--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think that one thing that America is…" description: "\"I think that one thing that America is guilty of is not ever apologizing for the greatest sin of the country, which is slavery.\" — Harry Lennix" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa0/harry-lennix-25690_america_i-think-that-one-thing-that-america-is-g_344096.jpg" --- # I think that one thing that America is guilty of is not… ![“I think that one thing that America is guilty of is not ever apologizing for the greatest sin of the country, which is slavery.” quote by Harry Lennix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa0/harry-lennix-25690_america_i-think-that-one-thing-that-america-is-g_344096.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa0/harry-lennix-25690_america_i-think-that-one-thing-that-america-is-g_344096.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa0/harry-lennix-25690_america_i-think-that-one-thing-that-america-is-g_344096.jpg) > “I think that one thing that America is guilty of is not ever apologizing for the greatest sin of the country, which is slavery.” [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. America avoids apologizing for slavery, its greatest national wrongdoing. **In simple terms:** America hasn't apologized for slavery. Key Takeaway Acknowledge historical injustices. Themes accountability history justice Mood somber reflective Type ethical historical When to use this quote - political discourse - education - media coverage - policy debates Key Concepts collective memory reconciliation Questions to Reflect On - What steps beyond apology can address past sins? - How can societies reconcile with painful histories? A Different Perspective Apology alone may not heal systemic impacts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Guilty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilty/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Progressives really do see America as guilty of crimes against humanity, and to them, our 'greatness' must be abandoned to atone for those crimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-tancredo/progressives-really-do-see-america-as-guilty-of-crimes-against/) [Tom Tancredo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-tancredo/) > [“Demokraattisessa maassa ihmisen pitäisi olla syytön siihen asti, kun se todetaan syylliseksi, mutta vitut! In America, you are guilty until proven innocent!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-halme/demokraattisessa-maassa-ihmisen-pit-isi-olla-syyt-n-siihen-asti-kun/) [Tony Halme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-halme/) > [The point is, folks, for people on the left - and I don't care what kind of clothes they wear, or where they live,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-point-is-folks-for-people-on-the-left-and-i-don-t-care-what-kind/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [If, while I hear the wild shriek of the slave mother robbed of her little ones, I do not open my mouth, am I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-stone/if-while-i-hear-the-wild-shriek-of-the-slave-mother-robbed-of-her/) [Lucy Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-stone/) > [The most racist, nastiest act by America, after human slavery, was the bombing of Nagasaki. Not of Hiroshima, which might have had some military…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-most-racist-nastiest-act-by-america-after-human-slavery-was-the/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [To the millions of Americans whove attempted to use HealthCare.gov to shop and enroll in health-care coverage, I want to apologize to you that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-tavenner/to-the-millions-of-americans-whove-attempted-to-use-healthcare-gov-to/) Marilyn Tavenner > [I have a responsibility, and it's something that I did wrong, and if I could personally apologize to every single person that has lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-richie/i-have-a-responsibility-and-it-s-something-that-i-did-wrong-and-if-i/) [Nicole Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-richie/) > [I would like to publicly apologize to anyone I have NOT offended¦I will get to you shortly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-would-like-to-publicly-apologize-to-anyone-i-have-not-offended-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Apologizing does not always mean you are wrong, it just means that value your relationships more than your ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinier-bennett/apologizing-does-not-always-mean-you-are-wrong-it-just-means-that/) [Chinier Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinier-bennett/) > [President Bush deliberately did not apologize for things and that’s because advisers around him, including those there, felt that the press corps would jump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gregory/president-bush-deliberately-did-not-apologize-for-things-and-that-s/) [David Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gregory/) > [I have some friends who are actors. I've watched them work. And I would say that of all the arts, acting is the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-stewart/i-have-some-friends-who-are-actors-i-ve-watched-them-work-and-i-would/) [Kristen Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-stewart/) > [To apologize for what you most wanted to do, to concede that it was obnoxious, boring, 'vulgar and unsafe' --- that was the worst…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-hollinghurst/to-apologize-for-what-you-most-wanted-to-do-to-concede-that-it-was/) [Alan Hollinghurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-hollinghurst/) > [A jerk will keep hurting you then apologize to keep you from leaving them, and then do it all over again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/a-jerk-will-keep-hurting-you-then-apologize-to-keep-you-from-leaving/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [“A lady need never apologize. ~ Joseph de Bonaparte (Brother of Napoleon)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-pataki/a-lady-need-never-apologize-joseph-de-bonaparte-brother-of-napoleon/) Allison Pataki > [“There were probably many factors that kept the relationship going and kept your love alive. There were all his promises. "I promise this will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-kennedy-dugan/there-were-probably-many-factors-that-kept-the-relationship-going-and/) Meg Kennedy Dugan ## 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 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/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/i-m-one-of-those-persons-who-think-that-watching-black-people-suffer/) [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 America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think that one thing that America is guilty of is not ever apologizing for the greatest sin of the country, which is slavery.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Harry Lennix" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/i-think-that-one-thing-that-america-is-guilty-of-is-not-ever/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/i-think-that-one-thing-that-america-is-guilty-of-is-not-ever/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa0/harry-lennix-25690_america_i-think-that-one-thing-that-america-is-g_344096.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa0/harry-lennix-25690_america_i-think-that-one-thing-that-america-is-g_344096.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa0/harry-lennix-25690_america_i-think-that-one-thing-that-america-is-g_344096.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think that one thing that America is guilty of is not ever apologizing for the greatest sin of the…” — 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 think that one thing that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/i-think-that-one-thing-that-america-is-guilty-of-is-not-ever/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/i-think-that-one-thing-that-america-is-guilty-of-is-not-ever/#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 } } ] } ```