--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We had no more courage than Harriet…" description: "\"We had no more courage than Harriet Tubman or Marcus Garvey had in their times. We just had a more vulnerable enemy.\" — Stokely Carmichael" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4da/stokely-carmichael-14332_courage_we-had-no-more-courage-than-harriet-tubm_2087579.jpg" --- # We had no more courage than Harriet Tubman or Marcus… ![“We had no more courage than Harriet Tubman or Marcus Garvey had in their times. We just had a more vulnerable enemy.” quote by Stokely Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4da/stokely-carmichael-14332_courage_we-had-no-more-courage-than-harriet-tubm_2087579.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4da/stokely-carmichael-14332_courage_we-had-no-more-courage-than-harriet-tubm_2087579.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4da/stokely-carmichael-14332_courage_we-had-no-more-courage-than-harriet-tubm_2087579.jpg) > “We had no more courage than Harriet Tubman or Marcus Garvey had in their times. We just had a more vulnerable enemy.” [Stokely Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stokely-carmichael/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Courage is timeless; the enemy's vulnerability changes across eras, making struggles different but equally demanding. **In simple terms:** Courage stays the same, enemies change. Key Takeaway Recognize and adapt to new challenges. Themes courage history struggle Mood determined reflective Type motivational historical When to use this quote - activism - community organizing - education - policy advocacy Key Concepts social justice leadership resilience Questions to Reflect On - How does changing enemy vulnerability affect our tactics? - What modern threats require new forms of courage? A Different Perspective Courage alone may not overcome systemic oppression without strategic action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Marcus Garvey had in their times. We just had a more vulnerable enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-tubman/marcus-garvey-had-in-their-times-we-just-had-a-more-vulnerable-enemy/) [Harriet Tubman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-tubman/) > [Quoting Stokely Carmichael (1941-1998) US civil rights leader We had no more courage than Harriet Tubman or Marcus Garvey had in their times. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-tubman/quoting-stokely-carmichael-1941-1998-us-civil-rights-leader-we-had-no/) [Harriet Tubman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-tubman/) > [Besides re-arming myself with joy, I need to know the holes in my defenses, the places where I'm vulnerable and where the enemy has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-austin/besides-re-arming-myself-with-joy-i-need-to-know-the-holes-in-my/) [Lynn Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-austin/) > [I always sort of create practical problems so that I don't have to see a film I've just done. I'm too vulnerable, too fragile.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-olin/i-always-sort-of-create-practical-problems-so-that-i-don-t-have-to/) [Lena Olin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-olin/) > [Mac OS is just as vulnerable as Microsoft Windows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-ulanoff/mac-os-is-just-as-vulnerable-as-microsoft-windows/) Lance Ulanoff > [Or so we don't think about how we're just vulnerable specks trying to survive on a violent, tumultuous planet, at the mercy of hurricanes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/or-so-we-don-t-think-about-how-we-re-just-vulnerable-specks-trying-to/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [Didn't even get that close. I'm just so vulnerable. Thats what hurts the most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/didn-t-even-get-that-close-i-m-just-so-vulnerable-thats-what-hurts/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [With my fan base, I'm just vulnerable. I'm very transparent and vulnerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cordae/with-my-fan-base-i-m-just-vulnerable-i-m-very-transparent-and/) [Cordae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cordae/) > [“If there’s anything I learned from my mother, it’s that power makes you just as vulnerable as it makes you strong. People want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-jarzab/if-there-s-anything-i-learned-from-my-mother-it-s-that-power-makes/) [Anna Jarzab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-jarzab/) > [There's something to be said about just being vulnerable. Every woman has gone through something in her life that has been an image issue,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-graham/there-s-something-to-be-said-about-just-being-vulnerable-every-woman/) [Ashley Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-graham/) > [I always thought that feminine, softer side was just too vulnerable to put out there, because then it's like you're opening up a door…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/i-always-thought-that-feminine-softer-side-was-just-too-vulnerable-to/) [Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/) > [Women know that we're not just strong. We're not just vulnerable. We are not just attractive or not attractive. We are many things at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-moss/women-know-that-we-re-not-just-strong-we-re-not-just-vulnerable-we/) [Elisabeth Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-moss/) > [Sometimes men and women have trouble with just being vulnerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-borland/sometimes-men-and-women-have-trouble-with-just-being-vulnerable/) [Chris Borland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-borland/) > [Somewhere in the world is the most invincible man. Just as somewhere is the most vulnerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/somewhere-in-the-world-is-the-most-invincible-man-just-as-somewhere/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) ## More by Stokely Carmichael > [The secret of life is to have no fear; it's the only way to function.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stokely-carmichael/the-secret-of-life-is-to-have-no-fear-it-s-the-only-way-to-function/) [Stokely Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stokely-carmichael/) > [Our grandfathers had to run, run, run. My generation's out of breath. We ain't running no more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stokely-carmichael/our-grandfathers-had-to-run-run-run-my-generation-s-out-of-breath-we/) [Stokely Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stokely-carmichael/) > [What a liberal really wants is to bring about change that will not in any way endanger his position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stokely-carmichael/what-a-liberal-really-wants-is-to-bring-about-change-that-will-not-in/) [Stokely Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stokely-carmichael/) > [Black Power can be clearly defined for those who do not attach the fears of white America to their questions about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stokely-carmichael/black-power-can-be-clearly-defined-for-those-who-do-not-attach-the/) [Stokely Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stokely-carmichael/) > [Now we maintain that we cannot be afford to be concerned about 6 percent of the children in this country, black children, who you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stokely-carmichael/now-we-maintain-that-we-cannot-be-afford-to-be-concerned-about-6/) [Stokely Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stokely-carmichael/) > [A