--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think what is being pointed out by…" description: "\"I think what is being pointed out by African-Americans is that from slavery forward they have been living in a supposed democracy which treats them as ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc3/joan-wallach-scott-26193_african-americans_i-think-what-is-being-pointed-out-by-afr_722733.jpg" --- # I think what is being pointed out by African-Americans is… ![“I think what is being pointed out by African-Americans is that from slavery forward they have been living in a supposed democracy which treats them as less than other citizens, less than whites in the society. And I think that pointing out that there are structures of discrimination in the…” quote by Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc3/joan-wallach-scott-26193_african-americans_i-think-what-is-being-pointed-out-by-afr_722733.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc3/joan-wallach-scott-26193_african-americans_i-think-what-is-being-pointed-out-by-afr_722733.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc3/joan-wallach-scott-26193_african-americans_i-think-what-is-being-pointed-out-by-afr_722733.jpg) > “I think what is being pointed out by African-Americans is that from slavery forward they have been living in a supposed democracy which treats them as less than other citizens, less than whites in the society. And I think that pointing out that there are structures of discrimination in the society, deeply rooted racist structures, that segregate housing, that send black children to ill-equipped schools, that discriminate in the workplace - these are truths about our society that must be faced.” [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Systemic racism creates unequal opportunities in housing, education, and employment, demanding acknowledgment and action. **In simple terms:** Racism creates inequality. Key Takeaway Address and dismantle discriminatory structures. Themes justice equality systemic racism Mood hopeful determined Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - housing policy - school funding - workplace hiring - community organizing Key Concepts structural inequality civil rights policy reform Questions to Reflect On - How can individuals confront systemic bias? - What policies most effectively reduce segregation? A Different Perspective Changing deep-rooted structures is slow and faces resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [African americans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-americans/) [Americans Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/americans-slavery-4539428/) [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Discrimination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discrimination/) [Pointing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pointing/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Racist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racist/) [Racist Structures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racist-structures-4565371/) [Rooted Racist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rooted-racist-5677014/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Workplace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/workplace/) ## Related quotes > [Many thought that the abolition of slavery, the end of Jim Crow, and the legislative progress of the Civil Rights Era, among other watershed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/opal-tometi/many-thought-that-the-abolition-of-slavery-the-end-of-jim-crow-and/) [Opal Tometi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/opal-tometi/) > [“The Confederacy was on the wrong side of history and humanity. 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If you think it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-rottenberg/the-first-major-issue-you-need-to-consider-when-focusing-on-today-s/) [Linda Rottenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-rottenberg/) > [I do interview senior candidates at the home office or many of our hotel or restaurant General Manager candidates. My two favorite questions are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-conley/i-do-interview-senior-candidates-at-the-home-office-or-many-of-our/) [Chip Conley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-conley/) > [There's nothing wrong with looking like a woman and going in the workplace and doing everything a man can do but looking 1,000 percent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-roy/there-s-nothing-wrong-with-looking-like-a-woman-and-going-in-the/) [Rachel Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-roy/) ## More by Joan Wallach Scott > [Freedom of speech is about expressing your opinion, however bad or good, however right or wrong, and being able to defend it and argue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-wallach-scott/freedom-of-speech-is-about-expressing-your-opinion-however-bad-or/) [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) > [The growing gap between rich and poor, the seeming lack of concern for the health and well-being of ordinary people, the obscene salaries made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-wallach-scott/the-growing-gap-between-rich-and-poor-the-seeming-lack-of-concern-for/) [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) > [Free speech is what we all have and is guaranteed by the First Amendment of the US Constitution. 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His is a kind of strategic thinking that's more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-wallach-scott/i-think-there-is-a-disrespect-for-the-mind-that-trump-for-example/) [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) > [The thing about education - and why I'm so passionate about the position and status of the university - is that it's supposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-wallach-scott/the-thing-about-education-and-why-i-m-so-passionate-about-the/) [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) > [Richard Hofstadter, in his famous book which was written in the time of the McCarthy period in the 1950 and 1960s, Anti-intellectualism in American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-wallach-scott/richard-hofstadter-in-his-famous-book-which-was-written-in-the-time/) [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) > [What I mean by the common good is that we understand we're all part of something bigger than ourselves, that we live in societies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-wallach-scott/what-i-mean-by-the-common-good-is-that-we-understand-we-re-all-part/) [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) > [All of my work in some way or another speaks to political issues according to the upbringing that I had, which was deeply rooted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-wallach-scott/all-of-my-work-in-some-way-or-another-speaks-to-political-issues/) [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) > [We've increasingly lost that sense of community, of the notion that there is something we contribute to and benefit from that is called the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-wallach-scott/we-ve-increasingly-lost-that-sense-of-community-of-the-notion-that-2/) [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) > [The common good is the notion of shared collective responsibility and reciprocity. It's that that we've lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-wallach-scott/the-common-good-is-the-notion-of-shared-collective-responsibility-and/) [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) > [The Trump election brought it the fore and made it possible for a number of different groups whose aim is to stop the teaching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-wallach-scott/the-trump-election-brought-it-the-fore-and-made-it-possible-for-a/) [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) > [I don't think colleges are safe spaces. It's one thing to have a fraternity house or a community center where students can go and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-wallach-scott/i-don-t-think-colleges-are-safe-spaces-it-s-one-thing-to-have-a/) [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) [Explore all 22 Joan Wallach Scott quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) ## More African americans quotes > [In a lot of movies, African-Americans are either maids or slaves, but that's not all they were. We need to show that. And we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-schroeder/in-a-lot-of-movies-african-americans-are-either-maids-or-slaves-but/) [Allison Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-schroeder/) > [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/) > [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/) > [“Alabama in 1927 alone, 27,701 men were arrested on misdemeanor charges and offered for sale by county sheriffs. 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Ms. Yvette…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/the-black-officer-checks-daddy-while-his-partner-glances-around-at/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [African Americans are doing a lot already, but I think we have an opportunity right now to change politics in a way that will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-beckmann/african-americans-are-doing-a-lot-already-but-i-think-we-have-an/) [David Beckmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-beckmann/) > [The uncomfortable reality we must face is that California, like the nation as a whole, has treated generations of African Americans and Latinos as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/the-uncomfortable-reality-we-must-face-is-that-california-like-the/) [Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/) > [Since the nations founding, African Americans repeatedly have been controlled through institutions such as slavery and Jim Crow, which appear to die but then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/since-the-nations-founding-african-americans-repeatedly-have-been/) [Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/) > [You take a look at the history of African Americans in the US. There's been about thirty years of relative freedom. There was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/you-take-a-look-at-the-history-of-african-americans-in-the-us-there-s/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Michael Schultz's 'Cooley High' is a classic. Oftentimes, we don't get to see films about coming of age, especially for young African Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salim-akil/michael-schultz-s-cooley-high-is-a-classic-oftentimes-we-don-t-get-to/) [Salim Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salim-akil/) > [As African-Americans, we don't start with a blank slate, while other people may. In our position, there's always some sort of stereotype that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xavier-woods/as-african-americans-we-don-t-start-with-a-blank-slate-while-other/) [Xavier Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xavier-woods/) [Browse all 593 African americans quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-americans/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think what is being pointed out by African-Americans is that from slavery forward they have been living in a supposed democracy which treats them as less than other citizens, less than whites in the society. 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