---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Africa with 400 million Black People can…"
description: "\"Africa with 400 million Black People can do it. If you cannot do it, if you are not prepared to do it then you will DIE. You race of cowards, you race ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/marcus-garvey-3106_africa_africa-with-400-million-black-people-can_1496751.jpg"
---

#  Africa with 400 million Black People can do it. If you…

![“Africa with 400 million Black People can do it. If you cannot do it, if you are not prepared to do it then you will DIE. You race of cowards, you race of imbeciles, you race of good for-nothings, if you cannot do what other men have done, what other nations have done, what other races have done…” quote by Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/marcus-garvey-3106_africa_africa-with-400-million-black-people-can_1496751.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/marcus-garvey-3106_africa_africa-with-400-million-black-people-can_1496751.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/marcus-garvey-3106_africa_africa-with-400-million-black-people-can_1496751.jpg)

> “Africa with 400 million Black People can do it. If you cannot do it, if you are not prepared to do it then you will DIE. You race of cowards, you race of imbeciles, you race of good for-nothings, if you cannot do what other men have done, what other nations have done, what other races have done, THEN YOU HAD BETTER DIE.”

[Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A rallying call for Black empowerment, urging self-reliance and determination against oppression.

**In simple terms:** Black people must act decisively or face failure.

Key Takeaway

Embrace agency and collective strength.

Themes

empowerment determination racial pride

Mood

defiant urgent inspirational

Type

motivational political historical

When to use this quote

- political activism
- community organizing
- education initiatives
- economic development

Key Concepts

colonialism self-reliance collective action

Questions to Reflect On

- How can communities build resilience without resorting to extreme rhetoric?
- What practical steps foster sustainable empowerment?

A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on fatalism can ignore systemic barriers and nuanced strategies.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Africa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/africa/) [Black people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-people/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/)

## Related quotes

> [The human race is a race of cowards; and I am not only marching in that procession but carrying a banner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-human-race-is-a-race-of-cowards-and-i-am-not-only-marching-in/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [I have no desire to take all black people back to Africa; there are blacks who are no good here and will likewise be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/i-have-no-desire-to-take-all-black-people-back-to-africa-there-are/)

[Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/)

> [Black people we've been taught that we will never be free, until some will have to die, some will have to give up wealth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/black-people-we-ve-been-taught-that-we-will-never-be-free-until-some/)

[Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/)

> [When the facts of history are written Haile Selassie of Abyssinia will go down as a great coward who ran away from his country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/when-the-facts-of-history-are-written-haile-selassie-of-abyssinia/)

[Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/)

> [Ultimately the white man should leave the United States and the black people should go back to Africa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-fischer/ultimately-the-white-man-should-leave-the-united-states-and-the-black/)

[Bobby Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-fischer/)

> [We haven't got those dreams: 'I wish to become doctor or a lawyer.' Black people in South Africa have been barred in doing anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/we-haven-t-got-those-dreams-i-wish-to-become-doctor-or-a-lawyer-black/)

[John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/)

> [We're going to have to debunk the myth that Africa is a heaven for black people -- especially black women. We've been the mule…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/we-re-going-to-have-to-debunk-the-myth-that-africa-is-a-heaven-for/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [I spent seven months in Africa and came back saying there isn't anything you can say about black people that you couldn't say about,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-rivers/i-spent-seven-months-in-africa-and-came-back-saying-there-isn-t/)

[Larry Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-rivers/)

> [“Every student of political science, every student of political economy, every student of economics knows that the race can only be saved through a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/every-student-of-political-science-every-student-of-political-economy/)

[Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/)

> [Wake up Ethiopia! Wake up Africa! Let us work towards the one glorious end of a free, redeemed and mighty nation. Let Africa be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/wake-up-ethiopia-wake-up-africa-let-us-work-towards-the-one-glorious/)

[Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/)

> [Africa for the Africans... at home and abroad!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/africa-for-the-africans-at-home-and-abroad/)

[Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/)

