---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Discrimination is a hellhound that gnaws…"
description: "\"Discrimination is a hellhound that gnaws at Negroes in every waking moment of their lives to remind them that the lie of their inferiority is accepted ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1f/martin-luther-king-jr-127_accepted_discrimination-is-a-hellhound-that-gnaws_608873.jpg"
---

#  Discrimination is a hellhound that gnaws at Negroes in…

![“Discrimination is a hellhound that gnaws at Negroes in every waking moment of their lives to remind them that the lie of their inferiority is accepted as truth in the society dominating them.” quote by Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1f/martin-luther-king-jr-127_accepted_discrimination-is-a-hellhound-that-gnaws_608873.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1f/martin-luther-king-jr-127_accepted_discrimination-is-a-hellhound-that-gnaws_608873.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1f/martin-luther-king-jr-127_accepted_discrimination-is-a-hellhound-that-gnaws_608873.jpg)

> “Discrimination is a hellhound that gnaws at Negroes in every waking moment of their lives to remind them that the lie of their inferiority is accepted as truth in the society dominating them.”

[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.

Systemic racism constantly reminds oppressed people of false inferiority, shaping their daily reality.

**In simple terms:** Racism constantly reminds marginalized people they are seen as inferior.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and challenge internalized oppression.

Themes

racism identity psychology

Mood

frustrated determined

Type

political motivational

When to use this quote

- education
- workplace
- media representation
- policy advocacy

Key Concepts

social hierarchy internalized oppression systemic injustice

Questions to Reflect On

- How does daily discrimination affect self‑esteem?
- What can individuals do to counteract internalized inferiority?

A Different Perspective

Racism can be subtle and internalized, making resistance harder.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Discrimination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discrimination/) [Inferiority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inferiority/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/)

## Related quotes

> [Even schools for Negroes, then, are places where they must be convinced of their inferiority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-g-woodson/even-schools-for-negroes-then-are-places-where-they-must-be-convinced/)

[Carter G. Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-g-woodson/)

> [Difference is not equated with superiority or inferiority, dominating or being dominated, being served or serving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riane-eisler/difference-is-not-equated-with-superiority-or-inferiority-dominating/)

[Riane Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riane-eisler/)

> [There are more Negroes in jail with me than there are on the voting rolls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/there-are-more-negroes-in-jail-with-me-than-there-are-on-the-voting/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [The Negro is the child of two cultures - Africa and America. The problem is that in the search for wholeness all too many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-negro-is-the-child-of-two-cultures-africa-and-america-the-problem/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [It is incontestable and deplorable that Negroes have committed crimes; but they are derivative crimes. They are born of the greater crimes of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/it-is-incontestable-and-deplorable-that-negroes-have-committed-crimes/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [I feel that when a white child goes to school only with white children, unconsciously that child grows up in many instances devoid of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-feel-that-when-a-white-child-goes-to-school-only-with-white/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [...and see ominous clouds of inferiority beginning to form in her little mental sky...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/and-see-ominous-clouds-of-inferiority-beginning-to-form-in-her-little/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [Being a Negro in America means trying to smile when you want to cry. It means trying to hold on to physical life amid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/being-a-negro-in-america-means-trying-to-smile-when-you-want-to-cry/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [Slavery in America was perpetuated not merely by human badness but also by human blindness. ... Men convinced themselves that a system that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/slavery-in-america-was-perpetuated-not-merely-by-human-badness-but/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [The people of the Southern States now own near five millions of these negroes, and they are worth to them near three millions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-people-of-the-southern-states-now-own-near-five-millions-of-these/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [As a race, the Negroes are not lazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/as-a-race-the-negroes-are-not-lazy/)

[W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/)

> [“I have received the favor of your letter of August 17th, and with it the volume you were so kind as to send me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-have-received-the-favor-of-your-letter-of-august-17th-and-with-it/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [“He was suggesting that all Negroes were held in a state of supreme tension between the difficult, dangerous relationship in which they stood to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/he-was-suggesting-that-all-negroes-were-held-in-a-state-of-supreme/)

[James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/)

> [Now, just a word about the poor Negroes... They're here. They've got to be cared for... The poor Negroes have got to live, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-long/now-just-a-word-about-the-poor-negroes-they-re-here-they-ve-got-to-be/)

[Huey Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-long/)

> [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/)

