--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we don't unite, chances are we will go…" description: "\"If we don't unite, chances are we will go back into slavery.\" — John Henrik Clarke" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb1/john-henrik-clarke-2865_chance_if-we-don-t-unite-chances-are-we-will-go_1149509.png" --- # If we don't unite, chances are we will go back into slavery. ![“If we don't unite, chances are we will go back into slavery.” quote by John Henrik Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb1/john-henrik-clarke-2865_chance_if-we-don-t-unite-chances-are-we-will-go_1149509.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb1/john-henrik-clarke-2865_chance_if-we-don-t-unite-chances-are-we-will-go_1149509.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb1/john-henrik-clarke-2865_chance_if-we-don-t-unite-chances-are-we-will-go_1149509.png) > “If we don't unite, chances are we will go back into slavery.” [John Henrik Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henrik-clarke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Without unity, societies risk reverting to oppression; collective action prevents regression. **In simple terms:** Together we avoid returning to oppression. Key Takeaway Prioritize solidarity. Themes unity freedom social justice collective action history Mood urgent hopeful Type political inspirational When to use this quote - community organizing - political activism - education - policy reform Key Concepts oppression solidarity social cohesion political agency Questions to Reflect On - How can diverse groups build trust? A Different Perspective What barriers prevent unity today? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) ## Related quotes > [When we don't unite, we do a terrible job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-brady/when-we-don-t-unite-we-do-a-terrible-job/) [Kevin Brady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-brady/) > [I say if black people don't unite and begin to support themselves, their communities and their families, they might as well begin to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henrik-clarke/i-say-if-black-people-don-t-unite-and-begin-to-support-themselves/) [John Henrik Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henrik-clarke/) > [Slavery ended and left its false images of black people intact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henrik-clarke/slavery-ended-and-left-its-false-images-of-black-people-intact/) [John Henrik Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henrik-clarke/) > [If you are not happy while getting rich, chances are that you will not be happy when you do get rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/if-you-are-not-happy-while-getting-rich-chances-are-that-you-will-not/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [If you don't enjoy getting up and working and finishing your work and sitting down to a meal with family or friends, then the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/if-you-don-t-enjoy-getting-up-and-working-and-finishing-your-work-and/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [I see negotiations as an honest attempt to reach a deal that's great for everyone at the table. But sometimes, for whatever reason, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-o-leary/i-see-negotiations-as-an-honest-attempt-to-reach-a-deal-that-s-great/) [Kevin O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-o-leary/) > [Fate knows all about you, it knows your fears and your weaknesses and your confidences and strengths, and it can be ready for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lebbon/fate-knows-all-about-you-it-knows-your-fears-and-your-weaknesses-and/) [Tim Lebbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lebbon/) > [Woman dwell always in the palace of unpalatable truth and never by any chance is there a magic talisman to save them from their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mcfee/woman-dwell-always-in-the-palace-of-unpalatable-truth-and-never-by/) [William McFee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mcfee/) > [The biggest risk is not taking any risk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zuckerberg/the-biggest-risk-is-not-taking-any-risk/) [Mark Zuckerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zuckerberg/) > [Fortune is a prize to be won. Adventure is the road to it. Chance is what may lurk in the shadows at the roadside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-henry/fortune-is-a-prize-to-be-won-adventure-is-the-road-to-it-chance-is/) [O. Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-henry/) > [A man who carries a cat by the tail is getting experience that will always be helpful. He isn't likely to grow dim or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/a-man-who-carries-a-cat-by-the-tail-is-getting-experience-that-will/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Why should man fear since chance is all in all for him, and he can clearly foreknow nothing? Best to live lightly, as one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/why-should-man-fear-since-chance-is-all-in-all-for-him-and-he-can/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [Chances are that any helpful two-year-old will break some eggs. We are often not very good at things when we are new. But there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-naomi-remen/chances-are-that-any-helpful-two-year-old-will-break-some-eggs-we-are/) [Rachel Naomi Remen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-naomi-remen/) > [Hold tenderly that which you cherish, for it is precious