> [As soon as I find myself in the presence of a rich man, I cannot help looking upon him as an exceptional and beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octave-mirbeau/as-soon-as-i-find-myself-in-the-presence-of-a-rich-man-i-cannot-help/)

[Octave Mirbeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octave-mirbeau/)

> [When I see gurgling retarded children (that's God's doing, by the way, not mine) happily styling their hair with their own stinking mards, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-duncan/when-i-see-gurgling-retarded-children-that-s-god-s-doing-by-the-way/)

[Glen Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-duncan/)

> [A skeptic as to all ideas, including especially my own, I have never suffered a pang when the ideas of some other imbecile prevailed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/a-skeptic-as-to-all-ideas-including-especially-my-own-i-have-never/)

[H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/)

> [The mother of the imbecile is always pregnant,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincenzo-nibali/the-mother-of-the-imbecile-is-always-pregnant/)

Vincenzo Nibali

## More by Marcus Garvey

> [Africa for the Africans... at home and abroad!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/africa-for-the-africans-at-home-and-abroad/)

[Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/)

> [We welcome the opposition of the world, because we are determined to see the battle through. Africa's battle-cry is not yet heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/we-welcome-the-opposition-of-the-world-because-we-are-determined-to/)

[Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/)

> [Wake up Ethiopia! Wake up Africa! Let us work towards the one glorious end of a free, redeemed and mighty nation. Let Africa be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/wake-up-ethiopia-wake-up-africa-let-us-work-towards-the-one-glorious/)

[Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/)

> [The thing to do is to get organized; keep separated and you will be exploited, you will be robbed, you will be killed. Get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/the-thing-to-do-is-to-get-organized-keep-separated-and-you-will-be/)

[Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/)

> [If you get up everyday and you don't learn you are a fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/if-you-get-up-everyday-and-you-don-t-learn-you-are-a-fool/)

[Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/)

> [It is only the belief and the confidence we have in a God why man is able to understand his own social institutions, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/it-is-only-the-belief-and-the-confidence-we-have-in-a-god-why-man-is/)

[Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/)

> [Behind the murder of millions of Negroes annually in Africa is the well organized system of exploitation by the alien intruders who desire to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/behind-the-murder-of-millions-of-negroes-annually-in-africa-is-the/)

[Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/)

> [Every man has a right to his own opinion. Every race has a right to its own action; therefore let no man persuade you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/every-man-has-a-right-to-his-own-opinion-every-race-has-a-right-to/)

[Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/)

> [Do not remove the kinks from your hair--remove them from your brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/do-not-remove-the-kinks-from-your-hair-remove-them-from-your-brain/)

[Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/)

> [I have no desire to take all black people back to Africa; there are blacks who are no good here and will likewise be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/i-have-no-desire-to-take-all-black-people-back-to-africa-there-are/)

[Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/)

> [God does not... give people positions or jobs or... good conditions such as they desire; they must do that for themselves.. God does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/god-does-not-give-people-positions-or-jobs-or-good-conditions-such-as/)

[Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/)

> [Black men, you were once great; you shall be great again. Lose not courage or faith, go forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/black-men-you-were-once-great-you-shall-be-great-again-lose-not/)

[Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/)

> [This propaganda of dis-associating Western Negroes from Africa is not a new one. For many years white propagandists have been printing tons of literature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/this-propaganda-of-dis-associating-western-negroes-from-africa-is-not/)

[Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/)

> [There can be no peace among men and nations, so long as the strong continues to oppress the weak, so long as injustice is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/there-can-be-no-peace-among-men-and-nations-so-long-as-the-strong/)

[Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/)

> [Take advantage of every opportunity; where there is none, make it for yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/take-advantage-of-every-opportunity-where-there-is-none-make-it-for/)

[Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/)

[Explore all 139 Marcus Garvey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/)

## More Africa quotes

> [“We ought to know the history of our ancient ancestors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-ought-to-know-the-history-of-our-ancient-ancestors/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [Africa, being the major target of colonial plunder, therefore becomes a major source of conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-horne/africa-being-the-major-target-of-colonial-plunder-therefore-becomes-a/)

