--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't understand why black people have…" description: "\"I don't understand why black people have been so quiescent, so passive over the hundreds of years of American history. Why hasn't there been more viole..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/018/john-edgar-wideman-7347_american-dream_i-don-t-understand-why-black-people-have_2432005.jpg" --- # I don't understand why black people have been so… ![“I don't understand why black people have been so quiescent, so passive over the hundreds of years of American history. Why hasn't there been more violence, more armed struggle? I know answers to some of that, but it seems to me it's an issue of faith, an abiding faith in some sort of great beyond…” quote by John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/018/john-edgar-wideman-7347_american-dream_i-don-t-understand-why-black-people-have_2432005.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/018/john-edgar-wideman-7347_american-dream_i-don-t-understand-why-black-people-have_2432005.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/018/john-edgar-wideman-7347_american-dream_i-don-t-understand-why-black-people-have_2432005.jpg) > “I don't understand why black people have been so quiescent, so passive over the hundreds of years of American history. Why hasn't there been more violence, more armed struggle? I know answers to some of that, but it seems to me it's an issue of faith, an abiding faith in some sort of great beyond, or great spirit, or even in the American dream.” [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He questions why Black Americans historically favored nonviolent resistance, attributing it to deep spiritual faith and belief in a higher purpose. **In simple terms:** Spiritual faith often led to nonviolent resistance. Key Takeaway Recognize faith’s role in shaping protest tactics. Themes faith resistance history Mood thoughtful analytical Type historical philosophical When to use this quote - civil rights movements - community organizing - personal belief systems Key Concepts spirituality political strategy Questions to Reflect On - What motivates peaceful protest? - Can faith coexist with militant activism? A Different Perspective Nonviolent approaches may limit immediate change but preserve long-term cohesion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-dream/) [American history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-history/) [Black people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-people/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Faith Abiding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith-abiding-293151/) [Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History Hasn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-hasn-293149/) [Issue Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issue-faith-293150/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) ## Related quotes > [I haven't chosen to make an issue of faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-garrett/i-haven-t-chosen-to-make-an-issue-of-faith/) [Peter Garrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-garrett/) > [The issue of faith is not so much whether we believe in God, but whether we believe the God we believe in. (p.35)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-issue-of-faith-is-not-so-much-whether-we-believe-in-god-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The media seems to think only abortion and gay marriage are religious issues. Poverty is a moral issue, it's a faith issue, it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-wallis/the-media-seems-to-think-only-abortion-and-gay-marriage-are-religious/) [Jim Wallis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-wallis/) > [That we have some history together that hasn’t happened yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/that-we-have-some-history-together-that-hasn-t-happened-yet/) [Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/) > [I think the tradition of well-written history hasn't been squashed out of the academic world as much in Britain as it has in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hochschild/i-think-the-tradition-of-well-written-history-hasn-t-been-squashed/) [Adam Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hochschild/) > [The Sixties was a perfect storm of disaffection with political leaders trying to pass off the same old platitudes to maintain the status quo…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kareem-abdul-jabbar/the-sixties-was-a-perfect-storm-of-disaffection-with-political/) [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kareem-abdul-jabbar/) > [I am trying to remember that things have certainly been crazier in human history and they may get crazier here and now, and \[here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/i-am-trying-to-remember-that-things-have-certainly-been-crazier-in/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [I changed those things that were in direct - my direct control. I mean, I - look, I'm proud of the fact that, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-changed-those-things-that-were-in-direct-my-direct-control-i-mean-i/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [You'd like to think we're past certain things, the way we treat people. I thought we were at a time where you love your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-reid/you-d-like-to-think-we-re-past-certain-things-the-way-we-treat-people/) [Eric Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-reid/) > [Just in general, any government throughout history hasn't really wanted its people to be educated, because then they couldn't control them as easily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/just-in-general-any-government-throughout-history-hasn-t-really/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [“The Republicans did not set out to establish a strong national state or to facilitate the industrial revolution. They believed strongly in the American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-r-goldfield/the-republicans-did-not-set-out-to-establish-a-strong-national-state/) [David R. Goldfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-r-goldfield/) > [“There is a notion out there that black people enjoy the Sisyphean struggle against racism. In fact, most of us live for the day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ta-nehisi-coates/there-is-a-notion-out-there-that-black-people-enjoy-the-sisyphean/) [Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ta-nehisi-coates/) > [The essential relationship across American history between black people and white people is one of exploitation and one of plunder. This is not, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ta-nehisi-coates/the-essential-relationship-across-american-history-between-black/) [Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ta-nehisi-coates/) > [When I look at American history, I see how it has been driven by resistance and protest against a system that has been oppressive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamaal-bowman/when-i-look-at-american-history-i-see-how-it-has-been-driven-by/) [Jamaal Bowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamaal-bowman/) > [Adam Clayton Powell's entire political career has to be looked at in the entire context of the American history and the history of, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/adam-clayton-powell-s-entire-political-career-has-to-be-looked-at-in/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) ## More