---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was raised a black child in the South…"
description: "\"I was raised a black child in the South, where you're indoctrinated into a religion that an oppressor gave you.\" — Killer Mike"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e8/killer-mike-2503_black_i-was-raised-a-black-child-in-the-south_801690.png"
---

#  I was raised a black child in the South, where you're…

![“I was raised a black child in the South, where you're indoctrinated into a religion that an oppressor gave you.” quote by Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e8/killer-mike-2503_black_i-was-raised-a-black-child-in-the-south_801690.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e8/killer-mike-2503_black_i-was-raised-a-black-child-in-the-south_801690.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e8/killer-mike-2503_black_i-was-raised-a-black-child-in-the-south_801690.png)

> “I was raised a black child in the South, where you're indoctrinated into a religion that an oppressor gave you.”

[Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/)

## About This Quote

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

Growing up Black in the South often means being taught a religion imposed by oppressors, shaping identity and resistance.

**In simple terms:** Black Southern upbringing includes forced religion.

Key Takeaway

Question and challenge imposed beliefs.

Themes

identity oppression faith resilience

Mood

reflective defiant

Type

social political

When to use this quote

- personal growth
- activism
- community dialogue
- educational reform

Key Concepts

systemic control cultural inheritance self‑determination

Questions to Reflect On

- How does imposed religion affect personal identity?
- Can faith be reclaimed as empowerment?

A Different Perspective

Faith can be a tool of control, not just comfort.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Catholic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catholic/) [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Indoctrinated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indoctrinated/) [Oppressor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppressor/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/)

## Related quotes

> [The oppressor has always indoctrinated the weak with his interpretation of the crimes of the strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-oppressor-has-always-indoctrinated-the-weak-with-his/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [No black man wants a blue-eyed black child, and no white man wants a kinky-haired white child. Nature didn't mean it to be that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/no-black-man-wants-a-blue-eyed-black-child-and-no-white-man-wants-a/)

[Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/)

> [“At some point, we have to stop selling every black child in this country the idea that he or she only needs to hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/at-some-point-we-have-to-stop-selling-every-black-child-in-this/)

[Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/)

> [I don't think there is anything more ironic than seeing a black child swinging on a jungle gym.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-think-there-is-anything-more-ironic-than-seeing-a-black-child/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I met a 13-year-old black child, Raymond, who had never been to school and had never learnt any words, yet it seemed to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wilson/i-met-a-13-year-old-black-child-raymond-who-had-never-been-to-school/)

[Robert Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wilson/)

> [I was born a poor black child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/i-was-born-a-poor-black-child/)

[Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/)

> [You've never seen a Columbine done by a black child. Never. They always say, 'We can't believe it happened here. We can't believe it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/you-ve-never-seen-a-columbine-done-by-a-black-child-never-they-always/)

[Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/)

> [The danger to a black child in America is not a white police officer. The danger is another black.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/the-danger-to-a-black-child-in-america-is-not-a-white-police-officer/)

[Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/)

> [ Black child poverty is higher. As I write in the epilogue, "Yes we can. No he didn't. President \[Barack\] Obama didn't push black people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-malveaux/black-child-poverty-is-higher-as-i-write-in-the-epilogue-yes-we-can/)

[Julianne Malveaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-malveaux/)

> [“J.W. and Roy didn’t just snatch the childhood away from Emmett; they stole it from every single black child in Mississippi.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernice-mcfadden/j-w-and-roy-didn-t-just-snatch-the-childhood-away-from-emmett-they/)

Bernice McFadden

> [Black Child Don't Struggle to be Known in Your Work Stars Don't Beg To Shine Be Fearless Black Child Be who You are Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-sibiya/black-child-don-t-struggle-to-be-known-in-your-work-stars-don-t-beg/)

[Elton Sibiya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-sibiya/)

> [Even after the child, the life of the black child was saved, but that same white man will have to toss him right back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/even-after-the-child-the-life-of-the-black-child-was-saved-but-that/)

[Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/)

> [“Poverty is what you see in the eyes of a Black child living in the squattercamp.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matsime-simon-mohapi/poverty-is-what-you-see-in-the-eyes-of-a-black-child-living-in-the/)

Matsime Simon Mohapi

> [Know that I have a black child I'd like to have a mixed child. To me they are a sign of harmony of everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlon-cortez-stanfield/know-that-i-have-a-black-child-i-d-like-to-have-a-mixed-child-to-me/)

