--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We don't often truly consider the…" description: "\"We don't often truly consider the embeddedness of black folks in the American imaginary. America would not exist in its current form without the long h..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d87/ramell-ross-6108_experience_we-don-t-often-truly-consider-the-embedd_1475436.jpg" --- # We don't often truly consider the embeddedness of black… ![“We don't often truly consider the embeddedness of black folks in the American imaginary. America would not exist in its current form without the long history of the black experience, of course; and what that means, very viscerally, on the visual level, is almost impossible to consider.” quote by RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d87/ramell-ross-6108_experience_we-don-t-often-truly-consider-the-embedd_1475436.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d87/ramell-ross-6108_experience_we-don-t-often-truly-consider-the-embedd_1475436.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d87/ramell-ross-6108_experience_we-don-t-often-truly-consider-the-embedd_1475436.jpg) > “We don't often truly consider the embeddedness of black folks in the American imaginary. America would not exist in its current form without the long history of the black experience, of course; and what that means, very viscerally, on the visual level, is almost impossible to consider.” [RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights how Black history and culture are foundational to America's identity, yet often overlooked in visual narratives. **In simple terms:** Black experience shapes America but is ignored. Key Takeaway Recognize and integrate Black contributions in cultural narratives. Themes history identity representation culture visual arts Mood reflective critical thoughtful Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - museum curation - film production - educational curricula - public art projects - media analysis Key Concepts intersectionality collective memory national myth Questions to Reflect On - How can we make Black contributions visible in mainstream media? - What barriers keep these histories hidden? A Different Perspective Overcoming entrenched narratives is difficult and may face resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American Imaginary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-imaginary-5365318/) [Black Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-experience-486536/) [Consider Embeddedness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consider-embeddedness-5365320/) [Embeddedness Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embeddedness-black-5365317/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Imaginary America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imaginary-america-5365319/) [Impossible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impossible/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) ## Related quotes > [To me, to neuter a photograph of person of color in some general sense is to continue to forget the complexity of the black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/to-me-to-neuter-a-photograph-of-person-of-color-in-some-general-sense/) [RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/) > [In 2016, the conversation of the black experience is so broad, and it's very raw. I mean, c'mon, we have a black president. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-shaheed-muhammad/in-2016-the-conversation-of-the-black-experience-is-so-broad-and-it-s/) [Ali Shaheed Muhammad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-shaheed-muhammad/) > [There is a multitude of experiences that make up the black experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chance-the-rapper/there-is-a-multitude-of-experiences-that-make-up-the-black-experience/) [Chance The Rapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chance-the-rapper/) > [And realizing there is no such thing as the Black experience. Time and events allow for change on both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-childress/and-realizing-there-is-no-such-thing-as-the-black-experience-time-and/) [Alice Childress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-childress/) > [My book has a pre - civil rights setting with a post - civil rights sensibility. I believe less and less that there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayana-mathis/my-book-has-a-pre-civil-rights-setting-with-a-post-civil-rights/) [Ayana Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayana-mathis/) > [The truth of the matter is, there were shows that depicted black characters that were on in the '90s, and they gave everybody a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/logan-browning/the-truth-of-the-matter-is-there-were-shows-that-depicted-black/) [Logan Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/logan-browning/) > [There isn't just one black experience out here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prodigy/there-isn-t-just-one-black-experience-out-here/) [Prodigy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prodigy/) > [I have a perhaps naive point of view informed by my own kind of snowflake-in-the-unique-sense rather than the political sense, personal story. I mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-polgreen/i-have-a-perhaps-naive-point-of-view-informed-by-my-own-kind-of/) [Lydia Polgreen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-polgreen/) > [My experience has to be funnelled through a black experience or a white experience, or it doesn't exist, because that's how we're going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-i-a/my-experience-has-to-be-funnelled-through-a-black-experience-or-a/) [M.I.A](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-i-a/) > [I would just love to see more shows that highlight positivity rather than trauma of the Black experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-love/i-would-just-love-to-see-more-shows-that-highlight-positivity-rather/) [Judi Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-love/) > [The Black experience in America now includes everything, all the way up to being the president of the United States.' But there's genres for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cord-jefferson/the-black-experience-in-america-now-includes-everything-all-the-way/) [Cord Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cord-jefferson/) > [If I can relate the black experience to white people, then they can understand us better and not be so afraid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-griffin/if-i-can-relate-the-black-experience-to-white-people-then-they-can/) [Eddie Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-griffin/) > [Some things you never really fully understand unless you are actually black and you experience how it feels when someone treats you differently based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aj-tracey/some-things-you-never-really-fully-understand-unless-you-are-actually/) [AJ Tracey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aj-tracey/) > [There's no idea in the world that is not contained by black life. I could write forever about the black experience in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-wilson/there-s-no-idea-in-the-world-that-is-not-contained-by-black-life-i/) [August Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-wilson/) > [Teaching Black Studies, I find that students are quick to label a black person who has grown up in a predominantly white setting and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/teaching-black-studies-i-find-that-students-are-quick-to-label-a/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) ## More by RaMell Ross > [To give subjectivity to the Dozier School boys is fundamentally mind-blowing. In literature, you're allowed to write from the inside, but at least most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/to-give-subjectivity-to-the-dozier-school-boys-is-fundamentally-mind/) [RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/) > [What a thing of free will to be in the air and to have