--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a young black boy, it made me proud to…" description: "\"As a young black boy, it made me proud to see black leaders that did something amazing and made the world change.\" — John Legend" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f1/john-legend-1666_black_as-a-young-black-boy-it-made-me-proud-to_2382024.png" --- # As a young black boy, it made me proud to see black… ![“As a young black boy, it made me proud to see black leaders that did something amazing and made the world change.” quote by John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f1/john-legend-1666_black_as-a-young-black-boy-it-made-me-proud-to_2382024.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f1/john-legend-1666_black_as-a-young-black-boy-it-made-me-proud-to_2382024.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f1/john-legend-1666_black_as-a-young-black-boy-it-made-me-proud-to_2382024.png) > “As a young black boy, it made me proud to see black leaders that did something amazing and made the world change.” [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Seeing successful black leaders inspires pride and validates potential for change in young black individuals. **In simple terms:** Seeing black leaders succeed makes me proud. Key Takeaway Seek role models who reflect your identity. Themes pride identity role models Mood hopeful motivated Type inspirational personal When to use this quote - school - career planning - community mentorship - media representation Key Concepts representation inspiration social impact Questions to Reflect On - Who are the leaders you look up to? - How can you amplify their impact? A Different Perspective Representation alone may not address systemic barriers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Black boy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-boy/) [Black Leaders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-leaders/) [Boy Proud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boy-proud-1653294/) [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Proud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proud/) [Proud Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proud-black-398390/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) [Young Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-black/) ## Related quotes > [“During the racial confrontations of the 1960s, An American Dilemma encountered rising criticism from activists and scholars who disputed Myrdal's optimism about white liberalism,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-patterson/during-the-racial-confrontations-of-the-1960s-an-american-dilemma/) [James T. Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-patterson/) > [I endeavor to connect young black boys with the necessary resources, which will afford them the opportunity to matriculate in this society in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phaedra-parks/i-endeavor-to-connect-young-black-boys-with-the-necessary-resources/) [Phaedra Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phaedra-parks/) > [Every black man in Chicago walks through the world differently, and I think what young black boys do is observe, and that's what gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-waithe/every-black-man-in-chicago-walks-through-the-world-differently-and-i/) [Lena Waithe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-waithe/) > [Yes, you have people shouting racist abuse and throwing bananas on the field, and there are issues regarding the number of black coaches and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/yes-you-have-people-shouting-racist-abuse-and-throwing-bananas-on-the/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) > [I was brought up to be a good boy and proud of myself so I suppress all the things about me that are bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rik-mayall/i-was-brought-up-to-be-a-good-boy-and-proud-of-myself-so-i-suppress/) [Rik Mayall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rik-mayall/) > [I've always been a momma's boy. I'm very proud to say it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jae-crowder/i-ve-always-been-a-momma-s-boy-i-m-very-proud-to-say-it/) [Jae Crowder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jae-crowder/) > [I'm the biggest mama's boy ever, and I'm proud to say it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-tatum/i-m-the-biggest-mama-s-boy-ever-and-i-m-proud-to-say-it/) [Jayson Tatum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-tatum/) > [I am a country boy and proud of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-richie/i-am-a-country-boy-and-proud-of-it/) [Lionel Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-richie/) > [Oh yeah, I'm an Essex boy and proud of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-kemp/oh-yeah-i-m-an-essex-boy-and-proud-of-it/) [Ross Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-kemp/) > [Would the boy you were be proud of the man you are?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/would-the-boy-you-were-be-proud-of-the-man-you-are/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [I didn't know what to do. How do you tell an eight-year-old boy his mother's going to die? I tried. In my own stumbling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dean/i-didn-t-know-what-to-do-how-do-you-tell-an-eight-year-old-boy-his/) [James Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dean/) > [I'm proud to be a woman. I'm proud to be a black woman, and I'm proud to be gay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wanda-sykes/i-m-proud-to-be-a-woman-i-m-proud-to-be-a-black-woman-and-i-m-proud/) [Wanda Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wanda-sykes/) > [I'm very proud to be black, but black is not all I am. That's my cultural historical background, my genetic make-up, but it's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-m-very-proud-to-be-black-but-black-is-not-all-i-am-that-s-my/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [I don't need to tell myself that I'm black or that I'm proud of being black. I just am, and it just doesn't matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thundercat/i-don-t-need-to-tell-myself-that-i-m-black-or-that-i-m-proud-of-being/) [Thundercat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thundercat/) > [I'm