History Quote by Ta-Nehisi Coates
““The question is not whether Lincoln truly meant “government of the people” but what our country has, throughout its history, taken the political term “people” to actually mean. In 1863 it did not mean your mother or your grandmother, and it did not mean you and me. Thus America’s problem is not its betrayal of “government of the people,” but the means by which “the people” acquired their names. This””
About This Quote
Source Speech: The Atlantic Interview, 2020
The phrase “government of the people” has historically excluded many groups, so the problem lies in how “people” is defined, not the ideal itself.
In simple terms: The definition of “people” has been narrow, causing exclusion.
Key Takeaway
Examine and broaden who we consider “people.”
Themes
politics
history
identity
inclusion
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
analytical
political
When to use this quote
- policy debates
- education curricula
- community organizing
- media analysis
Key Concepts
democracy
representation
social contract
Questions to Reflect On
- Who is excluded by current definitions?
- How can we redefine “people” inclusively?
A Different Perspective
Changing definitions can be politically contentious.
![“[Winning the White House was an achievement], but as an African-American, [Barack Obama], I think the symbolism is in how he conducted himself. The symbolism was in - and this sounds really, really small, but it's actually big for African-Americans - the symbolism was not in being an…” quote by Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/5dc/ta-nehisi-coates-733_achievement_winning-the-white-house-was-an-achieveme_47651.jpg)
![“[Grew up in Hawaii] that gave [Barack Obama] a kind of optimism, an ability to see things, you know, and frankly, an ability to trust, you know, in his fellow, you know, white countrymen in a way that I, for instance, you know, and the vast majority of black people I know never really could.” quote by Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/feb/ta-nehisi-coates-733_ability_grew-up-in-hawaii-that-gave-barack-obama_75931.jpg)
