--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The task is to transform society; only…" description: "\"The task is to transform society; only the people can do that - not heroes, not celebrities, not stars.\" — Huey Newton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf4/huey-newton-8581_can-do_the-task-is-to-transform-society-only-th_2370675.jpg" --- # The task is to transform society; only the people can do… ![“The task is to transform society; only the people can do that - not heroes, not celebrities, not stars.” quote by Huey Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf4/huey-newton-8581_can-do_the-task-is-to-transform-society-only-th_2370675.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf4/huey-newton-8581_can-do_the-task-is-to-transform-society-only-th_2370675.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf4/huey-newton-8581_can-do_the-task-is-to-transform-society-only-th_2370675.jpg) > “The task is to transform society; only the people can do that - not heroes, not celebrities, not stars.” [Huey Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-newton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Change requires collective action from ordinary people, not celebrated individuals. **In simple terms:** Everyone must act, not heroes. Key Takeaway Empower community action. Themes activism collective power social change grassroots empowerment Mood determined urgent Type motivational political When to use this quote - community organizing - political campaigns - local initiatives - social media activism Key Concepts political theory social movements agency Questions to Reflect On - How can everyday people take leadership? - What barriers prevent collective action? A Different Perspective Change is slow without widespread participation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Can do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-do/) [Fervor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fervor/) [Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Heroes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-heroes-396496/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) [Society People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society-people/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) [Tasks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tasks/) [Transform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transform/) [Transform Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transform-society-814557/) ## Related quotes > [Too many so-called leaders of the movement have been made into celebrities and their revolutionary fervor destroyed by mass media. They become Hollywood objects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-newton/too-many-so-called-leaders-of-the-movement-have-been-made-into/) [Huey Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-newton/) > [You cannot transform the society of people if the people are not part of the change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelique-kidjo/you-cannot-transform-the-society-of-people-if-the-people-are-not-part/) [Angelique Kidjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelique-kidjo/) > [Ideas have consequences that can transform society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-salinas-pliego/ideas-have-consequences-that-can-transform-society/) [Ricardo Salinas Pliego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-salinas-pliego/) > [Few industries have the ability to transform society like tech, yet too few companies are asking the questions or working on the problems that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kapor/few-industries-have-the-ability-to-transform-society-like-tech-yet/) [Mitch Kapor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kapor/) > [Politics is an instrument that can transform society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrique-pena-nieto/politics-is-an-instrument-that-can-transform-society/) [Enrique Pena Nieto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrique-pena-nieto/) > [I think the basis - the foundation - has already been laid for a society where people will work together and enjoy the wealth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-newton/i-think-the-basis-the-foundation-has-already-been-laid-for-a-society/) [Huey Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-newton/) > [The great task of our time is to build a global society, where people can live together in peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/the-great-task-of-our-time-is-to-build-a-global-society-where-people/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [“God is working on two fronts all the time. As He works to transform society, He works to transform the transformers!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-briscoe/god-is-working-on-two-fronts-all-the-time-as-he-works-to-transform/) [Jill Briscoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-briscoe/) > [I still believe that workers must be the basic force which must organize and eventually transform society (along with peasants in poor countries). This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/i-still-believe-that-workers-must-be-the-basic-force-which-must/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [I think our initiative with respect to education and economic development can work in Saudi Arabia and it is up to the Saudis to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/i-think-our-initiative-with-respect-to-education-and-economic/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Football's incomparable to anything else - perhaps only music has that same power to transform society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-mata/football-s-incomparable-to-anything-else-perhaps-only-music-has-that/) [Juan Mata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-mata/) > [“Outside, most people knew that decades ago, the religious fundamentalists lost the ability to transform society when they became a political movement. Their boycotts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-brouwer/outside-most-people-knew-that-decades-ago-the-religious/) [Sigmund Brouwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-brouwer/) > [Philanthropy is involved with basic innovations that transform society, not simply maintaining the status quo or filling basic social needs that were formerly the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rockefeller/philanthropy-is-involved-with-basic-innovations-that-transform/) [David Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rockefeller/) > [“The elimination of profit, whatever methods may be resorted to for its execution, must transform society into a senseless jumble.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-elimination-of-profit-whatever-methods-may-be-resorted-to-for-its/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [There can be no question about whether we should or should not transform our society in the direction of sustainability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-atkisson/there-can-be-no-question-about-whether-we-should-or-should-not/) [Alan AtKisson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-atkisson/) ## More by Huey Newton > [I think the basis - the foundation - has already been laid for a society where people will work together and enjoy the wealth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-newton/i-think-the-basis-the-foundation-has-already-been-laid-for-a-society/) [Huey Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-newton/) > [When I founded the party in 1966, I had just turned 24.And each year, no, not each year, each day I live I've gained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-newton/when-i-founded-the-party-in-1966-i-had-just-turned-24-and-each-year/) [Huey Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-newton/) > [Youths are passed through schools that don’t teach, then forced to search for jobs that don’t exist and finally left stranded in the street…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-newton/youths-are-passed-through-schools-that-don-t-teach-then-forced-to/) [Huey Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-newton/) > [You can Jail a Revolutionary but you can't jail the Revolution. You can run a freedom fighter around the country, but you can't run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-newton/you-can-jail-a-revolutionary-but-you-can-t-jail-the-revolution-you/) [Huey Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-newton/) > [The United States can hide behind a facade simply because it is sucking the blood of other people...The Third World people: Africa, Asia and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-newton/the-united-states-can-hide-behind-a-facade-simply-because-it-is/) [Huey Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-newton/) > [The revolution has always been in the hands of the young. The young always inherit the revolution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-newton/the-revolution-has-always-been-in-the-hands-of-the-young-the-young/) [Huey Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-newton/) > [“‎"revolutionary suicide does not mean that i and my comrades have a death wish; it means just the opposite. we have such a strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-newton/revolutionary-suicide-does-not-mean-that-i-and-my-comrades-have-a/) [Huey Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-newton/) > [I knew how to influence the people, but it's really just one vote. But the party is being handled in a very good way .