--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nobody black or white who really believes…" description: "\"Nobody black or white who really believes in democracy can stand aside now; everybody's got to stand up and be counted.\" — Lena Horne" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa1/lena-horne-15555_believe_nobody-black-or-white-who-really-believe_345336.jpg" --- # Nobody black or white who really believes in democracy can… ![“Nobody black or white who really believes in democracy can stand aside now; everybody's got to stand up and be counted.” quote by Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa1/lena-horne-15555_believe_nobody-black-or-white-who-really-believe_345336.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa1/lena-horne-15555_believe_nobody-black-or-white-who-really-believe_345336.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa1/lena-horne-15555_believe_nobody-black-or-white-who-really-believe_345336.jpg) > “Nobody black or white who really believes in democracy can stand aside now; everybody's got to stand up and be counted.” [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Democracy requires active participation; silence undermines it. **In simple terms:** Vote and speak up. Key Takeaway Engage in civic duties. Themes civic duty political engagement rights activism Mood urgent motivational Type call to action political. When to use this quote - elections - community meetings - protests - online petitions Key Concepts democracy social responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What actions can you take to support democracy today? - How can marginalized voices be amplified? A Different Perspective Not everyone can safely vote or protest; systemic barriers exist. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black or white](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-or-white/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) ## Related quotes > [A functioning democracy cannot stand when its people do not trust their leaders to uphold the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raja-krishnamoorthi/a-functioning-democracy-cannot-stand-when-its-people-do-not-trust/) [Raja Krishnamoorthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raja-krishnamoorthi/) > [The function of a newspaper in a democracy is to stand as a sort of chronic opposition to the reigning quacks. The minute it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/the-function-of-a-newspaper-in-a-democracy-is-to-stand-as-a-sort-of/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Democracy must stand or fall on a platform of possible human perfectibility. If human nature cannot be improved by institutions, democracy is at best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-croly/democracy-must-stand-or-fall-on-a-platform-of-possible-human/) [Herbert Croly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-croly/) > [BJP believes in democracy not theocracy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shatrughan-sinha/bjp-believes-in-democracy-not-theocracy/) [Shatrughan Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shatrughan-sinha/) > [I'm somebody who works within Cambodia, with Cambodians. I work alongside the artists and society to work from within, so that is the focus,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/i-m-somebody-who-works-within-cambodia-with-cambodians-i-work/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [I am not one who, to quote an American author, believes that democracy and enterprise have finally won the battle of ideas - that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/i-am-not-one-who-to-quote-an-american-author-believes-that-democracy/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [“A normal woman, indeed, no more believes in democracy in the nation than she believes in democracy at her own fireside; she knows that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/a-normal-woman-indeed-no-more-believes-in-democracy-in-the-nation/) [H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) > [President Bush announced tonight that he believes in democracy and that democracy can exist in Iraq. They can have a strong economy, they can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/president-bush-announced-tonight-that-he-believes-in-democracy-and/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Unlike the Congress, our party believes in democracy and takes a collective decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smriti-irani/unlike-the-congress-our-party-believes-in-democracy-and-takes-a/) [Smriti Irani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smriti-irani/) > [“. . . the only legitimate reason that kingship is not attractive to us is because in this age and this world the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/the-only-legitimate-reason-that-kingship-is-not-attractive-to-us-is/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [I think Donald Trump believes in democracy and the right to change of power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-brewer/i-think-donald-trump-believes-in-democracy-and-the-right-to-change-of/) [Jan Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-brewer/) > [There is no one in al-Nahda that is 'violence is a means of change or to keep power.' Everyone in al-Nahda believes that democracy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashid-al-ghannushi/there-is-no-one-in-al-nahda-that-is-violence-is-a-means-of-change-or/) [Rashid al-Ghannushi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashid-al-ghannushi/) > [There comes a time when you have to stand up and be counted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gale-sayers/there-comes-a-time-when-you-have-to-stand-up-and-be-counted/) [Gale Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gale-sayers/) > [“Stand up and be counted, or sit your ass in the corner and color.