--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Now we have black and white elected…" description: "\"Now we have black and white elected officials working together. Today, we have gone beyond just passing laws. Now we have to create a sense that we are..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f00/john-lewis-1310_american_now-we-have-black-and-white-elected-offi_104580.jpg" --- # Now we have black and white elected officials working… ![“Now we have black and white elected officials working together. Today, we have gone beyond just passing laws. Now we have to create a sense that we are one community, one family. Really, we are the American family.” quote by John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f00/john-lewis-1310_american_now-we-have-black-and-white-elected-offi_104580.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f00/john-lewis-1310_american_now-we-have-black-and-white-elected-offi_104580.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f00/john-lewis-1310_american_now-we-have-black-and-white-elected-offi_104580.jpg) > “Now we have black and white elected officials working together. Today, we have gone beyond just passing laws. Now we have to create a sense that we are one community, one family. Really, we are the American family.” [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker urges unity across political and racial lines, framing the nation as a single family that must collaborate beyond mere legislation. **In simple terms:** We must act as one American family. Key Takeaway Promoting national unity over partisan division. Themes politics social cohesion racial harmony civic responsibility Mood hopeful inspirational Type political motivational When to use this quote - community town‑hall meetings - bipartisan policy initiatives - national service programs Key Concepts collective identity shared destiny Practical Applications - create inclusive civic narratives - facilitate cross‑group dialogue Questions to Reflect On - What practical steps can bridge ideological gaps? - How does familial language shape political engagement? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american/) [American family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-family/) [Beyond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beyond/) [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Black and white](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-and-white/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Community Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community-family-676747/) [Create](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/create/) [Elected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elected/) [Elected officials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elected-officials/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Family Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family-really/) [Gone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gone/) [Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just/) [Laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laws/) [Now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/now/) [Officials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/officials/) [Passing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passing/) [Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really/) [Sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/together/) [White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white/) [Working](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working/) [Working together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-together/) ## Related quotes > [Realizing that they can't get their agenda across: against religious liberty, against a culture of life, they can't get those issues across through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-parsley/realizing-that-they-can-t-get-their-agenda-across-against-religious/) [Rod Parsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-parsley/) > [You don't have to be an elected official to be a public servant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/you-don-t-have-to-be-an-elected-official-to-be-a-public-servant/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [The deepest mystery of Twitter is why celebrities and elected officials take part. After all, we all know they can't write their own lines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/the-deepest-mystery-of-twitter-is-why-celebrities-and-elected/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [If your life is bad because of an elected official, then you don't have a life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/if-your-life-is-bad-because-of-an-elected-official-then-you-don-t/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [I was honored to serve as an elected official for twenty-four years of my life. But right now, I believe our democratic processes have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/i-was-honored-to-serve-as-an-elected-official-for-twenty-four-years/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [When elected officials and others contribute to a climate and culture that fosters hyper-partisanship, we've got to blow the whistle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/when-elected-officials-and-others-contribute-to-a-climate-and-culture/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) > [Conservatives and companies condoned Rush Limbaugh's politics of personal destruction when it came to smearing elected officials. 'Fair game,' they said, even when crass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-pelosi/conservatives-and-companies-condoned-rush-limbaugh-s-politics-of/) [Christine Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-pelosi/) > [As a former Governor, and more importantly, as a father, I know all too well how protective elected officials are of the special relationships…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-musgrove/as-a-former-governor-and-more-importantly-as-a-father-i-know-all-too/) [Ronnie Musgrove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-musgrove/) > [In votes cast, Latinos have increased to five million in the 1996 Presidential election, up from two million in the 1976 election. The number…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-dedman/in-votes-cast-latinos-have-increased-to-five-million-in-the-1996/) [Bill Dedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-dedman/) > [We get what we deserve. They are our elected officials.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/we-get-what-we-deserve-they-are-our-elected-officials/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [I honestly believe I'd make one of the worst elected officials in the history of this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-perot/i-honestly-believe-i-d-make-one-of-the-worst-elected-officials-in-the/) [Ross Perot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-perot/) > [You know for many elected officials they all started in the same place. You know marriage is between a man and a woman, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcgreevey/you-know-for-many-elected-officials-they-all-started-in-the-same/) [James McGreevey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcgreevey/) > [The American people, in their own families, they understand that you have to do that. You have to make the tough decisions. