--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It has been said, \"History is written by…" description: "\"It has been said, \"History is written by the victors.\" I take this to mean we can make ourselves victorious by writing, and then rewriting our own stor..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b8/jennifer-beals-10022_believe_it-has-been-said-history-is-written-by-t_1696581.jpg" --- # It has been said, "History is written by the victors." I… ![“It has been said, "History is written by the victors." I take this to mean we can make ourselves victorious by writing, and then rewriting our own stories. In a country and culture so dominated by media, by the manipulation of words and stories, telling the tales of people whose stories…” quote by Jennifer Beals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b8/jennifer-beals-10022_believe_it-has-been-said-history-is-written-by-t_1696581.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b8/jennifer-beals-10022_believe_it-has-been-said-history-is-written-by-t_1696581.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b8/jennifer-beals-10022_believe_it-has-been-said-history-is-written-by-t_1696581.jpg) > “It has been said, "History is written by the victors." I take this to mean we can make ourselves victorious by writing, and then rewriting our own stories. In a country and culture so dominated by media, by the manipulation of words and stories, telling the tales of people whose stories historically have not been told is a radical act and I believe an act that can change the world and help rewrite history.” [Jennifer Beals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-beals/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing and reshaping narratives empowers marginalized voices and can alter history. **In simple terms:** Storytelling can change history and empower the unheard. Key Takeaway Tell and rewrite stories to empower. Themes storytelling empowerment history media activism Mood hopeful determined Type activist inspirational When to use this quote - activism - education - media campaigns - community organizing Key Concepts narrative theory social justice Questions to Reflect On - Whose stories need to be told? - How can you amplify unheard voices? A Different Perspective Changing narratives faces resistance from entrenched powers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Change the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-the-world/) [Changing the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changing-the-world/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History Written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-written/) [I believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-believe/) [Manipulation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manipulation/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Radical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radical/) [Rewrite History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rewrite-history-321662/) [Rewriting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rewriting/) [Rewriting Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rewriting-stories-1108205/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Storytelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling/) [Tales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tales/) [Victorious Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victorious-writing-1108204/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/written/) [Written Victors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/written-victors-769586/) ## Related quotes > [History is written by victors and, occasionally, sensationalist journalists. I mean that with the best respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-stevenson/history-is-written-by-victors-and-occasionally-sensationalist/) [Ray Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-stevenson/) > [In the past, history was always written by the victors. But in the age of Twitter, history is written by everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-bilton/in-the-past-history-was-always-written-by-the-victors-but-in-the-age/) [Nick Bilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-bilton/) > [“History is written by the victors, which is certainly true, but it's also written by the wealthy and the literate.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-smolenyak/history-is-written-by-the-victors-which-is-certainly-true-but-it-s/) [Megan Smolenyak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-smolenyak/) > [History is written by the victors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/history-is-written-by-the-victors/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [“History may well be written by the victors, but victors change and if we do not unwrite history then the propaganda from the previous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-white/history-may-well-be-written-by-the-victors-but-victors-change-and-if/) [Gordon White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-white/) > [History is written by the victors, but it's victims who write the memoirs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-tavris/history-is-written-by-the-victors-but-it-s-victims-who-write-the/) [Carol Tavris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-tavris/) > [History is written by the victors, the strongest, the most determined. Truth is found most often in the silence, in the quiet places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/history-is-written-by-the-victors-the-strongest-the-most-determined/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [History is almost always written by the victors and conquerors and gives their view. Or, at any rate, the victors' version is given prominence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/history-is-almost-always-written-by-the-victors-and-conquerors-and/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [“History is written by the victors, they say, but it seems to me that history is written above all by those who weren’t there,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kapka-kassabova/history-is-written-by-the-victors-they-say-but-it-seems-to-me-that/) [Kapka Kassabova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kapka-kassabova/) > [History is written by the victors--and when there is no victors, it all winds up in the corporate shredders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/history-is-written-by-the-victors-and-when-there-is-no-victors-it-all/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [I believe that history is written by the victors, but what about the vanquished? They also have a story to