--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When we really began executions rather…" description: "\"When we really began executions rather than lynchings, black folks were 22% of our population in 1950, for instance, but they were 75% of the execution..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ad/shane-claiborne-960_african-american_when-we-really-began-executions-rather-t_675128.jpg" --- # When we really began executions rather than lynchings… ![“When we really began executions rather than lynchings, black folks were 22% of our population in 1950, for instance, but they were 75% of the executions. Now, African-Americans are 13% of the population, but they're still almost half of death row, and over a third of the executions. 34% of the…” quote by Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ad/shane-claiborne-960_african-american_when-we-really-began-executions-rather-t_675128.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ad/shane-claiborne-960_african-american_when-we-really-began-executions-rather-t_675128.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ad/shane-claiborne-960_african-american_when-we-really-began-executions-rather-t_675128.jpg) > “When we really began executions rather than lynchings, black folks were 22% of our population in 1950, for instance, but they were 75% of the executions. Now, African-Americans are 13% of the population, but they're still almost half of death row, and over a third of the executions. 34% of the executions are black folks. So, like, I mean, things like the race of the victim is one of the biggest determinants of who gets executed.” [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Execution rates disproportionately affect Black individuals, showing racial bias in the death penalty system. **In simple terms:** Black people are over‑represented in executions, indicating racial bias. Key Takeaway Address systemic bias to achieve fair justice. Themes justice race capital punishment systemic bias inequality Mood somber determined Type social political When to use this quote - court hearings - policy advocacy - community education - legal aid Key Concepts racial disparity legal reform human rights Questions to Reflect On - What reforms can reduce racial disparities? - How can communities support affected families? A Different Perspective Changing laws is slow and faces political resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [African american](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-american/) [African americans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-americans/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Death row](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death-row/) [Execution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/execution/) [Incarceration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incarceration/) [Lynching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lynching/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Victim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victim/) ## Related quotes > [It's impossible to separate our contemporary practice of the death penalty from our history around race and slavery, and specifically, lynching. Where lynchings were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/it-s-impossible-to-separate-our-contemporary-practice-of-the-death/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [“Despite the perma-shock in which many of us have lived our entire lives, with alarms in our ears made only more shrill by 24…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarahjane-blum/despite-the-perma-shock-in-which-many-of-us-have-lived-our-entire/) Sarahjane Blum > [“One wrong move, one bad rumor, one mistake, and it's social death row. I'm the latest to be sentenced. Move out of the way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-klehr/one-wrong-move-one-bad-rumor-one-mistake-and-it-s-social-death-row-i/) Dawn Klehr > [“People who are detained (held in prison) are locked up by their past, and because you are locked up by your past you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rev-earl-smith/people-who-are-detained-held-in-prison-are-locked-up-by-their-past/) Rev. Earl Smith > [On average, a prisoner in the U.S. spends around ten years on Death Row before execution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-reid/on-average-a-prisoner-in-the-u-s-spends-around-ten-years-on-death-row/) [Susanna Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-reid/) > [ “\[T\]here are some human rights that are so deep that we can't negotiate them away. I mean people do heinous, terrible things. But there… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sister-helen-prejean/t-here-are-some-human-rights-that-are-so-deep-that-we-can-t-negotiate/) Sister Helen Prejean > [I'm afraid of sudden death. I'd like to know I'm going to die. That's why death row wouldn't be so bad, although it's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kevorkian/i-m-afraid-of-sudden-death-i-d-like-to-know-i-m-going-to-die-that-s/) [Jack Kevorkian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kevorkian/) > [“To accept the environmentalist argument that the suffering of individual animals is inconsequential compared to the ozone layer, we must be willing to admit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-davis/to-accept-the-environmentalist-argument-that-the-suffering-of/) [Karen Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-davis/) > [I shouldn't have sat on death row 30 years. All they had to do was test the gun. But when you think you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-ray-hinton/i-shouldn-t-have-sat-on-death-row-30-years-all-they-had-to-do-was/) [Anthony Ray Hinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-ray-hinton/) > [In death row every rule in society is flipped.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-yarris/in-death-row-every-rule-in-society-is-flipped/) [Nick Yarris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-yarris/) > [“That was me. I was The Fixer. Everything was fixed. Well, other than what was important. I walked down the hallway of the hospital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-j-shen/that-was-me-i-was-the-fixer-everything-was-fixed-well-other-than-what/) [L.J. Shen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-shen/) > [Joe Biden cannot leave the lives of those on death row in the hands of future presidents. If he truly opposes the death penalty,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/joe-biden-cannot-leave-the-lives-of-those-on-death-row-in-the-hands/) [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) > [I did not get my Spaghetti-O's, I got spaghetti. I want the press to know this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-grasso/i-did-not-get-my-spaghetti-o-s-i-got-spaghetti-i-want-the-press-to/) Thomas J. Grasso > [The drink? Yes, I've had tough times in my life, especially the last year, regarding my ex-wife, my kids, I nearly broke my neck,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gascoigne/the-drink-yes-i-ve-had-tough-times-in-my-life-especially-the-last/) [Paul Gascoigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gascoigne/) > [“Advice? I don’t have advice. Stop aspiring and start writing. If you’re writing, you’re a writer. Write like you’re a goddamn death row inmate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-wilson-watts/advice-i-don-t-have-advice-stop-aspiring-and-start-writing-if-you-re/) [Alan Wilson Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-wilson-watts/) ## More by Shane Claiborne > [“we can live without sex, but we cant live without love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/we-can-live-without-sex-but-we-cant-live-without-love/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [We're not church planters. We are community planters and, as we work in our communities, we join local