--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Coloured people don't like Little Black…" description: "\"“Coloured people don't like Little Black Sambo . Burn it. White people don't feel good about Uncle Tom's Cabin . Burn it. Someone's written a book on t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adf/ray-bradbury-75_burning-books_coloured-people-don-t-like-little-black_1122959.jpg" --- # Coloured people don't like Little Black Sambo . Burn it… ![“Coloured people don't like Little Black Sambo . Burn it. White people don't feel good about Uncle Tom's Cabin . Burn it. Someone's written a book on tobacco and cancer of the lungs? The cigarette people are weeping? Burn the book.” quote by Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adf/ray-bradbury-75_burning-books_coloured-people-don-t-like-little-black_1122959.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adf/ray-bradbury-75_burning-books_coloured-people-don-t-like-little-black_1122959.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adf/ray-bradbury-75_burning-books_coloured-people-don-t-like-little-black_1122959.jpg) > ““Coloured people don't like Little Black Sambo . Burn it. White people don't feel good about Uncle Tom's Cabin . Burn it. Someone's written a book on tobacco and cancer of the lungs? The cigarette people are weeping? Burn the book.”” [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Calls for burning books reflects extreme intolerance and suppression of dissenting ideas **In simple terms:** Destroying literature silences diverse voices Key Takeaway Reject censorship and protect free expression Themes censorship intolerance freedom of speech Mood ang defiant Type political philosophical When to use this quote - library policy debates - school curriculum decisions - public protests - book club selections Key Concepts authoritarianism cultural conflict media influence Questions to Reflect On - What motivates people to want to destroy offensive works? - How can societies balance protection from harmful content with free speech? A Different Perspective Burning books can backfire, increasing interest and martyrdom of ideas ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Burn book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burn-book/) [Uncle tom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncle-tom/) [Uncle Tom's Cabin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncle-toms-cabin/) [White people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-people/) ## Related quotes > [“Colored people don’t like Little Black Sambo . Burn it. White people don’t feel good about Uncle Tom’s Cabin . Burn it. Someone’s written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/colored-people-don-t-like-little-black-sambo-burn-it-white-people-don/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“Colored people don’t like Little Black Sambo. Burn it. White people don’t feel good about Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Burn it. Someone’s written a book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/colored-people-don-t-like-little-black-sambo-burn-it-white-people-don-2/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“I will gather up a lifetime of things unsaid, write them down, and then offer them all to be lit up for security and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-valtsioti/i-will-gather-up-a-lifetime-of-things-unsaid-write-them-down-and-then/) Suzanne Valtsioti > [There is more than one way to burn a book. And the world is full of people running about with lit matches. Every minority,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/there-is-more-than-one-way-to-burn-a-book-and-the-world-is-full-of-2/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [There is more than one way to burn a book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/there-is-more-than-one-way-to-burn-a-book/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [There's no reason to burn books if you don't read them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/there-s-no-reason-to-burn-books-if-you-don-t-read-them/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [The problem in our country isn't with books being banned, but with people no longer reading. Look at the magazines, the newspapers around us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/the-problem-in-our-country-isn-t-with-books-being-banned-but-with/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [There is more than one way to burn a book. And the world is full of people running about with lit matches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/there-is-more-than-one-way-to-burn-a-book-and-the-world-is-full-of/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Only the foolish, blinded by language's conventions, think of fire as red or gold. Fire is blue at it's melancholy rim, green in it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/only-the-foolish-blinded-by-language-s-conventions-think-of-fire-as/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [Turn it up, Reggie, I wanna burn. -White Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dodgeball/turn-it-up-reggie-i-wanna-burn-white-goodman/) Dodgeball > [“Only the foolish, blinded by language's conventions, think of fire as red or gold. Fire is blue at its melancholy rim, green in its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/only-the-foolish-blinded-by-language-s-conventions-think-of-fire-as-2/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [I don't like to be described as a Southern writer. The danger is, if you're described as a Southern writer, you might be thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-percy/i-don-t-like-to-be-described-as-a-southern-writer-the-danger-is-if/) [Walker Percy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-percy/) > [If I could write a story that would do for the Indian one-hundredth part what 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' did for the Negro, I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-hunt-jackson/if-i-could-write-a-story-that-would-do-for-the-indian-one-hundredth/) [Helen Hunt Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-hunt-jackson/) > [Historically, narratives of forgiveness were part of both the anti-slavery movement and the civil rights movement in America. 'Uncle Tom's Cabin,' for instance, was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthea-butler/historically-narratives-of-forgiveness-were-part-of-both-the-anti/) [Anthea Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthea-butler/) > [Anyone can see that to write Uncle Tom's Cabin on the knee in the kitchen, with constant calls to cooking and other details of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-garlin-spencer/anyone-can-see-that-to-write-uncle-tom-s-cabin-on-the-knee-in-the/) [Anna Garlin Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-garlin-spencer/) ## More by Ray Bradbury > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Do you ever read any of the books you burn?" He laughed. "That's against the law!" "Oh. Of course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/do-you-ever-read-any-of-the-books-you-burn-he-laughed-that-s-against/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [There's no reason to burn books if you don't read them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/there-s-no-reason-to-burn-books-if-you-don-t-read-them/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [We were put here as witnesses to the miracle of life. We see the stars, and we want them. We are beholden to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/we-were-put-here-as-witnesses-to-the-miracle-of-life-we-see-the-stars/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Remember, with writing, what you’re looking for is just one person to come up and tell you, 'I love you for what you do.