[Marlon Cortez Stanfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlon-cortez-stanfield/)

> [“Poverty is what you see in the eyes of a Black child living in the squatter camp.Matsime Simon Mohapi”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matsime-simon-mohapi/poverty-is-what-you-see-in-the-eyes-of-a-black-child-living-in-the-2/)

Matsime Simon Mohapi

## More by Killer Mike

> [I rap when I'm rich. I rap when I'm broke. I rap when I'm bullshit in the street. I rap about only having one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/i-rap-when-i-m-rich-i-rap-when-i-m-broke-i-rap-when-i-m-bullshit-in/)

[Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/)

> [My rap comes from a sociological standpoint rather than picking a particular side or dogma or ideology. I just want people to be free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/my-rap-comes-from-a-sociological-standpoint-rather-than-picking-a/)

[Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/)

> [I don't understand how any black person can tell me that they're not pro-gun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/i-don-t-understand-how-any-black-person-can-tell-me-that-they-re-not/)

[Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/)

> [I believe in smart people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/i-believe-in-smart-people/)

[Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/)

> [Have you seen Bernie Sanders rallies? I haven't seen that many white voters since the Oscars. You know - oh, we have some Hollywood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/have-you-seen-bernie-sanders-rallies-i-haven-t-seen-that-many-white/)

[Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/)

> [Rap, to me, is communal. It's something you do with your friends. So becoming a member of a group was the dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/rap-to-me-is-communal-it-s-something-you-do-with-your-friends-so/)

[Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/)

> [Being an adult, you've already suffered enough from your own mistakes, and the world, to come to this as a humble human being. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/being-an-adult-you-ve-already-suffered-enough-from-your-own-mistakes/)

[Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/)

> [I don't accept the term 'political rapper' because I don't give a damn about either political party. I give a damn about the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/i-don-t-accept-the-term-political-rapper-because-i-don-t-give-a-damn/)

[Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/)

> [My rights are precious, and I value those provided to me through the United States Constitution so much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/my-rights-are-precious-and-i-value-those-provided-to-me-through-the/)

[Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/)

> [I've been in the newspapers since I was about 15 - not for rapping, but for real substantive stuff I was doing in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/i-ve-been-in-the-newspapers-since-i-was-about-15-not-for-rapping-but/)

[Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/)

> [51 years ago, when Hillary Clinton was working on the Goldwater campaign, Bernie Sanders was getting locked up for my rights. 50 years later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/51-years-ago-when-hillary-clinton-was-working-on-the-goldwater/)

[Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/)

> [Bernie Sanders is the only politician who, consistently for 50 years, has taken that social justice platform into politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/bernie-sanders-is-the-only-politician-who-consistently-for-50-years/)

[Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/)

> [America has done a great job making brutally fast, stripped-down cars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/america-has-done-a-great-job-making-brutally-fast-stripped-down-cars/)

[Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/)

> [My hair is dry. A lot of shampoos and greasers don't work with me, and so I started playing around with a chemist on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/my-hair-is-dry-a-lot-of-shampoos-and-greasers-don-t-work-with-me-and/)

[Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/)

> [I have searched all night and day for new and better words that could express my feelings and fear for the people of this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/i-have-searched-all-night-and-day-for-new-and-better-words-that-could/)

[Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/)

[Explore all 163 Killer Mike quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/)

## 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

> [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

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I was raised a black child in the South, where you're indoctrinated into a religion that an oppressor gave you.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Killer Mike"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/i-was-raised-a-black-child-in-the-south-where-you-re-indoctrinated/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Black"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/i-was-raised-a-black-child-in-the-south-where-you-re-indoctrinated/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e8/killer-mike-2503_black_i-was-raised-a-black-child-in-the-south_801690.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e8/killer-mike-2503_black_i-was-raised-a-black-child-in-the-south_801690.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e8/killer-mike-2503_black_i-was-raised-a-black-child-in-the-south_801690.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I was raised a black child in the South, where you're indoctrinated into a religion that an oppressor gave…” — Killer Mike",
                "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": "Killer Mike",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I was raised a black child...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/i-was-raised-a-black-child-in-the-south-where-you-re-indoctrinated/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/i-was-raised-a-black-child-in-the-south-where-you-re-indoctrinated/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
