---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For complicated historical and political…"
description: "\"For complicated historical and political reasons, we associate 'poor' in our public consciousness with 'black.' Terms such as 'welfare queen' and 'cult..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/194/j-d-vance-2-3852_african-american_for-complicated-historical-and-political_2934606.jpg"
---

#  For complicated historical and political reasons, we…

![“For complicated historical and political reasons, we associate 'poor' in our public consciousness with 'black.' Terms such as 'welfare queen' and 'culture of poverty' became associated uniquely with the social maladies of African Americans in urban ghettos, despite the fact that poor whites…” quote by J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/194/j-d-vance-2-3852_african-american_for-complicated-historical-and-political_2934606.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/194/j-d-vance-2-3852_african-american_for-complicated-historical-and-political_2934606.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/194/j-d-vance-2-3852_african-american_for-complicated-historical-and-political_2934606.jpg)

> “For complicated historical and political reasons, we associate 'poor' in our public consciousness with 'black.' Terms such as 'welfare queen' and 'culture of poverty' became associated uniquely with the social maladies of African Americans in urban ghettos, despite the fact that poor whites outnumbered poor blacks.”

[J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The quote highlights how racial stereotypes link poverty with Black Americans, despite statistical evidence that poor whites are more numerous, revealing media bias and cultural misperception.

**In simple terms:** Poverty is unfairly associated with Black people due to stereotypes.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and challenge racial bias in poverty narratives.

Themes

race poverty media bias stereotypes social justice

Mood

critical empathetic

Type

sociological analytical

When to use this quote

- policy analysis
- media literacy workshops
- community outreach
- academic research
- advocacy campaigns

Key Concepts

structural inequality racial framing public perception

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we reshape public narratives about poverty?

A Different Perspective

Does focusing on race distract from broader poverty solutions?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[African american](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-american/) [African americans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-americans/) [Associate Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/associate-poor-3837035/) [Consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consciousness/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Culture Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture-poverty-346373/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Poor Blacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-blacks-329110/) [Poor Public](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-public-4343256/) [Poor Whites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-whites-1276995/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Queen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/queen/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/)

## Related quotes

> [“Today, many whites oppose all social reform as "welfare programs for blacks." They ignore the fact that poor whites have employment, education, and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-bell/today-many-whites-oppose-all-social-reform-as-welfare-programs-for/)

[Derrick Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-bell/)

> [Rich people associate with rich and successful people. Poor people will associate with poor people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rich-people-associate-with-rich-and-successful-people-poor-people/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I never thought, when I was a kid, that there was a sense of competition or animosity towards poor blacks. I just thought there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/i-never-thought-when-i-was-a-kid-that-there-was-a-sense-of/)

[J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/)

> [There is so much joy in native culture but so much poverty. It's very disturbing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buffy-sainte-marie/there-is-so-much-joy-in-native-culture-but-so-much-poverty-it-s-very/)

[Buffy Sainte-Marie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buffy-sainte-marie/)

> [I think that we need more economic-based solutions to the problems afflicting the Black community, and I think that that's a way to redefine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-louis-gates/i-think-that-we-need-more-economic-based-solutions-to-the-problems/)

[Henry Louis Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-louis-gates/)

> [At the core of conservative social policy about race are old ideas that link racial inequality to non-traditional family formation and its attendant culture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/at-the-core-of-conservative-social-policy-about-race-are-old-ideas/)

[Kimberle Williams Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/)

> [By the Reagan era, the 'culture of poverty' had become a cornerstone of conservative ideology: poverty was caused not by low wages or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/by-the-reagan-era-the-culture-of-poverty-had-become-a-cornerstone-of/)

[Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/)

> [People with a culture of poverty suffer much less from repression than we of the middle class suffer and indeed, if I may make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-friel/people-with-a-culture-of-poverty-suffer-much-less-from-repression/)

[Brian Friel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-friel/)

> [Racism as a form of skin worship, and as a sickness and a pathological anxiety for America, is so great, until the poor whites…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/racism-as-a-form-of-skin-worship-and-as-a-sickness-and-a-pathological/)

[Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/)

> [“Nationally in 2011, poor whites exceeded the poor African American total by roughly eight million: 19,171,000 versus 10,929,000.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-alexander/nationally-in-2011-poor-whites-exceeded-the-poor-african-american/)

[Karl Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-alexander/)

> [“Poor whites are still taught to hate—but not to hate those who are keeping them in line. Lyndon Johnson knew this when he quipped,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-isenberg/poor-whites-are-still-taught-to-hate-but-not-to-hate-those-who-are/)

[Nancy Isenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-isenberg/)

> [“And rich white people were not so hard on Negroes; it was the poor whites who hated Negroes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-rich-white-people-were-not-so-hard-on-negroes-it-was-the-poor/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Poor whites didn't have rights. They made all kind of restrictions on voting. So person meant relatively well - off, free white man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/poor-whites-didn-t-have-rights-they-made-all-kind-of-restrictions-on/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

