--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The White man pays Reverend Martin Luther…" description: "\"The White man pays Reverend Martin Luther King so that Martin Luther King can keep the Negro defenseless.\" — Malcolm X" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebc/malcolm-x-213_keep_the-white-man-pays-reverend-martin-luthe_1247569.jpg" --- # The White man pays Reverend Martin Luther King so that… ![“The White man pays Reverend Martin Luther King so that Martin Luther King can keep the Negro defenseless.” quote by Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebc/malcolm-x-213_keep_the-white-man-pays-reverend-martin-luthe_1247569.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebc/malcolm-x-213_keep_the-white-man-pays-reverend-martin-luthe_1247569.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebc/malcolm-x-213_keep_the-white-man-pays-reverend-martin-luthe_1247569.jpg) > “The White man pays Reverend Martin Luther King so that Martin Luther King can keep the Negro defenseless.” [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. He criticizes the systemic exploitation where white authorities financially support Black leadership while leaving Black people vulnerable. **In simple terms:** White support funds Black leaders but leaves Black people unprotected. Key Takeaway Question the power dynamics behind financial support. Themes racism politics leadership Mood critical defiant Type political activist When to use this quote - civil rights activism - political fundraising - community defense - social justice campaigns Key Concepts systemic oppression economic exploitation Questions to Reflect On - Who benefits from financial support in social movements? - How can communities protect themselves while seeking aid? A Different Perspective The statement may oversimplify complex relationships and ignore agency within the Black community. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Keep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/keep/) [King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/king/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) [Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luther/) [Luther King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luther-king/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [Man Pays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-pays-542313/) [Martin luther king](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/martin-luther-king/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Negro Defenseless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negro-defenseless-3919260/) [Pay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay/) [Pays Reverend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pays-reverend-3919259/) [Reverends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reverends/) [White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white/) [White man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-man/) ## Related quotes > [The white man supports Reverend Martin Luther King, subsidizes Reverend Martin Luther King, so that Reverend Martin Luther King can continue to teach the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/the-white-man-supports-reverend-martin-luther-king-subsidizes/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The goal of Dr. Martin Luther King is to give Negroes a chance to sit in a segregated restaurant beside the same white man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/the-goal-of-dr-martin-luther-king-is-to-give-negroes-a-chance-to-sit/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [ Most of these other negro leaders who are supposedly integrationists aren't that intelligent \[like Reverend Galamison\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/most-of-these-other-negro-leaders-who-are-supposedly-integrationists/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [You have the upper class Negroes who are the modern day Uncle Toms or the 20th century Uncle Toms. They don't wear a handkerchief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/you-have-the-upper-class-negroes-who-are-the-modern-day-uncle-toms-or/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [ I admire a man who fights a battle against opposition, and if there wasn't something about \[Reverend\] Galamison that the people, I notice that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/i-admire-a-man-who-fights-a-battle-against-opposition-and-if-there/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Today's Uncle Tom doesn't wear a handkerchief on his head. This modern, twentieth-century Uncle Thomas now often wears a top hat. He's usually well-dressed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/today-s-uncle-tom-doesn-t-wear-a-handkerchief-on-his-head-this-modern/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [At the same time Reverend Galamison policy is intelligent enough where he can't be used to attack me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/at-the-same-time-reverend-galamison-policy-is-intelligent-enough/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [A revolution is bloody. Revolution is hostile. Revolution knows no compromise. Revolution overturns and destroys everything that gets in its way. And you, sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/a-revolution-is-bloody-revolution-is-hostile-revolution-knows-no/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [ Most of the negro leaders who get the support of the power structure end up being against \[Reverend\] Galamison. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/most-of-the-negro-leaders-who-get-the-support-of-the-power-structure/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [ My suspicious nature is that there's something that \[ Reverend \] Galamison, about Galamison that must have some good in it or some right in it. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/my-suspicious-nature-is-that-there-s-something-that-reverend/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Reverend Galamison is fighting a hard battle against great opposition, and I admire a man who fights a hard battle against great opposition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/reverend-galamison-is-fighting-a-hard-battle-against-great-opposition/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Martin Luther King Jr., recognized bias when he saw it, knew what he was talking about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-schwartz/martin-luther-king-jr-recognized-bias-when-he-saw-it-knew-what-he-was/) [Jack Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-schwartz/) > [Playing Martin Luther King Jr. was an honor for me on so many levels. It was the most I've ever prepared for a role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malik-yoba/playing-martin-luther-king-jr-was-an-honor-for-me-on-so-many-levels/) [Malik Yoba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malik-yoba/) > [When white supremacy becomes institutional, it begins to harm the very people who are not simply outside of it because of their race, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/when-white-supremacy-becomes-institutional-it-begins-to-harm-the-very/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) > [Some people criticize the faithful for getting involved in politics, but it's important to remember that down through the centuries, people motivated by their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-wolf/some-people-criticize-the-faithful-for-getting-involved-in-politics/) [Frank Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-wolf/) ## 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 Keep quotes > [I just speak the truth. 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