--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The black man in North America was…" description: "\"The black man in North America was economically sick and that was evident in one simple fact: as a consumer, he got less than his share, and as a produ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70e/malcolm-x-213_america_the-black-man-in-north-america-was-econo_350901.jpg" --- # The black man in North America was economically sick and… ![“The black man in North America was economically sick and that was evident in one simple fact: as a consumer, he got less than his share, and as a producer gave least. The black American today shows us the perfect parasite image - the black tick under the delusion that he is progressing because he…” quote by Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70e/malcolm-x-213_america_the-black-man-in-north-america-was-econo_350901.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70e/malcolm-x-213_america_the-black-man-in-north-america-was-econo_350901.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70e/malcolm-x-213_america_the-black-man-in-north-america-was-econo_350901.jpg) > “The black man in North America was economically sick and that was evident in one simple fact: as a consumer, he got less than his share, and as a producer gave least. The black American today shows us the perfect parasite image - the black tick under the delusion that he is progressing because he rides on the udder of the fat, three-stomached cow that is white America.” [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. Economic disparity leaves Black Americans receiving less as consumers and contributing less as producers, creating a parasitic perception of progress. **In simple terms:** Black Americans face systemic economic inequality. Key Takeaway Recognize and address systemic economic imbalances. Themes inequality economics race systemic oppression perception progress Mood critical reflective determined Type political social economic When to use this quote - Policy reform - community investment - education access - business ownership - wealth building Key Concepts Capitalism racial capitalism economic exploitation social stratification Questions to Reflect On - How can systemic change be fostered? - What role does community empowerment play? A Different Perspective The analogy may oversimplify complex socioeconomic factors and ignore agency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Black American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-american/) [Consumers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumers/) [Delusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delusion/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [North america](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/north-america/) [Parasites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parasites/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) ## Related quotes > [Poly means more than one, and ticks are bloodsucking parasites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinky-friedman/poly-means-more-than-one-and-ticks-are-bloodsucking-parasites/) [Kinky Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinky-friedman/) > [I'm a black American playwright. I couldn't be anything else. I make my art out of black American culture; they're all cut out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-wilson/i-m-a-black-american-playwright-i-couldn-t-be-anything-else-i-make-my/) [August Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-wilson/) > [In looking at difficulties in the black American community over the years, it has always astounded me how much white Americans take for granted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelby-steele/in-looking-at-difficulties-in-the-black-american-community-over-the/) [Shelby Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelby-steele/) > [“Mr. Berkowitz clicks open his black American Tourister rolling suitcase. Inside, his tools: a microscope, an old canister with the faded label “vegetable flakes,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-jacobs/mr-berkowitz-clicks-open-his-black-american-tourister-rolling/) [A.J. Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-jacobs/) > [I think what I listen to now is what I listened to as a kid which is kind of black American soul. I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-healy/i-think-what-i-listen-to-now-is-what-i-listened-to-as-a-kid-which-is/) [Matthew Healy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-healy/) > [“Although Chester wrote about Harlem and black workers struggling to get ahead, he was reared in the Deep South and Cleveland, the middle-class child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-p-jackson/although-chester-wrote-about-harlem-and-black-workers-struggling-to/) Lawrence P. Jackson > [“You look like a black American" was his ultimate compliment, which he told her when she wore a nice dress, or when her hair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/you-look-like-a-black-american-was-his-ultimate-compliment-which-he/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [The needs of a society determine its ethics, and in the Black American ghettos the hero is that man who is offered only the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/the-needs-of-a-society-determine-its-ethics-and-in-the-black-american/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I think, all too often, this society has too monolithic a definition of what a black American is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uzodinma-iweala/i-think-all-too-often-this-society-has-too-monolithic-a-definition-of/) [Uzodinma Iweala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uzodinma-iweala/) > [I'm an African woman, I suppose these thoughts torture me more than they do black American people, because it's like watching my own children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kola-boof/i-m-an-african-woman-i-suppose-these-thoughts-torture-me-more-than/) [Kola Boof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kola-boof/) > [Schools don't teach American history that well, especially a lot of black American history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/schools-don-t-teach-american-history-that-well-especially-a-lot-of/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [For me going down in history being the first black American to win the gold, I think more colored people are going to start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabby-douglas/for-me-going-down-in-history-being-the-first-black-american-to-win/) [Gabby Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabby-douglas/) > [We do not have an American culture. We have a white American culture and a black American culture. So when those two groups try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-emerson/we-do-not-have-an-american-culture-we-have-a-white-american-culture/) [Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/) > [There were certain expectations that were assumed of me as a young black American 20th-century - then 20th-century artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/there-were-certain-expectations-that-were-assumed-of-me-as-a-young/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [I was adopted my black Americans, I feel that I'm a 'Hybrid'. When I'm around Africans'I suddenly feel very black American. And when I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kola-boof/i-was-adopted-my-black-americans-i-feel-that-i-m-a-hybrid-when-i-m/) [Kola Boof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kola-boof/) ## 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 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! 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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. 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