[Gerald Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-horne/)

> [I'm in 'Madagascar 2.' I'm Testy the Lion. The franchise moves to Africa, and Bernie Mac is also in the film. I loved working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lister-jr/i-m-in-madagascar-2-i-m-testy-the-lion-the-franchise-moves-to-africa/)

[Tom Lister, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lister-jr/)

> [South Africa needs a second liberation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mugabe/south-africa-needs-a-second-liberation/)

[Robert Mugabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mugabe/)

> [There's a place in Botswana where there are 100,000 elephants living in a single population. Think of the amount of space they need. Remember,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-bergin/there-s-a-place-in-botswana-where-there-are-100-000-elephants-living/)

[Patrick Bergin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-bergin/)

> [If you followed the media you'd think that everybody in Africa was starving to death, and that's not the case; so it's important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/if-you-followed-the-media-you-d-think-that-everybody-in-africa-was/)

[Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/)

> [Africa for the Africans... at home and abroad!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/africa-for-the-africans-at-home-and-abroad/)

[Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/)

> [In Africa, animals and the natural landscape allow local communities to support themselves, as there is a constant source of money from tourism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lidington/in-africa-animals-and-the-natural-landscape-allow-local-communities/)

[David Lidington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lidington/)

> [My mom is from Ghana, and my dad is from Detroit, so I would go back and forth to Africa a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-richardson/my-mom-is-from-ghana-and-my-dad-is-from-detroit-so-i-would-go-back/)

[Sam Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-richardson/)

> [I've never been invited to do an exhibition or do a talk in England, except once, about 10 years ago. I've given talks all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-wildsmith/i-ve-never-been-invited-to-do-an-exhibition-or-do-a-talk-in-england/)

[Brian Wildsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-wildsmith/)

> [I represent my country, but I also represent the continent of Africa when I play in Europe. That's why it's important to try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaya-toure/i-represent-my-country-but-i-also-represent-the-continent-of-africa/)

[Yaya Toure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaya-toure/)

> [What we need in South Africa is for egos to be suppressed in favour of peace. We need to create a new breed of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hani/what-we-need-in-south-africa-is-for-egos-to-be-suppressed-in-favour/)

[Chris Hani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hani/)

> [I was learning to track rhinoceroses in Africa and tracked right up on an animal that really I thought was going to kill me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/i-was-learning-to-track-rhinoceroses-in-africa-and-tracked-right-up/)

[Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/)

> [I am interested in bringing Africa to the foot of the Cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhard-bonnke/i-am-interested-in-bringing-africa-to-the-foot-of-the-cross/)

[Reinhard Bonnke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhard-bonnke/)

> [My mother is a huge fan of my work. I told her about 'Coraline' long before the film was made, and she got the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-selick/my-mother-is-a-huge-fan-of-my-work-i-told-her-about-coraline-long/)

[Henry Selick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-selick/)

[Browse all 1,665 Africa quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/africa/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Africa with 400 million Black People can do it. If you cannot do it, if you are not prepared to do it then you will DIE. You race of cowards, you race of imbeciles, you race of good for-nothings, if you cannot do what other men have done, what other nations have done, what other races have done, THEN YOU HAD BETTER DIE.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Marcus Garvey"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/africa-with-400-million-black-people-can-do-it-if-you-cannot-do-it-if/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Africa"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/africa-with-400-million-black-people-can-do-it-if-you-cannot-do-it-if/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/marcus-garvey-3106_africa_africa-with-400-million-black-people-can_1496751.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/marcus-garvey-3106_africa_africa-with-400-million-black-people-can_1496751.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/marcus-garvey-3106_africa_africa-with-400-million-black-people-can_1496751.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Africa with 400 million Black People can do it. If you cannot do it, if you are not prepared to do it then…” — Marcus Garvey",
                "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": "Marcus Garvey",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Africa with 400 million Black People...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/africa-with-400-million-black-people-can-do-it-if-you-cannot-do-it-if/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/africa-with-400-million-black-people-can-do-it-if-you-cannot-do-it-if/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