by John Edgar Wideman > [My mother loved my father. From my view, she let him get away with too much. It broke my heart to see him in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/my-mother-loved-my-father-from-my-view-she-let-him-get-away-with-too/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [Too much is made for us; too much is given to us - even those of us who are underprivileged. The poverty is given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/too-much-is-made-for-us-too-much-is-given-to-us-even-those-of-us-who/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [A great artist transforms our world, removes scales from our eyes, plugs from our ears, gloves from our fingertips, teaches us to perceive reality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/a-great-artist-transforms-our-world-removes-scales-from-our-eyes/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [That's what writing is: it's imagining that you can make a world. That's what basketball is, too: it's imagining the game as a world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/that-s-what-writing-is-it-s-imagining-that-you-can-make-a-world-that/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [I'm very hard-nosed and cold-blooded and I can walk past a drowning man. If I have someplace else to go, well, tough s\*\*t. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/i-m-very-hard-nosed-and-cold-blooded-and-i-can-walk-past-a-drowning/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [I get off on anticipating and waiting much more than I get off on the actual event.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/i-get-off-on-anticipating-and-waiting-much-more-than-i-get-off-on-the/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [You have to be a minor superhero just to get to be a dignified man, and that's kind of exacerbated for men of color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/you-have-to-be-a-minor-superhero-just-to-get-to-be-a-dignified-man/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [Stories are told over time, and so they naturally accrue meanings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/stories-are-told-over-time-and-so-they-naturally-accrue-meanings/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [That's been my routine for years and years... Up early before everybody else, before I get connected, before I get bugged, before I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/that-s-been-my-routine-for-years-and-years-up-early-before-everybody/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [My father was intelligent and closed-mouthed. He knew a lot more than what he was ever going to tell you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/my-father-was-intelligent-and-closed-mouthed-he-knew-a-lot-more-than/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [What I wanted to do in talking about basketball in 'Hoop Roots' was retrieve the game as something to participate in, not to watch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/what-i-wanted-to-do-in-talking-about-basketball-in-hoop-roots-was/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [Books are an attempt to control something that's uncontrollable. That's one of the beauties of African American life. There was this thing called slavery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/books-are-an-attempt-to-control-something-that-s-uncontrollable-that/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [That's one of the beauties, I think, of African American life. There was this thing called slavery and adjustments were made. It literally destroyed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/that-s-one-of-the-beauties-i-think-of-african-american-life-there-was/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [Things seem to fall apart inevitably.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/things-seem-to-fall-apart-inevitably/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [My aunt Geraldine was the unofficial historian and storyteller. She had all the information about family members and the gossip that came out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/my-aunt-geraldine-was-the-unofficial-historian-and-storyteller-she/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) [Explore all 92 John Edgar Wideman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) ## More American dream quotes > [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/) > [Are we a nation of guarantees or are we a nation of opportunities to achieve the American dream?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-mcdonnell/are-we-a-nation-of-guarantees-or-are-we-a-nation-of-opportunities-to/) [Bob McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-mcdonnell/) > [I believe keeping our promises should be our highest priority and that means saving Social Security and Medicare while preserving the American dream for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-coburn/i-believe-keeping-our-promises-should-be-our-highest-priority-and/) [Tom Coburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-coburn/) > [Our families and our homes are the center of American life, Everything we do is to make those homes-and the lives in them-more beautiful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-stewart/our-families-and-our-homes-are-the-center-of-american-life-everything/) [Martha Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-stewart/) > [I want people to know where I come from. I think I have come really far from that, and I did it on my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aj-lee/i-want-people-to-know-where-i-come-from-i-think-i-have-come-really/) [AJ Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aj-lee/) > [We need to remain a nation that doesn't just welcome but that celebrates legal immigrants who come here seeking to pursue the American Dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/we-need-to-remain-a-nation-that-doesn-t-just-welcome-but-that/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [By disgracing and degrading the presidency of the United States, by fleeing the White House like a diseased cur, Richard Nixon broke the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/by-disgracing-and-degrading-the-presidency-of-the-united-states-by/) [Hunter S. 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If we wish to rebuild our cities, we must first rebuild…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-milk/let-s-make-no-mistake-about-this-the-american-dream-starts-with-the/) [Harvey Milk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-milk/) > [As a kid, I learned from my parents, teachers, coaches, and friends that what mattered most was Truth - to uncover it, share it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shiva-ayyadurai/as-a-kid-i-learned-from-my-parents-teachers-coaches-and-friends-that/) [Shiva Ayyadurai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shiva-ayyadurai/) > [Theres a zoom up in the TV screen Living cancer to our self-esteem yea Cause if this an airless beauty queen But everything aint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valentinooo-c/theres-a-zoom-up-in-the-tv-screen-living-cancer-to-our-self-esteem/) [Valentinooo\_c](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valentinooo-c/) > [College is part of the American dream. 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