--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think everyone should understand…" description: "\"I think everyone should understand history of segregation the same way we had to go to school and read about George Washington. I believe this generati..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3c/mary-j-blige-2311_believe_i-think-everyone-should-understand-histo_3213217.png" --- # I think everyone should understand history of segregation… ![“I think everyone should understand history of segregation the same way we had to go to school and read about George Washington. I believe this generation should know their history and they should know that the struggle's not over yet. For instance, you can't get the cover of a magazine if your…” quote by Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3c/mary-j-blige-2311_believe_i-think-everyone-should-understand-histo_3213217.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3c/mary-j-blige-2311_believe_i-think-everyone-should-understand-histo_3213217.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3c/mary-j-blige-2311_believe_i-think-everyone-should-understand-histo_3213217.png) > “I think everyone should understand history of segregation the same way we had to go to school and read about George Washington. I believe this generation should know their history and they should know that the struggle's not over yet. For instance, you can't get the cover of a magazine if your skin is too dark.” [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding past segregation is essential for recognizing ongoing racial inequities and motivating change. **In simple terms:** Know history to fight present injustice. Key Takeaway Learn history, act against racism. Themes history racism education Mood reflective determined Type educational activist When to use this quote - school curricula - media representation - policy advocacy - community dialogues Key Concepts systemic inequality social justice collective memory Questions to Reflect On - How can education reshape attitudes toward race? - What actions can individuals take today? A Different Perspective History alone won't end racism; structural change is needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [George w](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/george-w/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History Segregation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-segregation-6011804/) [I believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-believe/) [Know History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-history/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Segregation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/segregation/) [Segregation Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/segregation-way-637067/) [Skins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skins/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Understand History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand-history-305363/) ## Related quotes > [We've come a long way from the days where there was state-enforced segregation. But we still have a way to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/we-ve-come-a-long-way-from-the-days-where-there-was-state-enforced/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [I believe this generation should know their history and they should know that the struggle's not over yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/i-believe-this-generation-should-know-their-history-and-they-should/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [A man I admire and respect - Congressman John Lewis, an American hero, made allegations that Sarah Palin and I were somehow associated with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/a-man-i-admire-and-respect-congressman-john-lewis-an-american-hero/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Poles must understand history but we must also overcome it if it is obstructing our contemporary goals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-tusk/poles-must-understand-history-but-we-must-also-overcome-it-if-it-is/) [Donald Tusk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-tusk/) > [In our struggle to understand the history of life, we must learn where to place the boundary between contingent and unpredictable events that occur…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/in-our-struggle-to-understand-the-history-of-life-we-must-learn-where/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [“History was like an old house at night. With all the lamps lit. And ancestor whispering inside. To understand history, we have to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy-the-god-of-small-things/history-was-like-an-old-house-at-night-with-all-the-lamps-lit-and/) [Arundhati Roy; The God of Small Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy-the-god-of-small-things/) > [“In the long run, even a tyrannical government only has the power that the people confer on it and coming to understand history is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nilantha-ilangamuwa/in-the-long-run-even-a-tyrannical-government-only-has-the-power-that/) [Nilantha Ilangamuwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nilantha-ilangamuwa/) > [When coaches arrive at a club, we need to understand its history. If we don't understand it, then we are destined to have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-simeone/when-coaches-arrive-at-a-club-we-need-to-understand-its-history-if-we/) [Diego Simeone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-simeone/) > [You know the saying: he who doesn't understand history is doomed to repeat it. And when it's repeated, the stakes are doubled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pittacus-lore/you-know-the-saying-he-who-doesn-t-understand-history-is-doomed-to/) [Pittacus Lore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pittacus-lore/) > [Those who understand history are condemned to watch other idiots repeat it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/those-who-understand-history-are-condemned-to-watch-other-idiots/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you're informed, you make an informed choice. You understand the quality of certain things and you understand the history of certain things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupe-fiasco/if-you-re-informed-you-make-an-informed-choice-you-understand-the/) [Lupe Fiasco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupe-fiasco/) > [If you get the access to see history happen, do you understand the history when it does happen? And the answer to that question…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/if-you-get-the-access-to-see-history-happen-do-you-understand-the/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) > [“We shall not understand the history of men and of other times unless we ourselves are alive to the requirements which that history satisfied,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedetto-croce/we-shall-not-understand-the-history-of-men-and-of-other-times-unless/) [Benedetto Croce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedetto-croce/) > [My dad is a fan of football, too, and did a good job of making me understand the history of football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saquon-barkley/my-dad-is-a-fan-of-football-too-and-did-a-good-job-of-making-me/) [Saquon Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saquon-barkley/) > [Those that innovate the future understand history the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/those-that-innovate-the-future-understand-history-the-best/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) ## More by Mary J. Blige > [I still get nervous about singing. I drink tea with honey and lemon before every concert. And I need to have scented candles in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/i-still-get-nervous-about-singing-i-drink-tea-with-honey-and-lemon/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [I never do any album to beat it. I do it to extend it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/i-never-do-any-album-to-beat-it-i-do-it-to-extend-it/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [When you wake up and learn to love yourself and want to take care of yourself, things are harder because people don't like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/when-you-wake-up-and-learn-to-love-yourself-and-want-to-take-care-of/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [I do consider myself part of black history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/i-do-consider-myself-part-of-black-history/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [You can't get around pain and opposition, but you can try to be joyful in the trial, and thank yourself for the trial, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/you-can-t-get-around-pain-and-opposition-but-you-can-try-to-be-joyful/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [Once you climb to another level, you have to figure out how to sustain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/once-you-climb-to-another-level-you-have-to-figure-out-how-to-sustain/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [I care about me now. When I didn't care about me, I was, like, 'Why is this going wrong? Why is my life so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/i-care-about-me-now-when-i-didn-t-care-about-me-i-was-like-why-is/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [I don't think there's anything they can say about me that I haven't said about myself already. And I would be an absolute total…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/i-don-t-think-there-s-anything-they-can-say-about-me-that-i-haven-t/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [I can tell you I didn't feel good when I could not articulate properly. Getting my GED was important and I want other women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/i-can-tell-you-i-didn-t-feel-good-when-i-could-not-articulate/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [My responsibility to God is to live. That's the gift he gave me. What I do with it is up to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/my-responsibility-to-god-is-to-live-that-s-the-gift-he-gave-me-what-i/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [There are people out there who want to provoke me and bring back the old Mary but I'm not giving them the satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/there-are-people-out-there-who-want-to-provoke-me-and-bring-back-the/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [The music business is really, really small. The real music is becoming almost extinct, if you don't stay true to who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/the-music-business-is-really-really-small-the-real-music-is-becoming/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [For the first time in my life, I'm proud of myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/for-the-first-time-in-my-life-i-m-proud-of-myself/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [If you're looking for inner peace from the outside world, you're not going to get that. The inner peace starts with looking at you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/if-you-re-looking-for-inner-peace-from-the-outside-world-you-re-not/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [God loves me and sent his son to die for me so I have to live to please him because he saved me when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/god-loves-me-and-sent-his-son-to-die-for-me-so-i-have-to-live-to/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) [Explore all 172 Mary J. Blige quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. 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