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-goodwin/stand-up-and-be-counted-or-sit-your-ass-in-the-corner-and-color/) [Lori Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-goodwin/) > [“This is the time for black people to stand and be counted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-dare-pearce/this-is-the-time-for-black-people-to-stand-and-be-counted/) [Allan Dare Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-dare-pearce/) ## More by Lena Horne > [It's so nice to get flowers while you can still smell the fragrance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/it-s-so-nice-to-get-flowers-while-you-can-still-smell-the-fragrance/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it. Carry it by the comfortable handles of gratitude for what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/it-s-not-the-load-that-breaks-you-down-it-s-the-way-you-carry-it/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [I made a promise to myself to be kinder to other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/i-made-a-promise-to-myself-to-be-kinder-to-other-people/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [You have to be taught to be second class; you're not born that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/you-have-to-be-taught-to-be-second-class-you-re-not-born-that-way/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [I'm not a career kind of person. When I saw new music, new trends coming in, I didn't see any place for me. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/i-m-not-a-career-kind-of-person-when-i-saw-new-music-new-trends/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [Malcolm X made me very strong at a time I needed to understand what I was angry about. He had peace in his heart.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/malcolm-x-made-me-very-strong-at-a-time-i-needed-to-understand-what-i/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [Don't be afraid to feel as angry or as loving as you can, because when you feel nothing, it's just death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/don-t-be-afraid-to-feel-as-angry-or-as-loving-as-you-can-because-when/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [ I learned from Ethel Waters, Duke Ellington, Adelaide Hall, the Nicholas Brothers, the whole thing, the whole schmear. \[The Cotton Club\] was a great… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/i-learned-from-ethel-waters-duke-ellington-adelaide-hall-the-nicholas/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [Count Basie isn't just a man, or even just a band. He's a way of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/count-basie-isn-t-just-a-man-or-even-just-a-band-he-s-a-way-of-life/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [I had my schooling right there in the Cotton Club.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/i-had-my-schooling-right-there-in-the-cotton-club/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [I want to sing like Aretha Franklin. Before her I wanted the technical ability of Ella Fitzgerald.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/i-want-to-sing-like-aretha-franklin-before-her-i-wanted-the-technical/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [After I got over the terrible pain of having something of mine taken from me, I began to think how bad everybody else must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/after-i-got-over-the-terrible-pain-of-having-something-of-mine-taken/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [I really do hate to sing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/i-really-do-hate-to-sing/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [A little nepotism never hurt nobody, honey. If you got it, use it. Press on with it. Remind them of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/a-little-nepotism-never-hurt-nobody-honey-if-you-got-it-use-it-press/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [“I disconnected myself to shield myself from people who would sway to my songs in the club and call me 'nigger' in the street.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/i-disconnected-myself-to-shield-myself-from-people-who-would-sway-to/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) [Explore all 42 Lena Horne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Nobody black or white who really believes in democracy can stand aside now; everybody's got to stand up and be counted.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lena Horne" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/nobody-black-or-white-who-really-believes-in-democracy-can-stand/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/nobody-black-or-white-who-really-believes-in-democracy-can-stand/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa1/lena-horne-15555_believe_nobody-black-or-white-who-really-believe_345336.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa1/lena-horne-15555_believe_nobody-black-or-white-who-really-believe_345336.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa1/lena-horne-15555_believe_nobody-black-or-white-who-really-believe_345336.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Nobody black or white who really believes in democracy can stand aside now; everybody's got to stand up and…” — Lena Horne", "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": "Lena Horne", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Nobody black or white who really...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/nobody-black-or-white-who-really-believes-in-democracy-can-stand/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/nobody-black-or-white-who-really-believes-in-democracy-can-stand/#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 } } ] } ```