--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Well, the white race in America is the…" description: "\"Well, the white race in America is the same way. As individuals it is impossible for them to escape the collective crime committed against the Negroes ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fb/malcolm-x-213_america_well-the-white-race-in-america-is-the-sa_595543.jpg" --- # Well, the white race in America is the same way. As… ![“Well, the white race in America is the same way. As individuals it is impossible for them to escape the collective crime committed against the Negroes in this country, collectively.” quote by Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fb/malcolm-x-213_america_well-the-white-race-in-america-is-the-sa_595543.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fb/malcolm-x-213_america_well-the-white-race-in-america-is-the-sa_595543.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fb/malcolm-x-213_america_well-the-white-race-in-america-is-the-sa_595543.jpg) > “Well, the white race in America is the same way. As individuals it is impossible for them to escape the collective crime committed against the Negroes in this country, collectively.” [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. Individual actions are linked to systemic oppression; personal responsibility is limited by collective history. **In simple terms:** People can't escape systemic racism. Key Takeaway Recognize systemic impact on individuals. Themes racism history collective responsibility Mood somber reflective Type political historical When to use this quote - education - policy reform - community dialogue Key Concepts systemic oppression historical trauma Questions to Reflect On - How can individuals address systemic racism? - What collective actions are needed? A Different Perspective Individual change alone cannot undo systemic harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Collective Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collective-crime-4865765/) [Collectives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collectives/) [Committed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/committed/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Country Collectively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country-collectively-2914014/) [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Impossible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impossible/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Race America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race-america-754613/) [Race in america](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race-in-america/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) [White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white/) [White race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-race/) ## Related quotes > [I always tell young people in particular: Do not say that nothing's changed when it comes to race in America, unless you lived through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-always-tell-young-people-in-particular-do-not-say-that-nothing-s/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [To take on the question of race in America and believe that you could transform this country so that it would actually be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-hollibaugh/to-take-on-the-question-of-race-in-america-and-believe-that-you-could/) [Amber Hollibaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-hollibaugh/) > [I write about race in America in hopes of undermining the notion of race in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/i-write-about-race-in-america-in-hopes-of-undermining-the-notion-of/) [Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/) > ['Get Out' takes on the task of exploring race in America, something that hasn't really been done within the genre since 'Night of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-peele/get-out-takes-on-the-task-of-exploring-race-in-america-something-that/) [Jordan Peele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-peele/) > [A lot of people want to change the world, but only a few people want to change themselves. When it comes to the issue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bradley/a-lot-of-people-want-to-change-the-world-but-only-a-few-people-want/) [Bill Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bradley/) > [“We forgive the crimes of individuals, but not their participation in a collective crime.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/we-forgive-the-crimes-of-individuals-but-not-their-participation-in-a/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [I think you can tour the country and collectively reach fewer people than just being on television one time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-geiger/i-think-you-can-tour-the-country-and-collectively-reach-fewer-people/) [Teddy Geiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-geiger/) > [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/) > [The white race is doomed not because it's white but because of its misdeeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/the-white-race-is-doomed-not-because-it-s-white-but-because-of-its/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I was tired of everyone saying that when you write about race in America, it has to be nuanced, it has to be subtle,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/i-was-tired-of-everyone-saying-that-when-you-write-about-race-in/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [Race in America is not a problem you can go over, or around or under. You've got to go through it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-landrieu/race-in-america-is-not-a-problem-you-can-go-over-or-around-or-under/) [Mitch Landrieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-landrieu/) > [I am not sure the issue of race in America will ever be completely solved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/i-am-not-sure-the-issue-of-race-in-america-will-ever-be-completely/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [I think race in America is a huge one. That's something that needs to be confronted, certainly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tomi-lahren/i-think-race-in-america-is-a-huge-one-that-s-something-that-needs-to/) [Tomi Lahren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tomi-lahren/) > [Race in America has always centered on our mutual agreement not to see each other. White or non-white. Black or non-black. Mongoloid, Hindoo. We've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-liu/race-in-america-has-always-centered-on-our-mutual-agreement-not-to/) [Eric Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-liu/) > [“I discovered race in America and it fascinated me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/i-discovered-race-in-america-and-it-fascinated-me/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) ## 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! 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. 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