and a tight grip may crush it. Do not let the fear of dropping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-alberti/hold-tenderly-that-which-you-cherish-for-it-is-precious-and-a-tight/) Bob Alberti > [The chances are that you have already come to believe that happiness is unattainable. But men have attained it. And they have attained it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/the-chances-are-that-you-have-already-come-to-believe-that-happiness/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) ## More by John Henrik Clarke > [Had Elijah Muhammad tried to introduce an orthodox form of Arab-oriented Islam, I doubt if he would have attracted 500 people, but he introduced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henrik-clarke/had-elijah-muhammad-tried-to-introduce-an-orthodox-form-of-arab/) [John Henrik Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henrik-clarke/) > [My main point here is that if you are the child of God and God is a part of you, the in your imagination…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henrik-clarke/my-main-point-here-is-that-if-you-are-the-child-of-god-and-god-is-a/) [John Henrik Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henrik-clarke/) > [Service is the highest form of prayer as far as I am concerned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henrik-clarke/service-is-the-highest-form-of-prayer-as-far-as-i-am-concerned/) [John Henrik Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henrik-clarke/) > [Man's most intelligent age may have gotten lost in history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henrik-clarke/man-s-most-intelligent-age-may-have-gotten-lost-in-history/) [John Henrik Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henrik-clarke/) > [I question the political judgement of those who would have the nerve to paint Christ white with his obvious African nose, lips and wooly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henrik-clarke/i-question-the-political-judgement-of-those-who-would-have-the-nerve/) [John Henrik Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henrik-clarke/) > [My loving sister Mary has always shared the pain and pleasure of my heartbeat in a unique and special way. 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Man had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henrik-clarke/what-we-might-have-been-dealing-with-here-with-the-building-of-the/) [John Henrik Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henrik-clarke/) > [Slavery ended and left its false images of black people intact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henrik-clarke/slavery-ended-and-left-its-false-images-of-black-people-intact/) [John Henrik Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henrik-clarke/) > [History is a compass that you locate yourself on the map of human geography, politically, culturally, financially.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henrik-clarke/history-is-a-compass-that-you-locate-yourself-on-the-map-of-human/) [John Henrik Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henrik-clarke/) > [You walk out in the street, we don't know if we're going to get across. It's a test.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henrik-clarke/you-walk-out-in-the-street-we-don-t-know-if-we-re-going-to-get-across/) [John Henrik Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henrik-clarke/) > [Nothing the European mind ever devised was meant to do anything but to facilitate the European's control over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henrik-clarke/nothing-the-european-mind-ever-devised-was-meant-to-do-anything-but/) [John Henrik Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henrik-clarke/) > [Break all the TVs, burn all the Bibles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henrik-clarke/break-all-the-tvs-burn-all-the-bibles/) [John Henrik Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henrik-clarke/) [Explore all 147 John Henrik Clarke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henrik-clarke/) ## More Chance quotes > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [I understand it's promotion, but no one ever gave me a chance. 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But a knob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-times-when-we-can-feel-destiny-close-around-us-like-a-fist/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [Love changes people, for better or for worse. You could look at it as a chance for you to change. The best kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-changes-people-for-better-or-for-worse-you-could-look-at-it-as-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It's not who, it's when”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-taubas/it-s-not-who-it-s-when/) Alejandro Taubas > [Childhood is Last Chance Gulch for happiness. After that, you know too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/childhood-is-last-chance-gulch-for-happiness-after-that-you-know-too/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [I thought my first few jobs would just be off, off, off, off, off broadway. And by chance and how the world works, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-dorfman/i-thought-my-first-few-jobs-would-just-be-off-off-off-off-off/) [Tommy Dorfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-dorfman/) > [If you’re worrying about the past, you’ve got a good chance of screwing up the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-a-tullman/if-you-re-worrying-about-the-past-you-ve-got-a-good-chance-of/) [Howard A. 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