--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you think black people have a…" description: "\"If you think black people have a motivation problem, open up a Wal-Mart and advertise a thousand jobs. Watch 5,000 people show up.\" — Jesse Jackson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c39/jesse-jackson-1161_black_if-you-think-black-people-have-a-motivat_2594046.jpg" --- # If you think black people have a motivation problem, open… ![“If you think black people have a motivation problem, open up a Wal-Mart and advertise a thousand jobs. Watch 5,000 people show up.” quote by Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c39/jesse-jackson-1161_black_if-you-think-black-people-have-a-motivat_2594046.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c39/jesse-jackson-1161_black_if-you-think-black-people-have-a-motivat_2594046.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c39/jesse-jackson-1161_black_if-you-think-black-people-have-a-motivat_2594046.jpg) > “If you think black people have a motivation problem, open up a Wal-Mart and advertise a thousand jobs. Watch 5,000 people show up.” [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Highlights systemic racism in employment, showing that job scarcity, not lack of motivation, is the issue. **In simple terms:** Jobs are scarce, not motivation lacking. Key Takeaway Address structural barriers, not personal blame. Themes racism employment inequality Mood serious determined Type political social commentary When to use this quote - job fairs - community outreach - policy reform - education programs Key Concepts systemic bias economic opportunity Questions to Reflect On - How can employers create truly inclusive hiring? - What policies reduce job scarcity in marginalized communities? A Different Perspective Assumes all jobs are equally accessible; local market conditions vary. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advertise Thousand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advertise-thousand-1886204/) [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Black people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-people/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Motivation Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation-problem-1886203/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-motivation-233048/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows/) [Think Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-black/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thousand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thousand/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) [Watch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watch/) [Watches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watches/) ## Related quotes > [I'm quite unfit. It's the motivation that's the problem, I need a goal. When I was a professional footballer I trained every day because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/i-m-quite-unfit-it-s-the-motivation-that-s-the-problem-i-need-a-goal/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) > [Our love of people has always been our motivation and our competitive advantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelieu-dennis/our-love-of-people-has-always-been-our-motivation-and-our-competitive/) [Richelieu Dennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelieu-dennis/) > [I don't have a gun. But I think they level the playing field. I accept that there's really nothing you can do about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-stanhope/i-don-t-have-a-gun-but-i-think-they-level-the-playing-field-i-accept/) [Doug Stanhope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-stanhope/) > [It is hard not to feel that there must be something very wrong with much of what we do in school, if we feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-holt/it-is-hard-not-to-feel-that-there-must-be-something-very-wrong-with/) [John Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holt/) > [Some people give you that motivation to work harder simply to get the hell away from wherever they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/some-people-give-you-that-motivation-to-work-harder-simply-to-get-the/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [I would think black people think everything is about race. They are the ones who are on the outside of the game. They are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/i-would-think-black-people-think-everything-is-about-race-they-are/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [I think that for the most part, black people specifically have sort of been used as props in TV shows as a way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-waithe/i-think-that-for-the-most-part-black-people-specifically-have-sort-of/) [Lena Waithe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-waithe/) > [See, Barack been, um, talking down to black people on this faith-based... I want to cut his nuts off. Barack, he's talking down to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/see-barack-been-um-talking-down-to-black-people-on-this-faith-based-i/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [I think in black communities today we need to encourage a lot more cross racial organizing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-davis/i-think-in-black-communities-today-we-need-to-encourage-a-lot-more/) [Angela Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-davis/) > [I dont think being black has held me back at all. Being black makes you strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-baker/i-dont-think-being-black-has-held-me-back-at-all-being-black-makes/) [Anita Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-baker/) > [I think black Americans expect too much from individual black Americans in terms of changing the status quo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kareem-abdul-jabbar/i-think-black-americans-expect-too-much-from-individual-black/) [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kareem-abdul-jabbar/) > [“She not black, she mulatto. Mulatto, mulatto, mulatto. Maybe she be family to both and to hurt white man just as bad as hurting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlon-james/she-not-black-she-mulatto-mulatto-mulatto-mulatto-maybe-she-be-family/) [Marlon James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlon-james/) > [There are no black women geniuses that are being named in canons. I could name a bunch, but it's not part of common knowledge.