> [“The worst sort of scoundrels took up the chase. Drunkards, incorrigibles, poor whites who didn’t even own shoes delighted in this opportunity to scourge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/the-worst-sort-of-scoundrels-took-up-the-chase-drunkards/)

[Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/)

> [Politicians will not put forth programs aimed at the problems of poor blacks while their turnout remains so low.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-louis-gates/politicians-will-not-put-forth-programs-aimed-at-the-problems-of-poor/)

[Henry Louis Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-louis-gates/)

## More by J. D. Vance

> [Undoubtedly, church fish fries and picnics help build social cohesion. It was at my dad's medium-size evangelical church - my first real exposure to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/undoubtedly-church-fish-fries-and-picnics-help-build-social-cohesion/)

[J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/)

> [I almost failed out of high school. I nearly gave in to the deep anger and resentment harbored by everyone around me... Whatever talents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/i-almost-failed-out-of-high-school-i-nearly-gave-in-to-the-deep-anger/)

[J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/)

> [Airing the family's laundry can make people upset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/airing-the-family-s-laundry-can-make-people-upset/)

[J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/)

> [Liberals have to get more comfortable with dealing with the poor as they actually are. I admire their refusal to look down on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/liberals-have-to-get-more-comfortable-with-dealing-with-the-poor-as/)

[J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/)

> [I happen to be a conservative, but one need not accept the Right's theories wholesale to acknowledge the sometimes negative effects of government action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/i-happen-to-be-a-conservative-but-one-need-not-accept-the-right-s/)

[J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/)

> [Trump's voters loathe Jeb Bush because their lives are falling apart, and they blame people like him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/trump-s-voters-loathe-jeb-bush-because-their-lives-are-falling-apart/)

[J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/)

> [What unites Trump's voters is a sense of alienation from America's wealthy and powerful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/what-unites-trump-s-voters-is-a-sense-of-alienation-from-america-s/)

[J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/)

> [The subsidy for employer-sponsored coverage has tethered health care to employment in a way that virtually no economist endorses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/the-subsidy-for-employer-sponsored-coverage-has-tethered-health-care/)

[J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/)

> [I don't think that 60-70 percent of working-class white voters would have supported a Muslim ban before Donald Trump said something about a Muslim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/i-don-t-think-that-60-70-percent-of-working-class-white-voters-would/)

[J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/)

> [It would be great if people returned to areas of the country that need talented people with good economic prospects. Our country would really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/it-would-be-great-if-people-returned-to-areas-of-the-country-that/)

[J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/)

> [My military service is the thing I'm most proud of, but when I think of everything happening in the Middle East, I can't help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/my-military-service-is-the-thing-i-m-most-proud-of-but-when-i-think/)

[J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/)

> [I could never understand why our lives felt like a struggle while those living off government largesse enjoyed trinkets that I only dreamed about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/i-could-never-understand-why-our-lives-felt-like-a-struggle-while/)

[J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/)

> [I think running a small nonprofit to work on the opioid crisis and bring interesting new businesses to the so-called Rust Belt - all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/i-think-running-a-small-nonprofit-to-work-on-the-opioid-crisis-and/)

[J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/)

> [People listen to what their political leaders are telling them, and my view is both that Trump is tapping into some racially ugly attitudes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/people-listen-to-what-their-political-leaders-are-telling-them-and-my/)

[J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/)

> [The most depressing part of the 2016 election is that the candidates often failed to show any cultural leadership: any recognition that the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/the-most-depressing-part-of-the-2016-election-is-that-the-candidates/)

[J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/)

[Explore all 121 J. D. Vance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/)

## 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&amp;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": "For complicated historical and political reasons, we associate 'poor' in our public consciousness with 'black.' Terms such as 'welfare queen' and 'culture of poverty' became associated uniquely with the social maladies of African Americans in urban ghettos, despite the fact that poor whites outnumbered poor blacks.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "J. D. Vance"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/for-complicated-historical-and-political-reasons-we-associate-poor-in/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "African american"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/for-complicated-historical-and-political-reasons-we-associate-poor-in/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/194/j-d-vance-2-3852_african-american_for-complicated-historical-and-political_2934606.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/194/j-d-vance-2-3852_african-american_for-complicated-historical-and-political_2934606.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/194/j-d-vance-2-3852_african-american_for-complicated-historical-and-political_2934606.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“For complicated historical and political reasons, we associate 'poor' in our public consciousness with…” — J. D. Vance",
                "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": "J. D. Vance",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "For complicated historical and political reasons,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/for-complicated-historical-and-political-reasons-we-associate-poor-in/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/for-complicated-historical-and-political-reasons-we-associate-poor-in/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