tell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/puneet-issar/i-believe-that-history-is-written-by-the-victors-but-what-about-the/) [Puneet Issar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/puneet-issar/) > [History is written by the victors. The victors in daily life tend to be those who live longest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hepworth/history-is-written-by-the-victors-the-victors-in-daily-life-tend-to/) [David Hepworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hepworth/) > [“History is written by the victors, they say, and there was no one alive who would come forward to dispute Hoover’s fabricated story. Never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-burrough/history-is-written-by-the-victors-they-say-and-there-was-no-one-alive/) [Bryan Burrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-burrough/) > [“History is written by the victors,’ she said, ‘but the truth has a way of revealing itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastien-de-castell/history-is-written-by-the-victors-she-said-but-the-truth-has-a-way-of/) [Sebastien de Castell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastien-de-castell/) > [I think a lot of Civil War stuff is written - As they say, history is written by the victors. And one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-radnor/i-think-a-lot-of-civil-war-stuff-is-written-as-they-say-history-is/) [Josh Radnor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-radnor/) ## More by Jennifer Beals > [ \[Demystifying lesbian sex for an interviewer\] In a way, the sex isn't really that different... From what I can tell, no, not really. All… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-beals/demystifying-lesbian-sex-for-an-interviewer-in-a-way-the-sex-isn-t/) [Jennifer Beals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-beals/) > [I said, wouldn't it be nice, instead of having these women fight with each other over men, which seems to be more of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-beals/i-said-wouldn-t-it-be-nice-instead-of-having-these-women-fight-with/) [Jennifer Beals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-beals/) > [Everything has its cycle. I think it's appropriate for us to be ending now. But the beauty of storytelling, and the beauty of film…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-beals/everything-has-its-cycle-i-think-it-s-appropriate-for-us-to-be-ending/) [Jennifer Beals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-beals/) > [You can have the 'golden rule' - do unto others as you would have others do unto you. But then you take it one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-beals/you-can-have-the-golden-rule-do-unto-others-as-you-would-have-others/) [Jennifer Beals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-beals/) > [I'm interested when people will stand up for themselves. I'm always interested in that moment when someone decides it's not good enough, and even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-beals/i-m-interested-when-people-will-stand-up-for-themselves-i-m-always/) [Jennifer Beals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-beals/) > [ Inside every woman there is a Kali. \[Hindu goddess who morphed into seven hidden beings to win a battle\] Do not mistake the exterior… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-beals/inside-every-woman-there-is-a-kali-hindu-goddess-who-morphed-into/) [Jennifer Beals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-beals/) > [I knew there was something I had to do yesterday. I couldn't remember what it is. I can't figure it out. I know it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-beals/i-knew-there-was-something-i-had-to-do-yesterday-i-couldn-t-remember/) [Jennifer Beals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-beals/) > [It doesn't seem as if there's that much of a difference between a big production and a little production, other than you have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-beals/it-doesn-t-seem-as-if-there-s-that-much-of-a-difference-between-a-big/) [Jennifer Beals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-beals/) > [I'm just talking specifically of women's friendships. If two women go to a bar and they are fighting over men, it makes it much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-beals/i-m-just-talking-specifically-of-women-s-friendships-if-two-women-go/) [Jennifer Beals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-beals/) > [Love is the greatest light, the brightest torch, and will always be the greatest instrument of change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-beals/love-is-the-greatest-light-the-brightest-torch-and-will-always-be-the/) [Jennifer Beals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-beals/) > [Love is the most dangerous thing in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-beals/love-is-the-most-dangerous-thing-in-the-world/) [Jennifer Beals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-beals/) > [Just when you think you know something, it gets turned around and challenged in some way. But those changes are welcome because you end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-beals/just-when-you-think-you-know-something-it-gets-turned-around-and/) [Jennifer Beals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-beals/) > [You can make yourself feel better about yourself if you project your shadow side, if you project your own potential for evil onto someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-beals/you-can-make-yourself-feel-better-about-yourself-if-you-project-your/) [Jennifer Beals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-beals/) > [I'm always shocked that gay marriage is such a big deal. You have to realize how precious human life is, when there are tsunamis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-beals/i-m-always-shocked-that-gay-marriage-is-such-a-big-deal-you-have-to/) [Jennifer Beals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-beals/) > [I think that in some ways everybody is like Roger. Everybody thinks that when their friends have a problem, that they know the answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-beals/i-think-that-in-some-ways-everybody-is-like-roger-everybody-thinks/) [Jennifer Beals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-beals/) [Explore all 68 Jennifer Beals quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-beals/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It has been said, \"History is written by the victors.\" I take this to mean we can make ourselves victorious by writing, and then rewriting our own stories. 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