man is born free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stokely-carmichael/a-man-is-born-free/) [Stokely Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stokely-carmichael/) > [There is a higher law than the law of government. That's the law of conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stokely-carmichael/there-is-a-higher-law-than-the-law-of-government-that-s-the-law-of/) [Stokely Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stokely-carmichael/) > [I maintain that every civil rights bill in this country was passed for white people, not for black people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stokely-carmichael/i-maintain-that-every-civil-rights-bill-in-this-country-was-passed/) [Stokely Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stokely-carmichael/) > [The first need of a free people is to define their own terms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stokely-carmichael/the-first-need-of-a-free-people-is-to-define-their-own-terms/) [Stokely Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stokely-carmichael/) > [I ain't going to jail no more. The only way we gonna stop them white men from whuppin' us is to take over. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stokely-carmichael/i-ain-t-going-to-jail-no-more-the-only-way-we-gonna-stop-them-white/) [Stokely Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stokely-carmichael/) > [“The job of the conscious is to make the unconscious conscious.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stokely-carmichael/the-job-of-the-conscious-is-to-make-the-unconscious-conscious/) [Stokely Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stokely-carmichael/) > [“Racism is both overt and covert. It takes two, closely related forms: individual whites acting against individual blacks, and acts by the total white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stokely-carmichael/racism-is-both-overt-and-covert-it-takes-two-closely-related-forms/) [Stokely Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stokely-carmichael/) > [The masses don't shed their blood for the benefit of a few individuals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stokely-carmichael/the-masses-don-t-shed-their-blood-for-the-benefit-of-a-few-individuals/) [Stokely Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stokely-carmichael/) > [The philosophers Camus and Sartre raise the question whether or not a man can condemn himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stokely-carmichael/the-philosophers-camus-and-sartre-raise-the-question-whether-or-not-a/) [Stokely Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stokely-carmichael/) > [Integration is a man's ability to want to move in there by himself. If someone wants to live in a white neighborhood and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stokely-carmichael/integration-is-a-man-s-ability-to-want-to-move-in-there-by-himself-if/) [Stokely Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stokely-carmichael/) [Explore all 47 Stokely Carmichael quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stokely-carmichael/) ## More Courage quotes > [The greatest act of courage is to be and to ownall of who you are—without apology, without excuses, without masks to cover the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-ford/the-greatest-act-of-courage-is-to-be-and-to-ownall-of-who-you-are/) [Debbie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-ford/) > [“It takes tremendous courage, persistence, and perseverance to pursue your ultimate purpose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/it-takes-tremendous-courage-persistence-and-perseverance-to-pursue/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [“Yes, the issue was courage. It always had been, even as a kid. Things scared him. He couldn't help it. Noise scared him, dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/yes-the-issue-was-courage-it-always-had-been-even-as-a-kid-things/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [Our young Marines of today are courageous, willing to make sacrifices, and are marvelous team players. I am confident our Corps, and indeed our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-conway/our-young-marines-of-today-are-courageous-willing-to-make-sacrifices/) James T. Conway > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [“Tranquillity is courage in repose. It is a statical manifestation of valor, as daring deeds are a dynamical. A truly brave man is ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inazo-nitobe/tranquillity-is-courage-in-repose-it-is-a-statical-manifestation-of/) [Inazo Nitobe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inazo-nitobe/) > [When you heed the calling of your heart, you are following your purpose. Having purpose in your life gives you the courage to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-britten/when-you-heed-the-calling-of-your-heart-you-are-following-your/) [Rhonda Britten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-britten/) > [“Of all the train, none escaped except Wamba, who showed upon the occasion much more courage than those who pretended to greater sense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-scott/of-all-the-train-none-escaped-except-wamba-who-showed-upon-the/) [Walter Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-scott/) > [The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-four-cs-of-making-dreams-come-true-curiosity-courage-consistency/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [Certainly these are not easy times. But history does not contain very many easy times. Years from now, we will look back at this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/certainly-these-are-not-easy-times-but-history-does-not-contain-very/) [Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/) > [Have the courage to go against the tide of current values that do not conform to the path of Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/have-the-courage-to-go-against-the-tide-of-current-values-that-do-not/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“There is nothing purer, braver, or more beautiful than the try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-armstrong/there-is-nothing-purer-braver-or-more-beautiful-than-the-try/) Kristen Armstrong > [“One theory on cannibals, of course, is that they eat parts of their slain enemies to benefit from that person's greatest assets - their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-powell/one-theory-on-cannibals-of-course-is-that-they-eat-parts-of-their/) [Julie Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-powell/) > [It is a tragedy that we live in a world where physical courage is so common, and moral courage is so rare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-monet/it-is-a-tragedy-that-we-live-in-a-world-where-physical-courage-is-so/) [Claude Monet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-monet/) > [I have pictures with Morimoto where I'm all embarrassed and he's so serious, it took me 30 minutes to get up the courage to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcela-valladolid/i-have-pictures-with-morimoto-where-i-m-all-embarrassed-and-he-s-so/) [Marcela Valladolid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcela-valladolid/) [Browse all 14,559 Courage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We had no more courage than Harriet Tubman or Marcus Garvey had in their times. 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