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-mcmorris-rodgers/the-american-people-in-their-own-families-they-understand-that-you/) [Cathy McMorris Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-mcmorris-rodgers/) > [We hope that the elected officials will respond positively to a ground swell of letters, phone calls, e-mails and visits from parents. The law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-hope-that-the-elected-officials-will-respond-positively-to-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [He seems to want confrontation not only with the legislature and with the other elected officials, but he wants constant confrontation in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-scott/he-seems-to-want-confrontation-not-only-with-the-legislature-and-with/) [Bill Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-scott/) ## More by John Lewis > [ I happen to believe that this election year \[2016\] is...one of the most important elections that we're going to face in a very long… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/i-happen-to-believe-that-this-election-year-2016-is-one-of-the-most/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [If you're not hopeful and optimistic, then you just give up. You have to take that long hard look and just believe that if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/if-you-re-not-hopeful-and-optimistic-then-you-just-give-up-you-have/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [The reward for playing jazz is playing jazz.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/the-reward-for-playing-jazz-is-playing-jazz/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [I am very, very hopeful about the American South - I believe that we will lead America to what Dr. King called 'the beloved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/i-am-very-very-hopeful-about-the-american-south-i-believe-that-we/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [ \[Donald Trump's inauguration\] will be the first one that I miss since I've been in Congress. You cannot be at home with something that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/donald-trump-s-inauguration-will-be-the-first-one-that-i-miss-since-i/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [To question the legitimacy of the next United States president, you know, and you're worried about a tweet that says, hey, why don't you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/to-question-the-legitimacy-of-the-next-united-states-president-you/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [We are tired of being beaten by policemen. We are tired of seeing our people locked up in jails over and over again. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/we-are-tired-of-being-beaten-by-policemen-we-are-tired-of-seeing-our/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [“For me, the nomination of Barack Obama as a candidate for president and his inauguration in Washington represents a brief glimpse at the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/for-me-the-nomination-of-barack-obama-as-a-candidate-for-president/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [Too many people struggled, suffered, and died to make it possible for every American to exercise their right to vote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/too-many-people-struggled-suffered-and-died-to-make-it-possible-for/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [The vote is precious. It's almost sacred, so go out and vote like you never voted before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/the-vote-is-precious-it-s-almost-sacred-so-go-out-and-vote-like-you/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [My position is very, very simple. That I fought too long and too hard against discrimination based on race and color, not to stand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/my-position-is-very-very-simple-that-i-fought-too-long-and-too-hard/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [Many of us in Nashville accepted nonviolence as a way of life, a way of living, not simply as a technique or a tactic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/many-of-us-in-nashville-accepted-nonviolence-as-a-way-of-life-a-way/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [Right now, what my job is - pardon me? Those are just words. Right now, what my - my job is right now going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/right-now-what-my-job-is-pardon-me-those-are-just-words-right-now/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [ Donald Trump has made it clear that certainly over the last few years that President \[Barack\] Obama was born in Hawaii. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/donald-trump-has-made-it-clear-that-certainly-over-the-last-few-years/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [As a young child, it became crystal clear to me that there were certain rights and privileges that other people had that my mother,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/as-a-young-child-it-became-crystal-clear-to-me-that-there-were/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) [Explore all 258 John Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) ## More American quotes > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. And an Irish writer who used to write for 'The New Yorker' called Maeve Brennan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/william-maxwell-s-my-favorite-north-american-writer-i-think-and-an/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [I have fallen in love with American names, the sharp names that never get fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/i-have-fallen-in-love-with-american-names-the-sharp-names-that-never/) [Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/) > [I really like a lot of American country stuff, so my music has that influence, but I don't like to be set within a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-bird/i-really-like-a-lot-of-american-country-stuff-so-my-music-has-that/) [Jade Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-bird/) > [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/) [H. 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But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) [Browse all 7,717 American quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Now we have black and white elected officials working together. Today, we have gone beyond just passing laws. Now we have to create a sense that we are one community, one family. 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