churches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/we-re-not-church-planters-we-are-community-planters-and-as-we-work-in/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [There are some - called 'death fatigue' - people who just grow so tired of death, so they don't want to keep perpetuating death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/there-are-some-called-death-fatigue-people-who-just-grow-so-tired-of/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [Every 70-year-old needs a young person in their lives to mentor, and every 20-year-old needs a senior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/every-70-year-old-needs-a-young-person-in-their-lives-to-mentor-and/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [I just have a more holistic sense of what it means to be for life, knowing that life does not just begin at conception…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/i-just-have-a-more-holistic-sense-of-what-it-means-to-be-for-life/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [It's not that hard to say slavery is wrong after we've abolished it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/it-s-not-that-hard-to-say-slavery-is-wrong-after-we-ve-abolished-it/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [We think of justice sometimes as getting what you deserve, you know - what crime was committed and what is the punishment for that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/we-think-of-justice-sometimes-as-getting-what-you-deserve-you-know/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [Mother Theresa said it is not how much we give that is important but how much love you put into doing it. So it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/mother-theresa-said-it-is-not-how-much-we-give-that-is-important-but/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [No one has seen God, but as we love one another, God lives in us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/no-one-has-seen-god-but-as-we-love-one-another-god-lives-in-us/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [“If you find yourself climbing the ladder of success, be careful or else on your way up you might pass Jesus on his way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/if-you-find-yourself-climbing-the-ladder-of-success-be-careful-or/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [We need good laws, but no law can change a human heart - only God can do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/we-need-good-laws-but-no-law-can-change-a-human-heart-only-god-can-do/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [We're remembering each other's heroes, too. We are learning each other's songs. We are reminding ourselves that we are a global family praying together.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/we-re-remembering-each-other-s-heroes-too-we-are-learning-each-other/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [There is a certain power when old and young come together - we can do more together than we can on our own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/there-is-a-certain-power-when-old-and-young-come-together-we-can-do/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [You can't really learn God's hope like you learn the logic of an argument or the details of a story. It's more like learning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/you-can-t-really-learn-god-s-hope-like-you-learn-the-logic-of-an/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [“Clarence Jordan, co-founder of Koinonia Farm, wrote, “The Good News of the resurrection is not that we shall die and go home with him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/clarence-jordan-co-founder-of-koinonia-farm-wrote-the-good-news-of/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) [Explore all 319 Shane Claiborne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) ## More African american quotes > [This is, for an accomplished Latino, an accomplished African American, an accomplished anyone who disproves stereotypes, it's a constant battle in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/this-is-for-an-accomplished-latino-an-accomplished-african-american/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [I agreed a long time ago, I would not live at any cost. If I am moved or forced away from what I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-agreed-a-long-time-ago-i-would-not-live-at-any-cost-if-i-am-moved/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [There could be no more powerful argument against mixing religion and government than the success of independent African American churches in placing racial segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/there-could-be-no-more-powerful-argument-against-mixing-religion-and/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [“This popularity extended to Trump himself, who, according to private demographic research conducted at the time, was even more popular with African American and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-green/this-popularity-extended-to-trump-himself-who-according-to-private/) [Joshua Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-green/) > [American civil rights leader, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Lynching is a murder. For the past four hundred years our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/american-civil-rights-leader-where-do-we-go-from-here-chaos-or/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I know I'm more forgiving than most African Americans when it comes to second chances for White people who not only commit a racial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-capehart/i-know-i-m-more-forgiving-than-most-african-americans-when-it-comes/) [Jonathan Capehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-capehart/) > [Some Republicans gave up on winning the African-American vote, looking the other way or trying to benefit politically from racial polarization. I am here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-mehlman/some-republicans-gave-up-on-winning-the-african-american-vote-looking/) [Ken Mehlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-mehlman/) > [It's unfortunate that a lot of people think African-American female artists are monolithically R&B this-or-that, don't have to do anything by default.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/it-s-unfortunate-that-a-lot-of-people-think-african-american-female/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [Whereas our ancestors (not of choice) were the first successful cultivators of the wilds of America, we their descendants feel ourselves entitled to participate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-allen/whereas-our-ancestors-not-of-choice-were-the-first-successful/) [Richard Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-allen/) > [It may be changing, but still it's the one place, that total control of an institution, that African Americans have. So sometimes, you know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-emerson/it-may-be-changing-but-still-it-s-the-one-place-that-total-control-of/) [Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/) > [Most of the more celebrated names among African-American authors, poets, and artists are known to the world because of their association with specific cultural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aberjhani/most-of-the-more-celebrated-names-among-african-american-authors/) [Aberjhani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aberjhani/) > [I think it's easier for African American and white comics to be praised than it is Latinos because they think our culture or our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lopez/i-think-it-s-easier-for-african-american-and-white-comics-to-be/) [George Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lopez/) > [“Alabama in 1927 alone, 27,701 men were arrested on misdemeanor charges and offered for sale by county sheriffs. 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