--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you want a nation, that's called…" description: "\"When you want a nation, that's called nationalism... Black nationalism. A revolutionary is a Black nationalist. He wants a nation.\" — Malcolm X" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74a/malcolm-x-213_black_when-you-want-a-nation-that-s-called-nat_1041510.jpg" --- # When you want a nation, that's called nationalism... Black… ![“When you want a nation, that's called nationalism... Black nationalism. A revolutionary is a Black nationalist. He wants a nation.” quote by Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74a/malcolm-x-213_black_when-you-want-a-nation-that-s-called-nat_1041510.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74a/malcolm-x-213_black_when-you-want-a-nation-that-s-called-nat_1041510.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74a/malcolm-x-213_black_when-you-want-a-nation-that-s-called-nat_1041510.jpg) > “When you want a nation, that's called nationalism... Black nationalism. A revolutionary is a Black nationalist. He wants a nation.” [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. Nationalism seeks a collective identity; Black nationalism frames this around Black empowerment and self-determination. **In simple terms:** Black nationalism is about a shared Black identity and purpose. Key Takeaway Support community self-reliance and collective goals. Themes identity empowerment politics solidarity Mood inspirational reflective Type political philosophical When to use this quote - civil rights movements - community organizing - educational programs - political activism Key Concepts self-determination collective action racial justice Questions to Reflect On - What does a nation mean to you personally? - How can inclusive solidarity be built across different identities? A Different Perspective Nationalism can exclude or marginalize other groups. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black nationalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-nationalism/) [Nationalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nationalism/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Patriotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotism/) [Revolutionary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolutionary/) ## Related quotes > [Malcolm X never renounced and never stepped away from a strong commitment to black nationalism and black self-determination. That's absolutely clear if you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manning-marable/malcolm-x-never-renounced-and-never-stepped-away-from-a-strong/) [Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manning-marable/) > [When you go to a church and you see the pastor of that church with a philosophy and a program that's designed to bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/when-you-go-to-a-church-and-you-see-the-pastor-of-that-church-with-a/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The economic philosophy of black nationalism only means that our people need to be re-educated into the importance of controlling the economy of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/the-economic-philosophy-of-black-nationalism-only-means-that-our/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [We have a secret weapon...it is called Nationalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ho-chi-minh/we-have-a-secret-weapon-it-is-called-nationalism/) [Ho Chi Minh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ho-chi-minh/) > [If it's necessary to form a Black Nationalist army, we'll form a Black Nationalist army. It'll be ballot or the bullet. It'll be liberty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/if-it-s-necessary-to-form-a-black-nationalist-army-we-ll-form-a-black/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [ If \[black\] nationalism could create a strong and effective insularity, deliver on its promise of self-respect, then the hurt it might cause well-meaning whites,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/if-black-nationalism-could-create-a-strong-and-effective-insularity/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What is clear is that Malcolm X incorporated within the framework of black nationalism a pan-Africanist and internationalist perspective. In doing so, he began…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manning-marable/what-is-clear-is-that-malcolm-x-incorporated-within-the-framework-of/) [Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manning-marable/) > [Feminism is to sexism what black nationalism is to racism; the most rational response to the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-cleage/feminism-is-to-sexism-what-black-nationalism-is-to-racism-the-most/) [Pearl Cleage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-cleage/) > [ I believe that if we could see the chapters that are missing from the book \[The Autobiography of Malcolm X\], we would gain an… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manning-marable/i-believe-that-if-we-could-see-the-chapters-that-are-missing-from-the/) [Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manning-marable/) > [“Sitting at the table doesn't make you a diner, unless you eat some of what's on that plate. Being here in America doesn't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/sitting-at-the-table-doesn-t-make-you-a-diner-unless-you-eat-some-of-2/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [ \[Black nationalism\] is not designed to make the black man reevaluate the white man--you know him already--but to make the black man re-evaluate himself.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/black-nationalism-is-not-designed-to-make-the-black-man-reevaluate/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Sitting at the table doesn't make you a diner, unless you eat some of what's on that plate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/sitting-at-the-table-doesn-t-make-you-a-diner-unless-you-eat-some-of/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [ Our success in America will involve two circles: Black Nationalism and Islam–it will take BN \[Black Nationalism\] to make our people conscious of doing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/our-success-in-america-will-involve-two-circles-black-nationalism-and/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The white man is too intelligent to let someone else come and gain control of the economy of his community. But you will let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/the-white-man-is-too-intelligent-to-let-someone-else-come-and-gain/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The political philosophy of black nationalism means that the black man should control the politics and the politicians in his own community; no more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/the-political-philosophy-of-black-nationalism-means-that-the-black/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) ## 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 Black quotes > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [How can you be more subject; black woman in a white man's world?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/how-can-you-be-more-subject-black-woman-in-a-white-man-s-world/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [We have to build our own power. We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) Frank B. Wilderson III > [I know how hard it is to be a woman, especially a black woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-know-how-hard-it-is-to-be-a-woman-especially-a-black-woman/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [If soot stains your tunic, dye it black. This is vengeance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-bakker/if-soot-stains-your-tunic-dye-it-black-this-is-vengeance/) [R. Scott Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-bakker/) > [Hollywood is so fixated on keeping it that way because it's generating the buzz, but that representation isn't right. I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. That's how they tried to cut off all my brothers in the rest of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-ain-t-no-such-thing-as-black-muslims-that-s-how-they-tried-to/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) Browse all 11,655 Black quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you want a nation, that's called nationalism... Black nationalism. A revolutionary is a Black nationalist. 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