--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The civil rights movement is…" description: "\"The civil rights movement is understanding your freedom under the Constitution of these United States and if anyone tries to take those freedoms from y..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75a/ken-hutcherson-42425_civil-rights_the-civil-rights-movement-is-understandi_3154728.jpg" --- # The civil rights movement is understanding your freedom… ![“The civil rights movement is understanding your freedom under the Constitution of these United States and if anyone tries to take those freedoms from you, you better rise up and fight and that's what we're doing together.” quote by Ken Hutcherson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75a/ken-hutcherson-42425_civil-rights_the-civil-rights-movement-is-understandi_3154728.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75a/ken-hutcherson-42425_civil-rights_the-civil-rights-movement-is-understandi_3154728.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75a/ken-hutcherson-42425_civil-rights_the-civil-rights-movement-is-understandi_3154728.jpg) > “The civil rights movement is understanding your freedom under the Constitution of these United States and if anyone tries to take those freedoms from you, you better rise up and fight and that's what we're doing together.” [Ken Hutcherson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-hutcherson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Freedom under the Constitution must be defended; when threatened, collective action is essential. **In simple terms:** Defend constitutional freedoms together. Key Takeaway Stand up and fight when rights are challenged. Themes civil rights activism solidarity Mood determined urgent Type motivational political When to use this quote - protests - community organizing - legal challenges - voting rights - police reform Key Concepts Constitutional law collective action resistance Questions to Reflect On - What non‑violent strategies can strengthen the movement? - How can allies support without escalating conflict? A Different Perspective Violence can undermine the moral high ground. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civil Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-right/) [Civil rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-rights/) [Civil rights movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-rights-movement/) [Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Freedoms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedoms/) [Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Rights movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights-movement/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) [Your freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your-freedom/) ## Related quotes > [I am absolutely convinced, you never have to give up any of your freedoms in order to be secure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/i-am-absolutely-convinced-you-never-have-to-give-up-any-of-your/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [I always say to people, you know - someone goes, oh, well, what are you going to do about terrorist attacks and Muslims? We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-noah/i-always-say-to-people-you-know-someone-goes-oh-well-what-are-you/) [Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/) > [“In order to keep our freedom, we must place out of bounds all those things that would enslave us. James says, "Resist the devil,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-w-sill-2/in-order-to-keep-our-freedom-we-must-place-out-of-bounds-all-those/) [Sterling W. Sill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-w-sill-2/) > [We've got in the habit of not really understanding how freedom was in the 19th century, the idea of government of the people in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ta-nehisi-coates/we-ve-got-in-the-habit-of-not-really-understanding-how-freedom-was-in/) [Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ta-nehisi-coates/) > [Vampire have their own understanding what freedom is because they just live much longer and they feel they are a superior race and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timur-bekmambetov/vampire-have-their-own-understanding-what-freedom-is-because-they/) [Timur Bekmambetov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timur-bekmambetov/) > [From about age 17 to 25, a time some people describe as "beautiful youth," it was "arranged" for me to live with two different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wang-jianwei/from-about-age-17-to-25-a-time-some-people-describe-as-beautiful/) [Wang Jianwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wang-jianwei/) > [It is better to be in danger and be free, rather than to be safe and prisoned. Let this day, bring us closer to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-better-to-be-in-danger-and-be-free-rather-than-to-be-safe-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Donald Trump has a curious understanding of what freedom of speech means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/donald-trump-has-a-curious-understanding-of-what-freedom-of-speech/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [“A new civil rights movement cannot be organized around the relics of the earlier system of control if it is to address meaningfully the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/a-new-civil-rights-movement-cannot-be-organized-around-the-relics-of/) [Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/) > [I took an interest in the Civil Rights Movement. I listened to Martin Luther King. The Vietnam War was raging. When I was 18,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhanath-swami/i-took-an-interest-in-the-civil-rights-movement-i-listened-to-martin/) [Radhanath Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhanath-swami/) > [LISTEN: If you ever wondered what you would do if you were alive in the Civil Rights Movement, NOW IS THE TIME to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-king/listen-if-you-ever-wondered-what-you-would-do-if-you-were-alive-in/) [Shaun King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-king/) > [I don't think the riots derailed the civil rights movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-louis-gates/i-don-t-think-the-riots-derailed-the-civil-rights-movement/) [Henry Louis Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-louis-gates/) > [As a southerner born after the epic events of the civil rights movement, I've always wondered how on earth people of good will could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-meacham/as-a-southerner-born-after-the-epic-events-of-the-civil-rights/) [Jon Meacham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-meacham/) > [The mainstream sort of presentation of the civil rights movement was not something that I directly inherited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ta-nehisi-coates/the-mainstream-sort-of-presentation-of-the-civil-rights-movement-was/) [Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ta-nehisi-coates/) > [Most students graduate from high school knowing nine words about the civil rights movement: Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, and "I Have a Dream."