## 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 Accepted quotes

> [Merkel has realized that the euro is not working, but she cannot change the narrative she has created because that narrative has caught the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/merkel-has-realized-that-the-euro-is-not-working-but-she-cannot/)

[George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/)

> [I started off playing by ear, and being around a bunch of musicians and playing in the streets and in the different parades and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-andrews/i-started-off-playing-by-ear-and-being-around-a-bunch-of-musicians/)

[Troy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-andrews/)

> [Greatness is not guarding yourself from people. Greatness is being accepted by the people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/greatness-is-not-guarding-yourself-from-people-greatness-is-being/)

[Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/)

> [The idea that this world is a playground instead of a battleground has now been accepted in practice by the vast majority of Christians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/the-idea-that-this-world-is-a-playground-instead-of-a-battleground/)

[Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/)

> [Bruce Katz is a spectacular talent! He's a brilliant composer and arranger who uses uncommon and unique musical intelligence to redefine jazz and blues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-coryell/bruce-katz-is-a-spectacular-talent-he-s-a-brilliant-composer-and/)

[Larry Coryell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-coryell/)

> [wishes for sons by Lucille Clifton i wish them cramps. i wish them a strange town and the last tampon. I wish them no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-clifton/wishes-for-sons-by-lucille-clifton-i-wish-them-cramps-i-wish-them-a/)

[Lucille Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-clifton/)

> [What our species needs, above all else, is a generally accepted ethical system that is compatible with the scientific knowledge we now possess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-our-species-needs-above-all-else-is-a-generally-accepted-ethical/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [There are a lot of movies about misfits that are quite cool, that kind of glamorize it on some level. I think there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-hall/there-are-a-lot-of-movies-about-misfits-that-are-quite-cool-that-kind/)

[Rebecca Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-hall/)

> [In Quebec City many Muslims have said that they hide their faith because they know that if they don't, if they show that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-pratte/in-quebec-city-many-muslims-have-said-that-they-hide-their-faith/)

Andre Pratte

> [The rules and principles of case law have never been treated as final truths but as working hypotheses, continually retested in those great laboratories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-n-cardozo/the-rules-and-principles-of-case-law-have-never-been-treated-as-final/)

[Benjamin N. Cardozo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-n-cardozo/)

> [ We have reached a situation where a theory has been accepted as fact by some, and possible contrary evidence is shunted aside. \[This is\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-shapiro/we-have-reached-a-situation-where-a-theory-has-been-accepted-as-fact/)

[Robert Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-shapiro/)

> [And if all others accepted the lie which the Party imposed—if all records told the same tale—then the lie passed into history and became…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/and-if-all-others-accepted-the-lie-which-the-party-imposed-if-all/)

[George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/)

> [I was in a conversation and someone said: "You know, we were talking about the whole issue of transgender and how it has become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-was-in-a-conversation-and-someone-said-you-know-we-were-talking/)

[Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/)

> [Divorce is so common and accepted in America that beating myself up over it may sound ridiculous. But I was raised to believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trisha-yearwood/divorce-is-so-common-and-accepted-in-america-that-beating-myself-up/)

[Trisha Yearwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trisha-yearwood/)

> [Handicaps can be converted into stepping stones on which one may climb toward some worthy goal, unless they are accepted as obstacles, and used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/handicaps-can-be-converted-into-stepping-stones-on-which-one-may/)

[Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/)

Browse all 2,128 Accepted quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Discrimination is a hellhound that gnaws at Negroes in every waking moment of their lives to remind them that the lie of their inferiority is accepted as truth in the society dominating them.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Martin Luther King, Jr"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/discrimination-is-a-hellhound-that-gnaws-at-negroes-in-every-waking/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Accepted"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/discrimination-is-a-hellhound-that-gnaws-at-negroes-in-every-waking/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1f/martin-luther-king-jr-127_accepted_discrimination-is-a-hellhound-that-gnaws_608873.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1f/martin-luther-king-jr-127_accepted_discrimination-is-a-hellhound-that-gnaws_608873.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1f/martin-luther-king-jr-127_accepted_discrimination-is-a-hellhound-that-gnaws_608873.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Discrimination is a hellhound that gnaws at Negroes in every waking moment of their lives to remind them…” — Martin Luther King, Jr",
                "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": "Martin Luther King, Jr",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Discrimination is a hellhound that gnaws...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/discrimination-is-a-hellhound-that-gnaws-at-negroes-in-every-waking/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/discrimination-is-a-hellhound-that-gnaws-at-negroes-in-every-waking/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