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-newton/i-knew-how-to-influence-the-people-but-it-s-really-just-one-vote-but/) [Huey Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-newton/) > [Any unarmed people are slaves, or are subject to slavery at any given moment. If the guns are taken out of the hands of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-newton/any-unarmed-people-are-slaves-or-are-subject-to-slavery-at-any-given/) [Huey Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-newton/) > [The racist dog policemen must withdraw immediately from our communities, cease their wanton murder and brutality and torture of black people, or face the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-newton/the-racist-dog-policemen-must-withdraw-immediately-from-our/) [Huey Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-newton/) > [We have to realize our black heritage in order to give us strength to move on and progress. But as far as returning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-newton/we-have-to-realize-our-black-heritage-in-order-to-give-us-strength-to/) [Huey Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-newton/) > [My fear was not of death itself, but a death without meaning. I wanted my death to be something the people could relate to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-newton/my-fear-was-not-of-death-itself-but-a-death-without-meaning-i-wanted/) [Huey Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-newton/) > [I think generally speaking, both people are trying to be free from the abuses of the white racist North American authorities. I think that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-newton/i-think-generally-speaking-both-people-are-trying-to-be-free-from-the/) [Huey Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-newton/) > [We were trying to increase the conflict that was already happening... we felt that we would take the conflict to so high a level…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-newton/we-were-trying-to-increase-the-conflict-that-was-already-happening-we/) [Huey Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-newton/) > [I worked in the mechanical factories repairing cement trucks. The Cuban government wanted me to work in the university as a teacher in literature,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-newton/i-worked-in-the-mechanical-factories-repairing-cement-trucks-the/) [Huey Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-newton/) [Explore all 79 Huey Newton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-newton/) ## More Can do quotes > [Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can't. My attitude is always let it keep rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/changes-before-your-eyes-things-you-can-do-and-things-you-can-t-my/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [If I had a million dollars, I just wouldn't just completely set back. I'd have to get out there and show my face to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/if-i-had-a-million-dollars-i-just-wouldn-t-just-completely-set-back-i/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [Anybody can be Prince Charming one day a year, with the dinner and the flowers and all that. But you know what impresses me?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-howard/anybody-can-be-prince-charming-one-day-a-year-with-the-dinner-and-the/) [Ryan Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-howard/) > [And if the mind thinks with a believing attitude one can do amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/and-if-the-mind-thinks-with-a-believing-attitude-one-can-do-amazing/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [The amount of things you can do with a kettlebell is unsurpassed by any other training equipment - dumbbells, resistance machines, free weights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/the-amount-of-things-you-can-do-with-a-kettlebell-is-unsurpassed-by/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [It's nice when you've done enough movies that you can do your own anthology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/it-s-nice-when-you-ve-done-enough-movies-that-you-can-do-your-own/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [If people don't have their own vision, all they can do is 'sign-up' for someone else's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-senge/if-people-don-t-have-their-own-vision-all-they-can-do-is-sign-up-for/) [Peter Senge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-senge/) > [The one thing that flies in the face of all human history and experience, is that the government can do a superior job than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/the-one-thing-that-flies-in-the-face-of-all-human-history-and/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) > [...what I can do is offer myself, wholehearted and present, to walk with the people I love through the fear and the mess. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/what-i-can-do-is-offer-myself-wholehearted-and-present-to-walk-with/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [Whether that's speaking up in your job or asking for a promotion or saying, 'I think I can do that.' Using your voice in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/whether-that-s-speaking-up-in-your-job-or-asking-for-a-promotion-or/) [Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/) > [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [A professional is a man who can do his job when he doesn't feel like it. An amateur is a man who can't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-agate/a-professional-is-a-man-who-can-do-his-job-when-he-doesn-t-feel-like/) [James Agate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-agate/) > [The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, as it pleases him, for he can do all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/the-lord-gives-and-the-lord-takes-away-as-it-pleases-him-for-he-can/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [I'm not an educated man. I only know what I'm told, and I'm not told that much; I have no frame of reference for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-m-not-an-educated-man-i-only-know-what-i-m-told-and-i-m-not-told/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) [Browse all 5,673 Can do quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-do/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The task is to transform society; only the people can do that - not heroes, not celebrities, not stars.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Huey Newton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-newton/the-task-is-to-transform-society-only-the-people-can-do-that-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Can do" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-newton/the-task-is-to-transform-society-only-the-people-can-do-that-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf4/huey-newton-8581_can-do_the-task-is-to-transform-society-only-th_2370675.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf4/huey-newton-8581_can-do_the-task-is-to-transform-society-only-th_2370675.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf4/huey-newton-8581_can-do_the-task-is-to-transform-society-only-th_2370675.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The task is to transform society; only the people can do that - not heroes, not celebrities, not stars.” — Huey Newton", "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": "Huey Newton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-newton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The task is to transform society;...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-newton/the-task-is-to-transform-society-only-the-people-can-do-that-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-newton/the-task-is-to-transform-society-only-the-people-can-do-that-not/#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 } } ] } ```