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/remember-with-writing-what-you-re-looking-for-is-just-one-person-to/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [As a result of reading science fiction when I was eight, I grew up with an interest in music, architecture, city planning, transportation, politics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/as-a-result-of-reading-science-fiction-when-i-was-eight-i-grew-up/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“You can’t learn to write in college. It’s a very bad place for writers because the teachers always think they know more than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-can-t-learn-to-write-in-college-it-s-a-very-bad-place-for-writers/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [We're going to become the martians when we land there. When we explore and build communities, we become the martians. That's a wonderful destiny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/we-re-going-to-become-the-martians-when-we-land-there-when-we-explore/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I wish you a wrestling match with your Creative Muse that will last a lifetime. ... I wish craziness and foolishness and madness upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/i-wish-you-a-wrestling-match-with-your-creative-muse-that-will-last-a/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [The library is the biggest cracker box factory in the world. The more you eat, the more you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/the-library-is-the-biggest-cracker-box-factory-in-the-world-the-more/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [We travel for romance, we travel for architecture, and we travel to be lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/we-travel-for-romance-we-travel-for-architecture-and-we-travel-to-be/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I spent three days a week for 10 years educating myself in the public library, and it's better than college. People should educate themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/i-spent-three-days-a-week-for-10-years-educating-myself-in-the-public/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [If we try to deny the darkness in our souls then we'll become completely dark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/if-we-try-to-deny-the-darkness-in-our-souls-then-we-ll-become/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [But remember that the Captain belongs to the most dangerous enemy to truth and freedom, the solid unmoving cattle of the majority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/but-remember-that-the-captain-belongs-to-the-most-dangerous-enemy-to/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) [Explore all 1,520 Ray Bradbury quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) ## More Burn book quotes > [There's no reason to burn books if you don't read them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/there-s-no-reason-to-burn-books-if-you-don-t-read-them/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [There is more than one way to burn a book. And the world is full of people running about with lit matches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/there-is-more-than-one-way-to-burn-a-book-and-the-world-is-full-of/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Censorship is a strange situation. There was times when people would burn books because they didn't like what people were doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-berryman/censorship-is-a-strange-situation-there-was-times-when-people-would/) [Michael Berryman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-berryman/) > [The problem in our country isn't with books being banned, but with people no longer reading. Look at the magazines, the newspapers around us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/the-problem-in-our-country-isn-t-with-books-being-banned-but-with/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“Colored people don’t like Little Black Sambo . Burn it. White people don’t feel good about Uncle Tom’s Cabin . Burn it. Someone’s written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/colored-people-don-t-like-little-black-sambo-burn-it-white-people-don/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“I could not do it. I would not do it. I sat back on my heels with the book in my hand with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/i-could-not-do-it-i-would-not-do-it-i-sat-back-on-my-heels-with-the/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“Colored people don’t like Little Black Sambo. Burn it. White people don’t feel good about Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Burn it. Someone’s written a book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/colored-people-don-t-like-little-black-sambo-burn-it-white-people-don-2/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [It’s crazy to think North West can already read better than Kendall Jenner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendall-jenner/it-s-crazy-to-think-north-west-can-already-read-better-than-kendall/) [Kendall Jenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendall-jenner/) > [“So, my good father, you go and write the order to burn that book, as your church requires of you. And I will say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-brooks/so-my-good-father-you-go-and-write-the-order-to-burn-that-book-as/) [Geraldine Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-brooks/) > [There is more than one way to burn a book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/there-is-more-than-one-way-to-burn-a-book/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I will lead you to the City Hall, clean out the police force, hang the Prosecuting Attorney, burn every book that has a particle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-kearney/i-will-lead-you-to-the-city-hall-clean-out-the-police-force-hang-the/) [Denis Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-kearney/) > [There, where one burns books... one, in the end, burns men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-heine/there-where-one-burns-books-one-in-the-end-burns-men/) [Heinrich Heine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-heine/) > [You don't have to burn books, you don't have to rebel against teachers to rebel; to rebel is to truly own your own self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dhani-harrison/you-don-t-have-to-burn-books-you-don-t-have-to-rebel-against-teachers/) [Dhani Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dhani-harrison/) > [That was only the beginning - where one burns books, one will finally also burn people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-heine/that-was-only-the-beginning-where-one-burns-books-one-will-finally/) [Heinrich Heine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-heine/) > [There is more than one way to burn a book. And the world is full of people running about with lit matches. Every minority,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/there-is-more-than-one-way-to-burn-a-book-and-the-world-is-full-of-2/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) [Browse all 25 Burn book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burn-book/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Coloured people don't like Little Black Sambo . Burn it. White people don't feel good about Uncle Tom's Cabin . Burn it. Someone's written a book on tobacco and cancer of the lungs? The cigarette people are weeping? 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