--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the 1970s people were afraid to call…" description: "\"In the 1970s people were afraid to call me black because they thought it was an insult. They would say 'coloured.' Now it has gone full circle. It's no..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/john-barnes-2996_1970s_in-the-1970s-people-were-afraid-to-call_1340701.jpg" --- # In the 1970s people were afraid to call me black because… ![“In the 1970s people were afraid to call me black because they thought it was an insult. They would say 'coloured.' Now it has gone full circle. It's not an issue. The intention is the most important thing.” quote by John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/john-barnes-2996_1970s_in-the-1970s-people-were-afraid-to-call_1340701.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/john-barnes-2996_1970s_in-the-1970s-people-were-afraid-to-call_1340701.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/john-barnes-2996_1970s_in-the-1970s-people-were-afraid-to-call_1340701.jpg) > “In the 1970s people were afraid to call me black because they thought it was an insult. They would say 'coloured.' Now it has gone full circle. It's not an issue. The intention is the most important thing.” [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Language labels evolve; intent matters more than terminology when discussing race **In simple terms:** Changing terms matter less than intent Key Takeaway Focus on intent over labels Themes race language intent Mood reflective critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - diversity training - public speaking - media interviews - social media discourse Key Concepts social constructs communication Questions to Reflect On - How do we ensure intent is clear? - Can language ever be neutral? A Different Perspective Intent can be misread; historical context still matters ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Full circle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/full-circle/) [Intention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intention/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) ## Related quotes > [So actions themselves are not good and not bad; only the intention is important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mitchell/so-actions-themselves-are-not-good-and-not-bad-only-the-intention-is/) [Stephen Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mitchell/) > [Intention is one of the most important things in a human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-shabangu/intention-is-one-of-the-most-important-things-in-a-human/) Percy Shabangu > [Intention is very important in sound, in listening. When I married my wife, I promised her I would listen to her every day as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-treasure/intention-is-very-important-in-sound-in-listening-when-i-married-my/) [Julian Treasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-treasure/) > [Being special and important in the eyes of one person with the right intention is much more important than to be special in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prem-tihan-shafiq/being-special-and-important-in-the-eyes-of-one-person-with-the-right/) [Prem Tihan (Shafiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prem-tihan-shafiq/) > [So we have to be ready, willing, and able to really transform ourselves, and each other in the world, not just say it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/surya-das/so-we-have-to-be-ready-willing-and-able-to-really-transform-ourselves/) [Surya Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/surya-das/) > [“All men believe in the soul and act accordingly, even if they do not always speak up. If somebody has committed a murder and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alija-izetbegovic/all-men-believe-in-the-soul-and-act-accordingly-even-if-they-do-not/) [Alija Izetbegović](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alija-izetbegovic/) > [In the 1970s you would have had lots of black goalkeepers and defensive midfield players but never made it professionally because the perception was,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/in-the-1970s-you-would-have-had-lots-of-black-goalkeepers-and/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) > [The whole idea of making 'James' was to make an action film in the style of the 1970s and '80s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-gopal-varma/the-whole-idea-of-making-james-was-to-make-an-action-film-in-the/) [Ram Gopal Varma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-gopal-varma/) > [Wings was one of the first bands in the 1970s to do stadium tours, as well as Led Zeppelin. We had all the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denny-laine/wings-was-one-of-the-first-bands-in-the-1970s-to-do-stadium-tours-as/) [Denny Laine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denny-laine/) > [When I joined Ford, in the late 1970s, I felt strongly we could not forever be a huge user of natural resources without there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-joined-ford-in-the-late-1970s-i-felt-strongly-we-could-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Once, bit-fetching was the job mainly of children. In the 1970s, if I sat too long looking bored, I'd be dispatched to the shop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-dent/once-bit-fetching-was-the-job-mainly-of-children-in-the-1970s-if-i/) [Grace Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-dent/) > [I'm a product of the 1970s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-rushin/i-m-a-product-of-the-1970s/) [Steve Rushin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-rushin/) > [Back in the 1970s, it was mostly all-black audiences coming into the theaters. So, we presented stories they could relate to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-ray-moore/back-in-the-1970s-it-was-mostly-all-black-audiences-coming-into-the/) [Rudy Ray Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-ray-moore/) > [The 1970s, the decade of my teenage years, was a transitional period in American youth culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-allin-cornell/the-1970s-the-decade-of-my-teenage-years-was-a-transitional-period-in/) [Eric Allin Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-allin-cornell/) > [As someone who came to New York in the 1970s, I was, like so many of my friends, a certified member of what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graydon-carter/as-someone-who-came-to-new-york-in-the-1970s-i-was-like-so-many-of-my/) [Graydon Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graydon-carter/) ## More by John Barnes > [I am no different from a lot of people. I am concerned for the future of my children and concerned for the future of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/i-am-no-different-from-a-lot-of-people-i-am-concerned-for-the-future/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) > [For a long time, images of black men with big lips and a round head were used to make us feel inferior, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/for-a-long-time-images-of-black-men-with-big-lips-and-a-round-head/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) > [Normally when you look at the Ballon d'Or winners, they're either attacking midfield players or centre-forwards. They are goalscorers and eye-catching players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/normally-when-you-look-at-the-ballon-d-or-winners-they-re-either/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) > [This is not the way these tales end," Calliope said firmly. "This is not the way that things end when they get to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/this-is-not-the-way-these-tales-end-calliope-said-firmly-this-is-not/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) > [“Where did you find construction guys swapping dirty jokes in proto-Númenorean?” Aura asked. “On construction sites. Is that coffee ready?