--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why should I want to be white? I am a…" description: "\"Why should I want to be white? I am a Negro - and beautiful!\" — Langston Hughes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d3/langston-hughes-1527_beautiful_why-should-i-want-to-be-white-i-am-a-neg_2421652.png" --- # Why should I want to be white? I am a Negro - and beautiful! ![“Why should I want to be white? I am a Negro - and beautiful!” quote by Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d3/langston-hughes-1527_beautiful_why-should-i-want-to-be-white-i-am-a-neg_2421652.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d3/langston-hughes-1527_beautiful_why-should-i-want-to-be-white-i-am-a-neg_2421652.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d3/langston-hughes-1527_beautiful_why-should-i-want-to-be-white-i-am-a-neg_2421652.png) > “Why should I want to be white? I am a Negro - and beautiful!” [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) ## 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 asserts pride in his identity and challenges racial prejudice, demanding equality and recognition. **In simple terms:** Embrace identity and demand equality. Key Takeaway Stand proud and demand respect. Themes identity racial equality pride Mood hopeful defiant Type poetic activist When to use this quote - public speaking - education - community organizing - artistic expression Key Concepts civil rights self‑acceptance social justice Questions to Reflect On - What does equality mean to you personally? - How can you support others facing discrimination? A Different Perspective Change requires societal willingness to listen. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) ## Related quotes > [It is the duty of the younger Negro artist . . . to change through the force of his art that old whispering "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/it-is-the-duty-of-the-younger-negro-artist-to-change-through-the/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [To my mind, it is the duty of the younger Negro artist, if he accepts any duties at all from outsiders, to change through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/to-my-mind-it-is-the-duty-of-the-younger-negro-artist-if-he-accepts/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [A white person listens to my act and he laughs and he thinks, 'Yeah, that's the way I see it too.' Okay. He's white.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cosby/a-white-person-listens-to-my-act-and-he-laughs-and-he-thinks-yeah/) [Bill Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cosby/) > [I want the white people to understand my people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chief-joseph/i-want-the-white-people-to-understand-my-people/) [Chief Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chief-joseph/) > [I don't understand why black people feel this undying need to want to be down with white people all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-rock/i-don-t-understand-why-black-people-feel-this-undying-need-to-want-to/) [Tony Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-rock/) > [“Readers want white knuckles.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-lindemuth/readers-want-white-knuckles/) [Clayton Lindemuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-lindemuth/) > [I don't particularly want to be in the White House.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eunice-kennedy-shriver/i-don-t-particularly-want-to-be-in-the-white-house/) [Eunice Kennedy Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eunice-kennedy-shriver/) > [“I want a white car that turns red when I’m embarrassed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-want-a-white-car-that-turns-red-when-i-m-embarrassed/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [I think that show will go down in history... people will scratch their heads and say 'How did this ever get on the air?'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-crosby/i-think-that-show-will-go-down-in-history-people-will-scratch-their/) Denise Crosby > [Don't fault me for wearing a 20-inch blond wig - it doesn't mean I want to be a white person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-williams/don-t-fault-me-for-wearing-a-20-inch-blond-wig-it-doesn-t-mean-i-want/) [Wendy Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-williams/) > [“I want him to be my white knight. I want him to save me from me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-sloan/i-want-him-to-be-my-white-knight-i-want-him-to-save-me-from-me/) [Harper Sloan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-sloan/) > [“I want the white one”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-want-the-white-one/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I want white men to look around in their office and say, 'Oh, look, there's a lot of white men here. Let's change this.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bozoma-saint-john/i-want-white-men-to-look-around-in-their-office-and-say-oh-look-there/) [Bozoma Saint John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bozoma-saint-john/) > [I don't want to be white. I don't want to be straight. I don't want to blend in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-waithe/i-don-t-want-to-be-white-i-don-t-want-to-be-straight-i-don-t-want-to/) [Lena Waithe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-waithe/) > [I want Off-White to be a graphics-based brand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-abloh/i-want-off-white-to-be-a-graphics-based-brand/) [Virgil Abloh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-abloh/) ## More by Langston Hughes > [Good morning, daddy! Ain't you heard The boogie-woogie rumble Of a dream deferred? • • • • You think It's a happy beat?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/good-morning-daddy-ain-t-you-heard-the-boogie-woogie-rumble-of-a/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [Summer was made to give you a taste of what hell is like. Winter was made for landladies to charge high rents and keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/summer-was-made-to-give-you-a-taste-of-what-hell-is-like-winter-was/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [I was a victim of a stereotype. There were only two of us Negro kids in the whole class, and our English teacher was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/i-was-a-victim-of-a-stereotype-there-were-only-two-of-us-negro-kids/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [I am the American heartbreak- The rock on which Freedom Stumped its toe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/i-am-the-american-heartbreak-the-rock-on-which-freedom-stumped-its-toe/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [“As I Grew Older" It was a long time ago. I have almost forgotten my dream. But it was there then, In front of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/as-i-grew-older-it-was-a-long-time-ago-i-have-almost-forgotten-my/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [Words Like Freedom There are words like Freedom Sweet and wonderful to say. On my heartstrings freedom sings All day everyday. 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Do you know that there are libraries in our country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/negro-writers-just-by-being-black-have-been-on-the-blacklist-all-our/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [We Negro writers, just by being black, have been on the blacklist all our lives. Censorship for us begins at the color line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/we-negro-writers-just-by-being-black-have-been-on-the-blacklist-all/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [“Hold fast to dreams for if dreams die life is a broken-winged bird that can not fly. Hold fast to dreams for when dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/hold-fast-to-dreams-for-if-dreams-die-life-is-a-broken-winged-bird/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [Oh, God of Dust and Rainbows, Help us to see That without the dust the rainbow Would not be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/oh-god-of-dust-and-rainbows-help-us-to-see-that-without-the-dust-the/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [I loved my friend He went away from me There's nothing more to say The poem ends, Soft as it began- I loved my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/i-loved-my-friend-he-went-away-from-me-there-s-nothing-more-to-say/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [The Jewish people and the Negro people both know the meaning of Nordic supremacy. We have both looked into the eyes of terror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/the-jewish-people-and-the-negro-people-both-know-the-meaning-of/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) [Explore all 230 Langston Hughes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) ## More Beautiful quotes > [I received a beautiful welcome to the world of music. I want to give something back to the younger generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-pavarotti/i-received-a-beautiful-welcome-to-the-world-of-music-i-want-to-give/) [Luciano Pavarotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciano-pavarotti/) > [Being beautiful comes naturally!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-beautiful-comes-naturally/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. 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Call her ugly once, and she will never forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tumblr/call-her-beautiful-a-million-times-and-she-won-t-believe-you-call-her/) Tumblr > [You will never know just how beautiful you are to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-will-never-know-just-how-beautiful-you-are-to-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You felt a deep sorrow, the kind of melancholy you feel when you're in a beautiful place and the sun is going down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thrity-umrigar/you-felt-a-deep-sorrow-the-kind-of-melancholy-you-feel-when-you-re-in/) [Thrity Umrigar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thrity-umrigar/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. 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