--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My mother was born into a segregated…" description: "\"My mother was born into a segregated America. How crazy is that?\" — Lena Waithe" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b6/lena-waithe-4351_america_my-mother-was-born-into-a-segregated-ame_2329714.jpg" --- # My mother was born into a segregated America. How crazy is… ![“My mother was born into a segregated America. How crazy is that?” quote by Lena Waithe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b6/lena-waithe-4351_america_my-mother-was-born-into-a-segregated-ame_2329714.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b6/lena-waithe-4351_america_my-mother-was-born-into-a-segregated-ame_2329714.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b6/lena-waithe-4351_america_my-mother-was-born-into-a-segregated-ame_2329714.jpg) > “My mother was born into a segregated America. How crazy is that?” [Lena Waithe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-waithe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Highlighting the absurdity of racial segregation and its lingering impact. **In simple terms:** Segregation is shocking and unacceptable. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge systemic racism. Themes racial injustice history identity Mood reflective serious Type thought‑provoking educational When to use this quote - education reform - community dialogue - policy advocacy - personal reflection Key Concepts social equity civil rights historical trauma Questions to Reflect On - How does acknowledging past segregation inform present actions? - What steps can individuals take to combat lingering segregation? A Different Perspective Progress varies regionally; some may view it as historical context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) ## Related quotes > [I'm the son of a Black man who was born in the segregated South.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/i-m-the-son-of-a-black-man-who-was-born-in-the-segregated-south/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [I was born in segregated Birmingham, Alabama. I didn't have a white classmate till we moved to Denver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-was-born-in-segregated-birmingham-alabama-i-didn-t-have-a-white/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [I grew up black in segregated America, where it was hard to find an open door. It's harder now for young blacks to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelby-steele/i-grew-up-black-in-segregated-america-where-it-was-hard-to-find-an/) [Shelby Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelby-steele/) > [2021 is starting to look like 1961 - a segregated America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-cain/2021-is-starting-to-look-like-1961-a-segregated-america/) [Will Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-cain/) > [To a young kid growing up in Canada, America seemed to be crazy about the future; dazzled by it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graydon-carter/to-a-young-kid-growing-up-in-canada-america-seemed-to-be-crazy-about/) [Graydon Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graydon-carter/) > [The pure products of America go crazy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-carlos-williams/the-pure-products-of-america-go-crazy/) [William Carlos Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-carlos-williams/) > [I thought of America as this crazy, happy, exciting place where everybody's rich and there's stuff everywhere. Compared to Pakistan, it's not untrue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumail-nanjiani/i-thought-of-america-as-this-crazy-happy-exciting-place-where/) [Kumail Nanjiani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumail-nanjiani/) > ['The Purge' is really about America's crazy relationship to guns and guns gone wild, essentially, and it kind of laid the groundwork for 'Get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-blum/the-purge-is-really-about-america-s-crazy-relationship-to-guns-and/) [Jason Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-blum/) > [The pure products of America go crazy--mountain folk from Kentucky or the ribbed north end of Jersey with its isolate lakes and valleys, its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-carlos-williams/the-pure-products-of-america-go-crazy-mountain-folk-from-kentucky-or/) [William Carlos Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-carlos-williams/) > [ “The pure products of America go crazy... ...\[\] No one to witness and adjust, no one to drive the car” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-carlos-williams/the-pure-products-of-america-go-crazy-no-one-to-witness-and-adjust-no/) [William Carlos Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-carlos-williams/) > [As a girl growing up in Cyprus, Saudi Arabia and then India, the idea of cracking the industry in America seemed crazy. So thankfully,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-simone/as-a-girl-growing-up-in-cyprus-saudi-arabia-and-then-india-the-idea/) [Hannah Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-simone/) > [My father was born in Newark, New Jersey, and my mother was born in Philadelphia. They both went to Stanford for grad school and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/my-father-was-born-in-newark-new-jersey-and-my-mother-was-born-in/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [I'm a third-culture child. It's an interesting concept. Having an American father, a South American mother, born in England, grew up in Hong