a black man that is proud to be black, and I want to help the black community, but I love all mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/i-m-a-black-man-that-is-proud-to-be-black-and-i-want-to-help-the/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/) ## More by John Legend > [Some people, you know, should just go to college and do what they do and have a great job and not worry about trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/some-people-you-know-should-just-go-to-college-and-do-what-they-do/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [I guess a lot of times pressure is put on something after it becomes big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/i-guess-a-lot-of-times-pressure-is-put-on-something-after-it-becomes/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [The best way to fight poverty is to empower people through access to quality education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/the-best-way-to-fight-poverty-is-to-empower-people-through-access-to/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [My first album, 'Get Lifted,' was a hip-hop soul album that had some of its roots in the church, as far as the sonic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/my-first-album-get-lifted-was-a-hip-hop-soul-album-that-had-some-of/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [I don't like going to football games. I like watching them on television. When you go to a game, it's hard to focus. There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/i-don-t-like-going-to-football-games-i-like-watching-them-on/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [There's a lot of hurry up and wait. But it gives you time to write a song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/there-s-a-lot-of-hurry-up-and-wait-but-it-gives-you-time-to-write-a/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [Fear. People are afraid of talking about their fears and insecurities. They're afraid of expressing emotion beyond anger, dominance, or power, and they're afraid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/fear-people-are-afraid-of-talking-about-their-fears-and-insecurities/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [When I write, I don't really focus on duets or anything like that, or whether I'm going to feature this or that rapper. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/when-i-write-i-don-t-really-focus-on-duets-or-anything-like-that-or/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [I would tell myself, "Love yourself and don't be afraid to take risks." I was often afraid to take risks, socially, because I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/i-would-tell-myself-love-yourself-and-don-t-be-afraid-to-take-risks-i/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [I never went through a period where I didn't want to play music. I've always loved it and it's always been a huge part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/i-never-went-through-a-period-where-i-didn-t-want-to-play-music-i-ve/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [All men should be feminists. If men cared about women's rights, the world would be a better place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/all-men-should-be-feminists-if-men-cared-about-women-s-rights-the/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [I used read about Dr. King a lot as a kid. Independently, from being assigned it or being told by my parents or anything,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/i-used-read-about-dr-king-a-lot-as-a-kid-independently-from-being/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [“All men should be feminists. If men care about women’s rights the world will be a better place. We are better off when women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/all-men-should-be-feminists-if-men-care-about-women-s-rights-the/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [Experience is a great teacher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/experience-is-a-great-teacher/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [This ain't a movie no. No fairy tale conclusion ya'll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/this-ain-t-a-movie-no-no-fairy-tale-conclusion-ya-ll/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) [Explore all 218 John Legend quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) ## 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. That's how they tried to cut off all my brothers in the rest of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-ain-t-no-such-thing-as-black-muslims-that-s-how-they-tried-to/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) [Browse all 11,655 Black quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As a young black boy, it made me proud to see black leaders that did something amazing and made the world change.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Legend" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/as-a-young-black-boy-it-made-me-proud-to-see-black-leaders-that-did/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Black" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/as-a-young-black-boy-it-made-me-proud-to-see-black-leaders-that-did/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f1/john-legend-1666_black_as-a-young-black-boy-it-made-me-proud-to_2382024.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f1/john-legend-1666_black_as-a-young-black-boy-it-made-me-proud-to_2382024.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f1/john-legend-1666_black_as-a-young-black-boy-it-made-me-proud-to_2382024.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As a young black boy, it made me proud to see black leaders that did something amazing and made the world…” — John Legend", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Legend", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As a young black boy, it...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/as-a-young-black-boy-it-made-me-proud-to-see-black-leaders-that-did/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/as-a-young-black-boy-it-made-me-proud-to-see-black-leaders-that-did/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```