---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As long as it didn't cost white anything…"
description: "\"“As long as it didn't cost white anything American officials were absolutely determined to see justice done for the black Indian. The United States too..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bee/jonathan-d-greenberg-169916_federal-government_as-long-as-it-didn-t-cost-white-anything_1671888.jpg"
---

#  As long as it didn't cost white anything American…

![“As long as it didn't cost white anything American officials were absolutely determined to see justice done for the black Indian. The United States took nearly a century to grant the millions of freedman in its own borders the same rights as Creek freedmen enjoyed after 1866. On an economic level…” quote by Jonathan D. Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bee/jonathan-d-greenberg-169916_federal-government_as-long-as-it-didn-t-cost-white-anything_1671888.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bee/jonathan-d-greenberg-169916_federal-government_as-long-as-it-didn-t-cost-white-anything_1671888.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bee/jonathan-d-greenberg-169916_federal-government_as-long-as-it-didn-t-cost-white-anything_1671888.jpg)

> ““As long as it didn't cost white anything American officials were absolutely determined to see justice done for the black Indian. The United States took nearly a century to grant the millions of freedman in its own borders the same rights as Creek freedmen enjoyed after 1866. On an economic level adoption into the tribe's communal land trust proved far more beneficial to blacks than any program ever devised by the federal government—even in modern times.””

[Jonathan D. Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-d-greenberg/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

American officials prioritized justice for Black Indians only when it cost nothing, reflecting economic motives over equality.

**In simple terms:** Justice tied to profit.

Key Takeaway

Advocate for equitable policies.

Themes

justice economics race policy history

Mood

critical concerned

Type

Federal government:1 Modern times:1 Freedmen:1 Creek Freedmen:1 Freedman Borders:1 Millions Freedman:1 Freedmen Enjoyed:1

When to use this quote

- legal reform
- historical research
- activist strategy

Key Concepts

political economy civil rights law

Questions to Reflect On

- What drives policy decisions more: profit or principle?
- How can we shift focus to moral justice?

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[Creek Freedmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creek-freedmen-868767/) [Federal government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/federal-government/) [Freedman Borders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedman-borders-868768/) [Freedmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedmen-782509/) [Freedmen Enjoyed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedmen-enjoyed-868770/) [Millions Freedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/millions-freedman-868769/) [Modern times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-times/)

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