--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The American Negro never can be blamed…" description: "\"The American Negro never can be blamed for his racial animosities - he is only reacting to 400 years of the conscious racism of the American whites.\" —..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc6/malcolm-x-213_american_the-american-negro-never-can-be-blamed-f_2213532.jpg" --- # The American Negro never can be blamed for his racial… ![“The American Negro never can be blamed for his racial animosities - he is only reacting to 400 years of the conscious racism of the American whites.” quote by Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc6/malcolm-x-213_american_the-american-negro-never-can-be-blamed-f_2213532.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc6/malcolm-x-213_american_the-american-negro-never-can-be-blamed-f_2213532.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc6/malcolm-x-213_american_the-american-negro-never-can-be-blamed-f_2213532.jpg) > “The American Negro never can be blamed for his racial animosities - he is only reacting to 400 years of the conscious racism of the American whites.” [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Highlights that Black anger stems from centuries of systemic racism. **In simple terms:** Racism causes defensive reactions. Key Takeaway Address historical injustice. Themes racism history justice Mood somber thoughtful Type political philosophical When to use this quote - education - policy making - community dialogue - activism Key Concepts social theory psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can societies heal historic wounds? - What role does accountability play? A Different Perspective Complex individual experiences may differ. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american/) [American Negro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-negro/) [Blamed Racial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blamed-racial-4910619/) [Conscious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscious/) [He](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/he/) [His](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/his/) [Negro Blamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negro-blamed-4910617/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [Racial Animosities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racial-animosities-4910618/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Racism American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism-american-3271093/) [Reacting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reacting/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [The American Negro never can be blamed for his racial animosities - he is only reacting to four hundred years of the conscious racism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/the-american-negro-never-can-be-blamed-for-his-racial-animosities-he-2/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I believe we should work to end all racism in American society and staunchly defend the inherent rights of every person. I have clearly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-believe-we-should-work-to-end-all-racism-in-american-society-and-2/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [I believe we should work to end all racism in American society and staunchly defend the inherent rights of every person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-believe-we-should-work-to-end-all-racism-in-american-society-and/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [I might add how in the world can you say, or can anyone say, that it will dignify the American Negro to beg in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/i-might-add-how-in-the-world-can-you-say-or-can-anyone-say-that-it/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The American Negro has no conception of the hundreds of millions of other non-whites' concern for him: he has no conception of their feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/the-american-negro-has-no-conception-of-the-hundreds-of-millions-of/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [You know, if ever there was a people who should know how to practice brotherhood, it is the American Negro and it is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/you-know-if-ever-there-was-a-people-who-should-know-how-to-practice/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I think that the problem of the American negro goes beyond the principle of any organization whether it's a religious, political, or otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/i-think-that-the-problem-of-the-american-negro-goes-beyond-the/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I don't think that the objective of the American negro is white middle-class values because what are white middle-class values?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/i-don-t-think-that-the-objective-of-the-american-negro-is-white/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The American Negro has been entirely brainwashed from ever seeing or thinking of himself, as he should, as a part of the non-white peoples…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/the-american-negro-has-been-entirely-brainwashed-from-ever-seeing-or/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Adam Clayton Powell's entire political career has to be looked at in the entire context of the American history and the history of, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/adam-clayton-powell-s-entire-political-career-has-to-be-looked-at-in/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I'm fully conscious all the time that I'm an American Negro, because it's part of my life. But I also know that if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amiri-baraka/i-m-fully-conscious-all-the-time-that-i-m-an-american-negro-because/) [Amiri Baraka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amiri-baraka/) > [“I cannot accept the proposition that the four-hundred-year travail of the American Negro should result merely in his attainment of the present level of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/i-cannot-accept-the-proposition-that-the-four-hundred-year-travail-of/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [No people can more exactly interpret the inmost meaning of the present situation in Ireland than the American Negro. The scheme is simple. