---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Colored or not, we all work for the white…"
description: "\"“Colored or not, we all work for the white man's cotton...”\" — James Lee Burke Red Cherry Blues"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/715/james-lee-burke-red-cherry-blu_cajun_colored-or-not-we-all-work-for-the-white_324912.jpg"
---

#  Colored or not, we all work for the white man's cotton...

![“Colored or not, we all work for the white man's cotton...” quote by James Lee Burke Red Cherry Blues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/715/james-lee-burke-red-cherry-blu_cajun_colored-or-not-we-all-work-for-the-white_324912.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/715/james-lee-burke-red-cherry-blu_cajun_colored-or-not-we-all-work-for-the-white_324912.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/715/james-lee-burke-red-cherry-blu_cajun_colored-or-not-we-all-work-for-the-white_324912.jpg)

> ““Colored or not, we all work for the white man's cotton...””

[James Lee Burke Red Cherry Blues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lee-burke-red-cherry-blues/)

## About This Quote

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

All workers, regardless of color, serve the interests of the white plantation owner.

**In simple terms:** Labor exploitation transcends race.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and challenge systemic exploitation.

Themes

labor race exploitation history social justice

Mood

somber critical

Type

Cajun:0 Louisiana:0 White:0 White man:0 Work White:0 Man Cotton:0 Colored Work:0

When to use this quote

- civil rights discussions
- labor rights activism
- historical studies

Key Concepts

critical theory historical context American South

Questions to Reflect On

- How does race intersect with labor exploitation?
- What can change this power structure?

A Different Perspective

Simplifies complex racial dynamics.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Cajun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cajun/) [Colored Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/colored-work-3053975/) [Louisiana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/louisiana/) [Man Cotton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-cotton-2491007/) [White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white/) [White man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-man/) [Work White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-white-450156/)

## Related quotes

> [“Colored or not, we all pick the white man's cotton.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lee-burke/colored-or-not-we-all-pick-the-white-man-s-cotton/)

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> [“But that’s Louisiana, lots of crazy Cajun stuff goes on over there. Who knows what they’re doing in those swamps!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-weinland-daughters/but-that-s-louisiana-lots-of-crazy-cajun-stuff-goes-on-over-there-who/)

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> [“Pushed times make a monkey chew pepper.~ Creole proverb. (challenging times inspire unique actions)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myra-jolivet/pushed-times-make-a-monkey-chew-pepper-creole-proverb-challenging/)

[Myra Jolivet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myra-jolivet/)

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[Dewey Balfa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dewey-balfa/)

> [“Abandoned residential homes are common in the area—often the casualties of severe damage from hurricanes—but what I find fascinating is the mettle of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-correll/abandoned-residential-homes-are-common-in-the-area-often-the/)

[Mike Correll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-correll/)

> [I'm from Louisiana, and that's where I got my start, in Cajun music. There's a huge music scene down there centered around our culture.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-hayes/i-m-from-louisiana-and-that-s-where-i-got-my-start-in-cajun-music/)

[Hunter Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-hayes/)

> [“Too much Cajun in you, Brooke. Too much Louisiana.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-dean/too-much-cajun-in-you-brooke-too-much-louisiana/)

[Will Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-dean/)

> [Cajun is country food by farmers and fisherman that arrived in Louisiana from Acadiana, Canada.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-prudhomme/cajun-is-country-food-by-farmers-and-fisherman-that-arrived-in/)

[Paul Prudhomme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-prudhomme/)

> [If fences don't work, why is there one around the White House?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/if-fences-don-t-work-why-is-there-one-around-the-white-house/)

[Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/)

> [I never set out to work in the White House.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-rhodes/i-never-set-out-to-work-in-the-white-house/)

[Ben Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-rhodes/)

> [“The women work because the white folks give them jobs—washing dishes and clothes and floors and windows. The women work because for years now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-petry/the-women-work-because-the-white-folks-give-them-jobs-washing-dishes/)

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> [It isn't like we don't work with you because you are white, or not want anything to do with you. It is more like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bocafloja/it-isn-t-like-we-don-t-work-with-you-because-you-are-white-or-not/)

[Bocafloja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bocafloja/)

> [I never dreamed I would one day work at it White House.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hughes/i-never-dreamed-i-would-one-day-work-at-it-white-house/)

[Karen Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hughes/)

## More Cajun quotes

> [Cajun is country food by farmers and fisherman that arrived in Louisiana from Acadiana, Canada.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-prudhomme/cajun-is-country-food-by-farmers-and-fisherman-that-arrived-in/)

[Paul Prudhomme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-prudhomme/)

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[Hunter Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-hayes/)

> [“She couldn't promise Chandler Caillou more than she was willing to give.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-johnson/she-couldn-t-promise-chandler-caillou-more-than-she-was-willing-to/)

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> [“Pork and chicken grease, the aromatics of choice for the Cajun.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wheaton/pork-and-chicken-grease-the-aromatics-of-choice-for-the-cajun/)

[Ken Wheaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wheaton/)

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> [“Pushed times make a monkey chew pepper.~ Creole proverb. (challenging times inspire unique actions)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myra-jolivet/pushed-times-make-a-monkey-chew-pepper-creole-proverb-challenging/)

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[Browse all 30 Cajun quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cajun/)

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