-pez/alabama-in-1927-alone-27-701-men-were-arrested-on-misdemeanor-charges/) [Ian Haney López](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-haney-l-pez/) > [I'm just trying to touch the world and touch the people and just get good material. And show them that we can get it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-hardrict/i-m-just-trying-to-touch-the-world-and-touch-the-people-and-just-get/) [Cory Hardrict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-hardrict/) [Browse all 1,848 African american quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-american/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm one of those persons who think that watching black people suffer is not an idea of entertainment. I know a lot about African American history, which is just American history, it's always been very fascinating to me. The premise of the play is remembering and honoring those persons whose stories would never be taken into account.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Harry Lennix" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/i-m-one-of-those-persons-who-think-that-watching-black-people-suffer/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "African american" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/i-m-one-of-those-persons-who-think-that-watching-black-people-suffer/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/harry-lennix-25690_african-american_i-m-one-of-those-persons-who-think-that_1961877.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/harry-lennix-25690_african-american_i-m-one-of-those-persons-who-think-that_1961877.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/harry-lennix-25690_african-american_i-m-one-of-those-persons-who-think-that_1961877.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm one of those persons who think that watching black people suffer is not an idea of entertainment. I know…” — Harry Lennix", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Harry Lennix", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-lennix/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'm one of those persons who...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/i-m-one-of-those-persons-who-think-that-watching-black-people-suffer/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/i-m-one-of-those-persons-who-think-that-watching-black-people-suffer/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```