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/no-people-can-more-exactly-interpret-the-inmost-meaning-of-the/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [An American, a Negro... two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/an-american-a-negro-two-souls-two-thoughts-two-unreconciled-strivings/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [“That was why so many Jews back then understood the American Negro; in Europe the Jew had been a Negro for more than a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-mosley/that-was-why-so-many-jews-back-then-understood-the-american-negro-in/) [Walter Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-mosley/) ## More by Malcolm X > [If Christianity had asserted itself in Germany, six million Jews would have lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/if-christianity-had-asserted-itself-in-germany-six-million-jews-would/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Adam Clayton Powell's entire political career has to be looked at in the entire context of the American history and the history of, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/adam-clayton-powell-s-entire-political-career-has-to-be-looked-at-in/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [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/) > [Be nonviolent only with those who are nonviolent to you. And when you can bring me a nonviolent racist, bring me a nonviolent segregationist,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/be-nonviolent-only-with-those-who-are-nonviolent-to-you-and-when-you/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [You can't legislate good will - that comes through education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/you-can-t-legislate-good-will-that-comes-through-education/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [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/) > [Those type of whites who are always going to jail with Negroes are the ones who tell Negroes to be loving and be kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/those-type-of-whites-who-are-always-going-to-jail-with-negroes-are/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [We Muslims believe that the white race, which is guilty of having oppressed and exploited and enslaved our people here in America, should and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/we-muslims-believe-that-the-white-race-which-is-guilty-of-having/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I mean a real police state just to get a token recognition of a law. It take, it took, I think, 15,000 troops and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/i-mean-a-real-police-state-just-to-get-a-token-recognition-of-a-law/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Like Samson, I am ready to pull down the white man's temple, knowing full well that I will be destroyed by the falling rubble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/like-samson-i-am-ready-to-pull-down-the-white-man-s-temple-knowing/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Any negro who occupies a position that was given to him by the white man, if you analyze his function, his function never enables…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/any-negro-who-occupies-a-position-that-was-given-to-him-by-the-white/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Stumbling is not falling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/stumbling-is-not-falling/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [God is going to punish the white man for his misdeeds toward black people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/god-is-going-to-punish-the-white-man-for-his-misdeeds-toward-black/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Much of what I say might sound like it's stirring up trouble, but it's the truth!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/much-of-what-i-say-might-sound-like-it-s-stirring-up-trouble-but-it-s/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I believe in the brotherhood of all men, but I don't believe in wasting brotherhood on anyone who doesn't want to practice it with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/i-believe-in-the-brotherhood-of-all-men-but-i-don-t-believe-in/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) [Explore all 891 Malcolm X quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) ## More American quotes > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. And an Irish writer who used to write for 'The New Yorker' called Maeve Brennan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/william-maxwell-s-my-favorite-north-american-writer-i-think-and-an/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [I have fallen in love with American names, the sharp names that never get fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/i-have-fallen-in-love-with-american-names-the-sharp-names-that-never/) [Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/) > [I really like a lot of American country stuff, so my music has that influence, but I don't like to be set within a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-bird/i-really-like-a-lot-of-american-country-stuff-so-my-music-has-that/) [Jade Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-bird/) > [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/) [H. 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The words I use are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/although-i-write-in-english-and-despite-the-fact-that-i-m-from/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [Firefighters and rescue workers are American superheroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/firefighters-and-rescue-workers-are-american-superheroes/) [Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/) > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [New York and San Francisco are distinctly different. San Francisco is driving the American media, not New York. You have young, microwaved millionaires and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/new-york-and-san-francisco-are-distinctly-different-san-francisco-is/) [Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/) > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. 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But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) [Browse all 7,717 American quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The American Negro never can be blamed for his racial animosities - he is only reacting to 400 years of the conscious racism of the American whites.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Malcolm X" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/the-american-negro-never-can-be-blamed-for-his-racial-animosities-he/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "American" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/the-american-negro-never-can-be-blamed-for-his-racial-animosities-he/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc6/malcolm-x-213_american_the-american-negro-never-can-be-blamed-f_2213532.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc6/malcolm-x-213_american_the-american-negro-never-can-be-blamed-f_2213532.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc6/malcolm-x-213_american_the-american-negro-never-can-be-blamed-f_2213532.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The American Negro never can be blamed for his racial animosities - he is only reacting to 400 years of the…” — Malcolm X", "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": "Malcolm X", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The American Negro never can be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/the-american-negro-never-can-be-blamed-for-his-racial-animosities-he/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/the-american-negro-never-can-be-blamed-for-his-racial-animosities-he/#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 } } ] } ```