--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You cannot be my friend and use the N…" description: "\"“You cannot be my friend and use the N- word around me. I feel strongly about it… I always think of the millions of people who heard that as their last..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59f/oprah-winfrey-186_friend_you-cannot-be-my-friend-and-use-the-n-wo_1946155.png" --- # You cannot be my friend and use the N- word around me. I… ![“You cannot be my friend and use the N- word around me. I feel strongly about it… I always think of the millions of people who heard that as their last word as they were hanging from a tree.” quote by Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59f/oprah-winfrey-186_friend_you-cannot-be-my-friend-and-use-the-n-wo_1946155.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59f/oprah-winfrey-186_friend_you-cannot-be-my-friend-and-use-the-n-wo_1946155.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59f/oprah-winfrey-186_friend_you-cannot-be-my-friend-and-use-the-n-wo_1946155.png) > ““You cannot be my friend and use the N- word around me. I feel strongly about it… I always think of the millions of people who heard that as their last word as they were hanging from a tree.”” [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) ## 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 demands respect and rejects racist language, linking it to historic trauma and the suffering of Black people. **In simple terms:** Reject racist words; honor victims. Key Takeaway Speak against hate, support marginalized voices. Themes respect racism empathy Mood determined empathetic Type ethical advocacy When to use this quote - classroom discussions - public speaking - media commentary - personal relationships Key Concepts social justice historical trauma language power Questions to Reflect On - How can we turn words into concrete actions? - What responsibilities do we have when hearing hate? A Different Perspective Changing language alone may not heal deeper systemic racism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Last Word](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/last-word/) ## Related quotes > [He who has heard the Word of God can bear his silences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-loyola/he-who-has-heard-the-word-of-god-can-bear-his-silences/) [Ignatius of Loyola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-loyola/) > [Have You Ever Heard The Word I.D.G.A.F What You Say ?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura/have-you-ever-heard-the-word-i-d-g-a-f-what-you-say/) [Laura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura/) > [Ever heard of the word please?" "Never.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/ever-heard-of-the-word-please-never/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One sign of an excellent speech? 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He wasn’t sure because he’d only heard the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thea-harrison/he-did-not-want-to-climb-down-and-visit-the-men-again-he-couldn-t-fly/) [Thea Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thea-harrison/) > [“I have heard no word of my own language; I am rendered dumb.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-malouf/i-have-heard-no-word-of-my-own-language-i-am-rendered-dumb/) [David Malouf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-malouf/) > [Im just another thing for you to roll your eyes at, honey. You might have him but havent you heard? You might have him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-just-another-thing-for-you-to-roll-your-eyes-at-honey-you-might/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“There are some words that seem to well up from inside me without reason. I will be walking along an empty hallway, leaning against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eula-biss/there-are-some-words-that-seem-to-well-up-from-inside-me-without/) [Eula Biss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eula-biss/) > [Almost. It’s a big word for me. I feel it everywhere. Almost home. Almost happy. Almost changed. Almost, but not quite. Not yet. Soon,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-bauer/almost-it-s-a-big-word-for-me-i-feel-it-everywhere-almost-home-almost/) [Joan Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-bauer/) > ['Pigeonholed' isn't the right word, because I feel like I've had a very wide range of characters that I've been allowed to play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-reddick/pigeonholed-isn-t-the-right-word-because-i-feel-like-i-ve-had-a-very/) [Lance Reddick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-reddick/) > [I hate how FAKE word can feel so REAL...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-how-fake-word-can-feel-so-real/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [How much you love yourself and how you feel about yourself are directly proportionate to the quality and integrity of your word. When you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/how-much-you-love-yourself-and-how-you-feel-about-yourself-are/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) ## More by Oprah Winfrey > [I've seen that many times in rural African villages where people have nothing but a hut and a bowl. The joy in the children's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-ve-seen-that-many-times-in-rural-african-villages-where-people-have/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [These French-style caramels are handmade in California. It's always hard to give them away!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/these-french-style-caramels-are-handmade-in-california-it-s-always/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [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/) > [“Forgiveness is about letting go of the past and not holding on to it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/forgiveness-is-about-letting-go-of-the-past-and-not-holding-on-to-it/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [The deepest courage we can exercise is continuing to believe in our dreams until we make them come true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/the-deepest-courage-we-can-exercise-is-continuing-to-believe-in-our/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [If you can see it, and believe it, it is a LOT easier to achieve it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/if-you-can-see-it-and-believe-it-it-is-a-lot-easier-to-achieve-it/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [There is no greater gift you can give or receive than to honor your calling. It's why you were born. And how you become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/there-is-no-greater-gift-you-can-give-or-receive-than-to-honor-your/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [Gratitude is the single greatest treasure I will take with me from this experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/gratitude-is-the-single-greatest-treasure-i-will-take-with-me-from/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [I am disappointed by this controversy surrounding A Million Little Pieces because I rely on the publishers to define the category that a book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-am-disappointed-by-this-controversy-surrounding-a-million-little/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [Keep a grateful journal. Every night, list five things that you are grateful for. 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You're worthy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/we-often-block-our-own-blessings-because-we-don-t-feel-inherently/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [One if the hardest things in life to learn are which bridges to cross and which bridges to burn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/one-if-the-hardest-things-in-life-to-learn-are-which-bridges-to-cross/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [You must feed your mind with reading material, thoughts, and ideas that open you to new possibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/you-must-feed-your-mind-with-reading-material-thoughts-and-ideas-that/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [Your soul tells you when it's time to move on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/your-soul-tells-you-when-it-s-time-to-move-on/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) [Explore all 971 Oprah Winfrey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) ## More Friend quotes > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Friends are like stars you can't always see them, but you know they're there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknwon/friends-are-like-stars-you-can-t-always-see-them-but-you-know-they-re/) Unknwon > [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. 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A true friend is someone that has your back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shameek-speight/way-a-true-friend-isn-t-the-one-that-agrees-with-everything-you-say/) [Shameek Speight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shameek-speight/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“The real purpose of friendship was to discover and exploit weakness in others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-thompson/the-real-purpose-of-friendship-was-to-discover-and-exploit-weakness/) [Brian Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-thompson/) > [That FRIEND who claim they do anything for you. but yet talk behind your back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kushsoulja/that-friend-who-claim-they-do-anything-for-you-but-yet-talk-behind/) KushSoulja > [In life, we never lose friends we only get to know who the true ones are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ace-kid/in-life-we-never-lose-friends-we-only-get-to-know-who-the-true-ones/) [Ace Kid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ace-kid/) > [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [Sam dropped me off. When she was too far away to see me, I started to cry again. Because she was my friend again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/sam-dropped-me-off-when-she-was-too-far-away-to-see-me-i-started-to/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“When you get lost in a really strange place, nothing is more comforting than found your friend whom you trust and can show the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-get-lost-in-a-really-strange-place-nothing-is-more/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [Friendship, "the wine of life," should, like a well-stocked cellar, be continually renewed; and it is consolatory to think, that although we can seldom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/friendship-the-wine-of-life-should-like-a-well-stocked-cellar-be/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [I fell in love with my best friend, but I know that if it doesn't last, it will never be the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-yang/i-fell-in-love-with-my-best-friend-but-i-know-that-if-it-doesn-t-last/) Shelly Yang > [A best friend isn't someone who's just always there for you.Its someone who understands you a bit more than you understand yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/a-best-friend-isn-t-someone-who-s-just-always-there-for-you-its/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) [Browse all 14,984 Friend quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You cannot be my friend and use the N- word around me. 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