--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A nation that will keep people in slavery…" description: "\"A nation that will keep people in slavery for 244 years will \"thingify\" them and make them things. And therefore, they will exploit them and poor peopl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50a/martin-luther-king-jr-127_america_a-nation-that-will-keep-people-in-slaver_747169.jpg" --- # A nation that will keep people in slavery for 244 years… ![“A nation that will keep people in slavery for 244 years will "thingify" them and make them things. And therefore, they will exploit them and poor people generally economically. And a nation that will exploit economically will have to have foreign investments and everything else, and it will have…” quote by Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50a/martin-luther-king-jr-127_america_a-nation-that-will-keep-people-in-slaver_747169.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50a/martin-luther-king-jr-127_america_a-nation-that-will-keep-people-in-slaver_747169.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50a/martin-luther-king-jr-127_america_a-nation-that-will-keep-people-in-slaver_747169.jpg) > “A nation that will keep people in slavery for 244 years will "thingify" them and make them things. And therefore, they will exploit them and poor people generally economically. And a nation that will exploit economically will have to have foreign investments and everything else, and it will have to use its military might to protect them. All of these problems are tied together. What I'm saying today is that we must go from this convention and say, "America, you must be born again!"” [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker argues that prolonged oppression dehumanizes people, leading to economic exploitation and militarized protection of wealth, urging national renewal. **In simple terms:** Slavery dehumanizes, fuels exploitation and militarism; we need a rebirth. Key Takeaway America must renew its values. Themes freedom economics military human rights Mood hopeful urgent Type social political When to use this quote - policy reform - education - community organizing - peaceful protest Key Concepts dehumanization systemic oppression economic exploitation national identity Questions to Reflect On - How can societies heal after centuries of oppression? - What steps can individuals take to promote economic justice? A Different Perspective Change requires confronting entrenched interests and systemic inertia. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Born again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/born-again/) [Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy/) [Investment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investment/) [Liberalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberalism/) [Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Poor people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-people/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [I never thought my book would turn so many people against slavery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-beecher-stowe/i-never-thought-my-book-would-turn-so-many-people-against-slavery/) [Harriet Beecher Stowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-beecher-stowe/) > [The way animals are carted around reminds me of the slavery of my people... The slavery of animals has to be ended too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-zephaniah/the-way-animals-are-carted-around-reminds-me-of-the-slavery-of-my/) [Benjamin Zephaniah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-zephaniah/) > [Frederick Douglas's agenda was an agenda, not for black people to get out of slavery. It was for America to become a better democracy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/frederick-douglas-s-agenda-was-an-agenda-not-for-black-people-to-get/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [The first reason for people's slavery is our ignorance, and above all, our ignorance of ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-i-gurdjieff/the-first-reason-for-people-s-slavery-is-our-ignorance-and-above-all/) [G. I. Gurdjieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-i-gurdjieff/) > [Around the world, human traffickers trick many people into slavery by false promises of good jobs or good education, only to find themselves forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kristine/around-the-world-human-traffickers-trick-many-people-into-slavery-by/) [Lisa Kristine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kristine/) > [Black people have slavery. And white people have our own thing-stuff we went though that hurt us that we have to cope with. Like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/black-people-have-slavery-and-white-people-have-our-own-thing-stuff/) [Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) > [I'm looking at the head of the household, and the house hasn't been run properly for a long time, ... Clinton was the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-scott/i-m-looking-at-the-head-of-the-household-and-the-house-hasn-t-been/) [Jill Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-scott/) > [Maybe the same instruments and tools that have been used to keep people in slavery and ignorance could potentially be used to liberate and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-pinchbeck/maybe-the-same-instruments-and-tools-that-have-been-used-to-keep/) [Daniel Pinchbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-pinchbeck/) > [We are not one people. We are two peoples. We are a people for Freedom and a people for Slavery. Between the two, conflict…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-greeley/we-are-not-one-people-we-are-two-peoples-we-are-a-people-for-freedom/) [Horace Greeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-greeley/) > [In raising a people from slavery to freedom, you have called them to act on a new theatre; and it is a necessary part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-barlow/in-raising-a-people-from-slavery-to-freedom-you-have-called-them-to/) [Joel Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-barlow/) > [When the civil rights are denying by the authorities, in a country.The people will be under the slavery , from the slavery all social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sumesh-nair/when-the-civil-rights-are-denying-by-the-authorities-in-a-country-the/) [Sumesh Nair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sumesh-nair/) > [America, you must be born again!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/america-you-must-be-born-again/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [We must see the great distinction between a reform movement and a revolutionary movement. We are called upon to raise certain basic questions about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-see-the-great-distinction-between-a-reform-movement-and-a/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [To enter into the realm of contemplation one must in a certain sense die: but this death is in fact the entrance to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/to-enter-into-the-realm-of-contemplation-one-must-in-a-certain-sense/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [There are two kinds of beauty; there is a beauty which God gives at birth, and which withers as a flower. And there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-kuyper/there-are-two-kinds-of-beauty-there-is-a-beauty-which-god-gives-at/) [Abraham Kuyper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-kuyper/) ## More by Martin Luther King, Jr > [The strong man holds in a living blend strongly marked opposites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-strong-man-holds-in-a-living-blend-strongly-marked-opposites/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Our nation was born in genocide when it embraced the doctrine that the original American, the Indian, was an inferior race. ... We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/our-nation-was-born-in-genocide-when-it-embraced-the-doctrine-that/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Every genuine expression of love grows out of a consistent and total surrender to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/every-genuine-expression-of-love-grows-out-of-a-consistent-and-total/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character--that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-remember-that-intelligence-is-not-enough-intelligence-plus/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I’ve been to the Mountaintop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-ve-been-to-the-mountaintop/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The supreme task is to organize and unite people so that their anger becomes a transforming force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-supreme-task-is-to-organize-and-unite-people-so-that-their-anger/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The great issue of life is to harness the drum major instinct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-great-issue-of-life-is-to-harness-the-drum-major-instinct/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Somebody must have sense enough and morality enough to cut off the chain of hate and the chain of evil in the universe. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somebody-must-have-sense-enough-and-morality-enough-to-cut-off-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Darkness is only driven out with light, not more darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/darkness-is-only-driven-out-with-light-not-more-darkness/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [What seems so necessary today may not even be desirable tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/what-seems-so-necessary-today-may-not-even-be-desirable-tomorrow/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The Negro cannot win the respect of his oppressor by acquiescing; he merely increases the oppressor's arrogance and contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-negro-cannot-win-the-respect-of-his-oppressor-by-acquiescing-he/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The majority of the Negroes who took part in the year-long boycott of Montgomery's buses were poor and untutored; but they understood the essence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-majority-of-the-negroes-who-took-part-in-the-year-long-boycott-of/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Whenever you are engaged in work that serves humanity and is for the building of humanity, it has dignity and it has worth,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/whenever-you-are-engaged-in-work-that-serves-humanity-and-is-for-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-have-a-dream-that-one-day-even-the-state-of-mississippi-a-desert/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) [Explore all 1,210 Martin Luther King, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## 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. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A nation that will keep people in slavery for 244 years will \"thingify\" them and make them things. And therefore, they will exploit them and poor people generally economically. 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