Kong,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-chantal-claire/i-m-a-third-culture-child-it-s-an-interesting-concept-having-an/) Marie-Chantal Claire > [My mother was born in Sinaloa, and she moved to Los Angeles when she was three years old. My father was born in San…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanna-ubach/my-mother-was-born-in-sinaloa-and-she-moved-to-los-angeles-when-she/) [Alanna Ubach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanna-ubach/) > [The moment a child is born, The mother is also born. She never existed before. The women existed, But the mother, Never. A mother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-moment-a-child-is-born-the-mother-is-also-born-she-never-existed/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Lena Waithe > [I'm a huge fan of television, and the reason I'm a part of the world is because I'm a fan of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-waithe/i-m-a-huge-fan-of-television-and-the-reason-i-m-a-part-of-the-world/) [Lena Waithe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-waithe/) > [To be yourself is truly a revolutionary act, and I think more and more people should try it, because it's gotten me a pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-waithe/to-be-yourself-is-truly-a-revolutionary-act-and-i-think-more-and-more/) [Lena Waithe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-waithe/) > [I love basketball! When I'm flying, and I have on sweats, a hat, and sneakers, people always assume that I'm a high school kid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-waithe/i-love-basketball-when-i-m-flying-and-i-have-on-sweats-a-hat-and/) [Lena Waithe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-waithe/) > [The only way you really see change is by helping to create it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-waithe/the-only-way-you-really-see-change-is-by-helping-to-create-it/) [Lena Waithe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-waithe/) > [For me, it's about making art that's not good but phenomenal. James Baldwin didn't want to just stay above the fray. Prince didn't think,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-waithe/for-me-it-s-about-making-art-that-s-not-good-but-phenomenal-james/) [Lena Waithe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-waithe/) > [The truth is, for me, when I was a young black girl who knew I was different, was watching TV, I would always be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-waithe/the-truth-is-for-me-when-i-was-a-young-black-girl-who-knew-i-was/) [Lena Waithe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-waithe/) > [There's something specific about Chicagoans, and I just felt like I'd love to tell their story in a creative way. Not in a way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-waithe/there-s-something-specific-about-chicagoans-and-i-just-felt-like-i-d/) [Lena Waithe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-waithe/) > [It's always been my intention to never be boxed in. I never like to do something that it feels like I've done before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-waithe/it-s-always-been-my-intention-to-never-be-boxed-in-i-never-like-to-do/) [Lena Waithe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-waithe/) > [Most writers stick to what they know. The black experience is our experience, so it's not that challenging for us. That's why sometimes you'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-waithe/most-writers-stick-to-what-they-know-the-black-experience-is-our/) [Lena Waithe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-waithe/) > [Wearing one hoop earring and playing with the androgyny - that's who I am. That's what I like to do. And I feel the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-waithe/wearing-one-hoop-earring-and-playing-with-the-androgyny-that-s-who-i/) [Lena Waithe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-waithe/) > [You can talk all day long, but if you don't do something, it's a waste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-waithe/you-can-talk-all-day-long-but-if-you-don-t-do-something-it-s-a-waste/) [Lena Waithe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-waithe/) > [I sort of knew very early on that I wanted to be a writer. Even in high school, I was a big movie buff,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-waithe/i-sort-of-knew-very-early-on-that-i-wanted-to-be-a-writer-even-in/) [Lena Waithe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-waithe/) > [My family still lives in Chicago: my mother, my sister, my nephew, my family is there. So even though I am not living there,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-waithe/my-family-still-lives-in-chicago-my-mother-my-sister-my-nephew-my/) [Lena Waithe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-waithe/) > [I feel like I've accomplished a lot, but for me, it's about pushing to the point where I can be Mark Walhberg, Ryan Murphy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-waithe/i-feel-like-i-ve-accomplished-a-lot-but-for-me-it-s-about-pushing-to/) [Lena Waithe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-waithe/) > [With 'The Chi,' it's me observing my own city and also pulling some things from themes I've dealt with in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-waithe/with-the-chi-it-s-me-observing-my-own-city-and-also-pulling-some/) [Lena Waithe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-waithe/) [Explore all 112 Lena Waithe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-waithe/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My mother was born into a segregated America. 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