--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Like any group that has endured much…" description: "\"Like any group that has endured much, African Americans have created a strong and mutually reinforcing sense of group identity. That's not a bad thing ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/237/j-c-watts-8129_african-american_like-any-group-that-has-endured-much-afr_2551113.png" --- # Like any group that has endured much, African Americans… ![“Like any group that has endured much, African Americans have created a strong and mutually reinforcing sense of group identity. That's not a bad thing in and of itself.” quote by J. C. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/237/j-c-watts-8129_african-american_like-any-group-that-has-endured-much-afr_2551113.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/237/j-c-watts-8129_african-american_like-any-group-that-has-endured-much-afr_2551113.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/237/j-c-watts-8129_african-american_like-any-group-that-has-endured-much-afr_2551113.png) > “Like any group that has endured much, African Americans have created a strong and mutually reinforcing sense of group identity. That's not a bad thing in and of itself.” [J. C. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-watts/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Enduring hardship can forge a powerful collective identity that supports its members and sustains cultural resilience. **In simple terms:** Shared struggle builds strong group identity. Key Takeaway Recognize and value the strength of community bonds. Themes identity resilience community culture solidarity Mood proud reflective determined Type sociological inspirational When to use this quote - activism - education - community organizing - cultural festivals - policy advocacy Key Concepts social cohesion collective memory psychological safety Questions to Reflect On - How does shared history shape present actions? - What are the risks of exclusive identity politics? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on group identity may hinder cross‑group collaboration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [African american](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-american/) [African americans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-americans/) [Americans Created](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/americans-created-1521960/) [Bad thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-thing/) [Endured African](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endured-african-1521959/) [Group Endured](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/group-endured-1521958/) [Group identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/group-identity/) [Groups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/groups/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong/) ## Related quotes > [The only art form that Americans have created that's recognized around the world is jazz music born in a community that had the peculiar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-burns/the-only-art-form-that-americans-have-created-that-s-recognized/) [Ken Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-burns/) > [London's got less of a group identity because it's a melting pot and it's bigger. Whereas if you're from Glasgow or Newcastle or wherever,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-mack/london-s-got-less-of-a-group-identity-because-it-s-a-melting-pot-and/) [Lee Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-mack/) > [“It’s often thought that the only function of pronunciation is to facilitate intelligibility; but it is also there to express personal or group identity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-crystal/it-s-often-thought-that-the-only-function-of-pronunciation-is-to/) [David Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-crystal/) > [I don't see tribalism ever really disappearing entirely. I just think that people are almost hardwired to identify as groups. 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Its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-goldstein/antisemitism-is-a-very-peculiar-pathology-that-recognizes-no-national/) [Phyllis Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-goldstein/) > [By encouraging Americans to adopt a group mentality, the advocates of so called 'diversity' actually perpetuate racism. Their obsession with racial group identity is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/by-encouraging-americans-to-adopt-a-group-mentality-the-advocates-of/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [You know, one of the ways we adapted to not being free was to think that our group identity was again, the way we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelby-steele/you-know-one-of-the-ways-we-adapted-to-not-being-free-was-to-think/) [Shelby Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelby-steele/) > [Southerners are also like ethnic groups in that they have a sense of group identity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelton-reed/southerners-are-also-like-ethnic-groups-in-that-they-have-a-sense-of/) [John Shelton Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelton-reed/) > [The growing child must derive a vitalizing sense of reality from the awareness that his individual way of mastering experience (his ego synthesis) is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-erikson/the-growing-child-must-derive-a-vitalizing-sense-of-reality-from-the/) [Erik Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-erikson/) ## More by J. 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We've got to get beyond the labels and stereotypes. Other people have hang-ups…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-watts/you-always-hear-black-republican-but-you-never-hear-white-democrat-we/) [J. C. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-watts/) > [There is a war being waged right now on prayer and religion by liberals who are taking every opportunity to make America as God-less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-watts/there-is-a-war-being-waged-right-now-on-prayer-and-religion-by/) [J. C. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-watts/) > [As an Oklahoma quarterback, you learn to perform under pressure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-watts/as-an-oklahoma-quarterback-you-learn-to-perform-under-pressure/) [J. C. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-watts/) > [Good policy makes good politics and what I've done has been good politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-watts/good-policy-makes-good-politics-and-what-i-ve-done-has-been-good/) [J. C. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-watts/) > [The strength of America is not in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-watts/the-strength-of-america-is-not-in-washington/) [J. C. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-watts/) > [It takes a lot of strength to let go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-watts/it-takes-a-lot-of-strength-to-let-go/) [J. C. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-watts/) > [A Black man voting for the Republicans makes about as much sense as a chicken voting for Col. Sanders,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-watts/a-black-man-voting-for-the-republicans-makes-about-as-much-sense-as-a/) [J. C. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-watts/) > [The establishment wonders why we can't get more of the black vote. It's because it's not doing the things necessary to establish a deeper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-watts/the-establishment-wonders-why-we-can-t-get-more-of-the-black-vote-it/) [J. C. 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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. 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