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelela/there-are-no-black-women-geniuses-that-are-being-named-in-canons-i/) [Kelela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelela/) > [I don't want to be 'de-ethnicised.' I hate it when people say, 'Oh I don't even think of you as a woman,' or, 'I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zawe-ashton/i-don-t-want-to-be-de-ethnicised-i-hate-it-when-people-say-oh-i-don-t/) [Zawe Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zawe-ashton/) > [I think black men especially should go to therapy and seek out mental help, because we need it. Even if you don't think you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlamagne-tha-god/i-think-black-men-especially-should-go-to-therapy-and-seek-out-mental/) [Charlamagne tha God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlamagne-tha-god/) ## More by Jesse Jackson > [If my mind can conceive it ,and my heart can believe it,i known I can achieve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/if-my-mind-can-conceive-it-and-my-heart-can-believe-it-i-known-i-can/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [We reveal our joys and successes, we conceal our pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/we-reveal-our-joys-and-successes-we-conceal-our-pain/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [We blacks were the first people embracing Obama, long before the people at expensive fundraisers were supporting him. We gave him his first love,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/we-blacks-were-the-first-people-embracing-obama-long-before-the/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [The coffers are full of money and equipment for the Ferguson Police and the Missouri National Guard to put down a potential uprising, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/the-coffers-are-full-of-money-and-equipment-for-the-ferguson-police/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [Many are observing Ferguson and witnessing the anger, demonstrations, looting and vandalism and calling for quiet. But quiet isn't enough. The absence of noise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/many-are-observing-ferguson-and-witnessing-the-anger-demonstrations/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [What's good for the very rich might not be good for anybody but them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/what-s-good-for-the-very-rich-might-not-be-good-for-anybody-but-them/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [Those who have the most wealth and the most property, their children have the first, the best, and the most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/those-who-have-the-most-wealth-and-the-most-property-their-children/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [Most blacks will argue that they excel because of hard work, because of intellect, determination, sweat, blood, tears and risk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/most-blacks-will-argue-that-they-excel-because-of-hard-work-because/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [Pictures can live in one's memory. That's why they are important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/pictures-can-live-in-one-s-memory-that-s-why-they-are-important/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [A check or credit card, a Gucci bag strap, anything of value will do. Give as you live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/a-check-or-credit-card-a-gucci-bag-strap-anything-of-value-will-do/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [When they wrote the Constitution, only white male landowners had the right to vote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/when-they-wrote-the-constitution-only-white-male-landowners-had-the/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [I'm too mature to be angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/i-m-too-mature-to-be-angry/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [We picked their cotton. We cooked their food. We nursed their babies. Now we can run their cities. We can run their states. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/we-picked-their-cotton-we-cooked-their-food-we-nursed-their-babies/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [There are clear patterns of discrimination against Blacks and Latinos. The big banks targeted Blacks and Latinos with toxic packages of subprime predatory lending.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/there-are-clear-patterns-of-discrimination-against-blacks-and-latinos/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [Few would deny that blacks have become very dominant in athletics: football, basketball, track, now dominant in tennis and dominant in golf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/few-would-deny-that-blacks-have-become-very-dominant-in-athletics/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) [Explore all 281 Jesse Jackson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) ## More Black quotes > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [How can you be more subject; black woman in a white man's world?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/how-can-you-be-more-subject-black-woman-in-a-white-man-s-world/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [We have to build our own power. We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) [Frank B. Wilderson III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-b-wilderson-iii/) > [I know how hard it is to be a woman, especially a black woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-know-how-hard-it-is-to-be-a-woman-especially-a-black-woman/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [If soot stains your tunic, dye it black. This is vengeance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-bakker/if-soot-stains-your-tunic-dye-it-black-this-is-vengeance/) [R. Scott Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-bakker/) > [Hollywood is so fixated on keeping it that way because it's generating the buzz, but that representation isn't right. I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. 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