that much control over one's directionality, up, down, left, right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/what-a-thing-of-free-will-to-be-in-the-air-and-to-have-that-much/) [RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/) > [You know, I feel like when we're watching films, typically, the films do the thinking for you, one could say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/you-know-i-feel-like-when-we-re-watching-films-typically-the-films-do/) [RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/) > [I realised that I wasn't going to the NBA when I broke my foot my second time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/i-realised-that-i-wasn-t-going-to-the-nba-when-i-broke-my-foot-my/) [RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/) > [Film peddles in one blip in the sea of emotional relationships when it's literally the content of the whole ocean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/film-peddles-in-one-blip-in-the-sea-of-emotional-relationships-when/) [RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/) > [Cinema lends itself to the play between the surreal, the symbolic, the experiential, the nonsensical and the aesthetic. It's on this weird carousel that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/cinema-lends-itself-to-the-play-between-the-surreal-the-symbolic-the/) [RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/) > [The thing about 'Nickel Boys' is its a film that is more intelligent than its maker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/the-thing-about-nickel-boys-is-its-a-film-that-is-more-intelligent/) [RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/) > [I don't think you need a lot of money to make a film that's cinematic and deserves to be in theaters, but people feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/i-don-t-think-you-need-a-lot-of-money-to-make-a-film-that-s-cinematic/) [RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/) > [The South is my home and I'm trapped in its stomach trying to get to its brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/the-south-is-my-home-and-i-m-trapped-in-its-stomach-trying-to-get-to/) [RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/) > [Black folks aren't asked to make films about all white people. But what would have happened if we did? What would white culture look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/black-folks-aren-t-asked-to-make-films-about-all-white-people-but/) [RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/) > [Micro-looking processes that are human are what I was interested in. How can you use the camera to mime the way that we look?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/micro-looking-processes-that-are-human-are-what-i-was-interested-in/) [RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/) > [Imagine something where you are just provided with the truth, which is something that everyone deserves. It's insane that's a line like that has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/imagine-something-where-you-are-just-provided-with-the-truth-which-is/) [RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/) > [I'm less interested in cinema, and more interested in the experience of cinema approaching the experience of reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/i-m-less-interested-in-cinema-and-more-interested-in-the-experience/) [RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/) > [Yeah, I think any type of filmmaking is good as an on-ramp to making films. But I will say that documentary filmmakers have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/yeah-i-think-any-type-of-filmmaking-is-good-as-an-on-ramp-to-making/) [RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/) > [Films typically peddle in meaning with big things and make connections between events. They don't peddle in images in the same way which in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/films-typically-peddle-in-meaning-with-big-things-and-make/) [RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/) [Explore all 100 RaMell Ross quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/) ## More Experience quotes > [Experience makes a lesson to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/experience-makes-a-lesson-to-us/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Derby experience had not been good for me and the way it finished left a very bad taste in my mouth so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-pearson/the-derby-experience-had-not-been-good-for-me-and-the-way-it-finished/) [Nigel Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-pearson/) > [Well, I've been politically involved for a really long time. Growing up in the segregated South, it was a very painful experience for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/well-i-ve-been-politically-involved-for-a-really-long-time-growing-up/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) > [From my experience of having served for 3000 days, I can say that anything can be achieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/from-my-experience-of-having-served-for-3000-days-i-can-say-that/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [My favorite job is the next one. Its such a gratifying experience getting to creatively keep trying something new and push things in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-craig-smith/my-favorite-job-is-the-next-one-its-such-a-gratifying-experience/) [Roger Craig Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-craig-smith/) > [I happen to think it's the politics that makes you electable, but the reason for that is politicians sometimes talk about electability as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-happen-to-think-it-s-the-politics-that-makes-you-electable-but-the/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [Iranians hate Arabs. They're a fairly well-educated population and they have centuries of experience with self-government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ledeen/iranians-hate-arabs-they-re-a-fairly-well-educated-population-and/) [Michael Ledeen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ledeen/) > [Education is a lifelong experience. Experience is a lifelong education. Education plus experience equals expertise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bugeja/education-is-a-lifelong-experience-experience-is-a-lifelong-education/) [Michael Bugeja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bugeja/) > [Prison experience puts distance between me and any person who hasn't been there, done that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-mcconnell/prison-experience-puts-distance-between-me-and-any-person-who-hasn-t/) [Patricia McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-mcconnell/) > [Experience is a thorough teacher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jane-holmes/experience-is-a-thorough-teacher/) [Mary Jane Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jane-holmes/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) [Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [I've had a great experience with pretty much everybody I've worked with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-wasikowska/i-ve-had-a-great-experience-with-pretty-much-everybody-i-ve-worked/) [Mia Wasikowska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-wasikowska/) > [It wasn't a mistake, it was a fun learning experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-wasn-t-a-mistake-it-was-a-fun-learning-experience/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I worked a lot in Chicago's theater scene as a fight choreographer. And so I do have a lot of experience in stage combat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-offerman/i-worked-a-lot-in-chicago-s-theater-scene-as-a-fight-choreographer/) [Nick Offerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-offerman/) [Browse all 11,792 Experience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We don't often truly consider the embeddedness of black folks in the American imaginary. 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