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/where-did-you-find-construction-guys-swapping-dirty-jokes-in-proto-n/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) > [Young English managers don't get enough time, young black managers aren't given enough time, there are a lot of reasons why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/young-english-managers-don-t-get-enough-time-young-black-managers/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) > [I felt I had to take the Celtic opportunity. You quickly learn that any managerial vacancy attracts up to 60 or 70 applicants, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/i-felt-i-had-to-take-the-celtic-opportunity-you-quickly-learn-that/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) > [You have to give 100 per cent in every game and you cannot give more than 100 per cent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/you-have-to-give-100-per-cent-in-every-game-and-you-cannot-give-more/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) > [African society and culture varies much more than European society but it's just considered 'Africa' as if they are all the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/african-society-and-culture-varies-much-more-than-european-society/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) > [“By noon everyone had heard that I had spent the night with Marti in a hotel room and when the cops came by, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/by-noon-everyone-had-heard-that-i-had-spent-the-night-with-marti-in-a/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) > [Football is all about scoring goals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/football-is-all-about-scoring-goals/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) > [“Ah. Well, it stands for Freedom From Morality. We don't think healthy amorality happens naturally." "But you're not amoral," I pointed out. I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/ah-well-it-stands-for-freedom-from-morality-we-don-t-think-healthy/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) > [I'm a real meat eater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/i-m-a-real-meat-eater/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) > [Race, for me, should be social and cultural, rather than the colour of your skin. Anton Ferdinand would have more in common with John…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/race-for-me-should-be-social-and-cultural-rather-than-the-colour-of/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) > [The truth is that those at the top of British football do not care about getting rid of racism, they just don't want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/the-truth-is-that-those-at-the-top-of-british-football-do-not-care/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) [Explore all 143 John Barnes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) ## More 1970s quotes > [As someone who came to New York in the 1970s, I was, like so many of my friends, a certified member of what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graydon-carter/as-someone-who-came-to-new-york-in-the-1970s-i-was-like-so-many-of-my/) [Graydon Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graydon-carter/) > [The 1970s, the decade of my teenage years, was a transitional period in American youth culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-allin-cornell/the-1970s-the-decade-of-my-teenage-years-was-a-transitional-period-in/) [Eric Allin Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-allin-cornell/) > [Back in the 1970s, it was mostly all-black audiences coming into the theaters. So, we presented stories they could relate to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-ray-moore/back-in-the-1970s-it-was-mostly-all-black-audiences-coming-into-the/) [Rudy Ray Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-ray-moore/) > [I'm a product of the 1970s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-rushin/i-m-a-product-of-the-1970s/) [Steve Rushin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-rushin/) > [Once, bit-fetching was the job mainly of children. In the 1970s, if I sat too long looking bored, I'd be dispatched to the shop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-dent/once-bit-fetching-was-the-job-mainly-of-children-in-the-1970s-if-i/) [Grace Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-dent/) > [When I joined Ford, in the late 1970s, I felt strongly we could not forever be a huge user of natural resources without there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-joined-ford-in-the-late-1970s-i-felt-strongly-we-could-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Wings was one of the first bands in the 1970s to do stadium tours, as well as Led Zeppelin. We had all the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denny-laine/wings-was-one-of-the-first-bands-in-the-1970s-to-do-stadium-tours-as/) [Denny Laine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denny-laine/) > [The whole idea of making 'James' was to make an action film in the style of the 1970s and '80s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-gopal-varma/the-whole-idea-of-making-james-was-to-make-an-action-film-in-the/) [Ram Gopal Varma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-gopal-varma/) > [All I know about 1970s New York City is that it's where I grew up, and you always have an umbilical connection to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-sante/all-i-know-about-1970s-new-york-city-is-that-it-s-where-i-grew-up-and/) [Luc Sante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-sante/) > [I have lived my whole life just outside Youngstown, Ohio. We watched the steel mills close and 50,000 jobs disappear in the late 1970s.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-ryan/i-have-lived-my-whole-life-just-outside-youngstown-ohio-we-watched/) [Tim Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-ryan/) > [When I was growing up in the projects in Philadelphia in the 1970s and 80s, Cadillac was the car to have. But I always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/when-i-was-growing-up-in-the-projects-in-philadelphia-in-the-1970s/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) > [I don't really have a treasured possession, but I do love my family's proper old photo album. We all have hundreds of photos on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-walker/i-don-t-really-have-a-treasured-possession-but-i-do-love-my-family-s/) [Nicola Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-walker/) > [My family had been involved in gangs since the 1970s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cabral/my-family-had-been-involved-in-gangs-since-the-1970s/) [Richard Cabral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cabral/) > [When I was in high school in the early 1970s, we knew we were running out of oil; we knew that easy sources were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-safina/when-i-was-in-high-school-in-the-early-1970s-we-knew-we-were-running/) [Carl Safina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-safina/) > [When I was younger, I remember families like mine who had to deal with the disastrous policies of the 1970s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-scheer/when-i-was-younger-i-remember-families-like-mine-who-had-to-deal-with/) [Andrew Scheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-scheer/) Browse all 189 1970s quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In the 1970s people were afraid to call me black because they thought it was an insult. 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