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-aydin/most-students-graduate-from-high-school-knowing-nine-words-about-the/) [Andrew Aydin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-aydin/) ## More by Ken Hutcherson > [Jesus taught that we'll never be satisfied with anything we own, only with Who owns us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-hutcherson/jesus-taught-that-we-ll-never-be-satisfied-with-anything-we-own-only/) [Ken Hutcherson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-hutcherson/) > [When you're in the pits, all the faith in the world won't get you out of it. But just a little faith in God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-hutcherson/when-you-re-in-the-pits-all-the-faith-in-the-world-won-t-get-you-out/) [Ken Hutcherson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-hutcherson/) > [“But as a Christian, let me say Merry Christmas on a national holiday called Christmas and you’d think Satan incarnate himself just showed up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-hutcherson/but-as-a-christian-let-me-say-merry-christmas-on-a-national-holiday/) [Ken Hutcherson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-hutcherson/) > [“I did not become a Christian to live the 50s and 60s all over a second time. Muslims have more rights and freedom of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-hutcherson/i-did-not-become-a-christian-to-live-the-50s-and-60s-all-over-a/) [Ken Hutcherson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-hutcherson/) > [The President of the United States, if you remove his blackness, then just ask the question, is he a good President or is he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-hutcherson/the-president-of-the-united-states-if-you-remove-his-blackness-then/) [Ken Hutcherson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-hutcherson/) > [Let's take back the rainbow for God. Let the homosexual community find a different religious symbol to commandeer... What I want is for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-hutcherson/let-s-take-back-the-rainbow-for-god-let-the-homosexual-community-find/) [Ken Hutcherson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-hutcherson/) > [“I am an American, proud to be an American, proud to be a black American. I’m not African-American. I’ve never been to Africa. I’m…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-hutcherson/i-am-an-american-proud-to-be-an-american-proud-to-be-a-black-american/) [Ken Hutcherson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-hutcherson/) > [“If you remove Al Sharpton’s blackness, he disappears. He’s transparent. There’s nothing there because he bases his whole life on his blackness. Me, I’m…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-hutcherson/if-you-remove-al-sharpton-s-blackness-he-disappears-he-s-transparent/) [Ken Hutcherson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-hutcherson/) > [“As a black man Al, who went through the Civil rights fight in the 60s just like you did, and saw the first freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-hutcherson/as-a-black-man-al-who-went-through-the-civil-rights-fight-in-the-60s/) [Ken Hutcherson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-hutcherson/) [Explore all 10 Ken Hutcherson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-hutcherson/) ## More Civil rights quotes > [Every one knows that the exercise of military power is forever dangerous to civil rights; and we have had recent instances of violences that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/every-one-knows-that-the-exercise-of-military-power-is-forever/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [I am for freedom of religion, and against all maneuvers to bring about a legal ascendency of one sect over another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-am-for-freedom-of-religion-and-against-all-maneuvers-to-bring-about/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I speak not for myself, but so those without a voice can be heard. Those who have fought for their rights. Their right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/i-speak-not-for-myself-but-so-those-without-a-voice-can-be-heard/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [The Patriot Act is certainly a concern; all of those things are dangerous. I think more important than me preaching is that we as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-patriot-act-is-certainly-a-concern-all-of-those-things-are/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [American civil rights leader, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Lynching is a murder. For the past four hundred years our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/american-civil-rights-leader-where-do-we-go-from-here-chaos-or/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [“Why do we apologize for advocating for ourselves? Why do we apologize for taking up space that we are entitled to? Why do we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-tambascio/why-do-we-apologize-for-advocating-for-ourselves-why-do-we-apologize/) Elizabeth Tambascio > [We are a nation of innovators and problem-solvers who sparked revolutions in democratic government, civil rights, communications, flight, rural electrification and technology. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-a-mcchrystal/we-are-a-nation-of-innovators-and-problem-solvers-who-sparked/) [Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/) > [“Mental illness is not something you misunderstand in this era. Get educated because bias is no different than racism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/mental-illness-is-not-something-you-misunderstand-in-this-era-get/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Civil rights leaders are involved in helping poor people. That's what I've been doing all my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-young/civil-rights-leaders-are-involved-in-helping-poor-people-that-s-what/) [Andrew Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-young/) > [I grew up in the early '60s, and there was a lot of civil rights, a lot of unrest in our country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herm-edwards/i-grew-up-in-the-early-60s-and-there-was-a-lot-of-civil-rights-a-lot/) [Herm Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herm-edwards/) > [The great paradox of the civil rights revolution is that instead of enforcing and expanding equality before the law, the revolution created differential rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-craig-roberts/the-great-paradox-of-the-civil-rights-revolution-is-that-instead-of/) [Paul Craig Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-craig-roberts/) > [The world - and America - has been defined by people who haven't necessarily abided by the laws and the rules. Civil disobedience is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-kennedy/the-world-and-america-has-been-defined-by-people-who-haven-t/) [Rory Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-kennedy/) > [I do not believe that defending traditional marriage between one man and one woman excludes anybody or usurps anybody's civil rights and denies anybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-autry/i-do-not-believe-that-defending-traditional-marriage-between-one-man/) [Alan Autry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-autry/) > [Truth is on the side of the oppressed today, it's against the oppressor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/truth-is-on-the-side-of-the-oppressed-today-it-s-against-the-oppressor/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The notion of women being written out of history is as old as the Bible, but it always seems more galling when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thornberry/the-notion-of-women-being-written-out-of-history-is-as-old-as-the/) [Emily Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thornberry/) [Browse all 1,552 Civil rights quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-rights/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The civil rights movement is understanding your freedom under the Constitution of these United States and if anyone tries to take those freedoms from you, you better rise up and fight and that's what we're doing together.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ken Hutcherson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-hutcherson/the-civil-rights-movement-is-understanding-your-freedom-under-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Civil rights" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-hutcherson/the-civil-rights-movement-is-understanding-your-freedom-under-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75a/ken-hutcherson-42425_civil-rights_the-civil-rights-movement-is-understandi_3154728.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75a/ken-hutcherson-42425_civil-rights_the-civil-rights-movement-is-understandi_3154728.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75a/ken-hutcherson-42425_civil-rights_the-civil-rights-movement-is-understandi_3154728.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The civil rights movement is understanding your freedom under the Constitution of these United States and if…” — Ken Hutcherson", "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": "Ken Hutcherson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-hutcherson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The civil rights movement is understanding...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-hutcherson/the-civil-rights-movement-is-understanding-your-freedom-under-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-hutcherson/the-civil-rights-movement-is-understanding-your-freedom-under-the/#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 } } ] } ```