--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think I was drawn to black culture by…" description: "\"I think I was drawn to black culture by the same things that have been drawing the entire world to it since the days of Richard Wright, Josephine Baker..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/013/thomas-chatterton-williams-673_black-culture_i-think-i-was-drawn-to-black-culture-by_1995442.jpg" --- # I think I was drawn to black culture by the same things… ![“I think I was drawn to black culture by the same things that have been drawing the entire world to it since the days of Richard Wright, Josephine Baker and Louis Armstrong. This culture is original, potent and seductive.” quote by Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/013/thomas-chatterton-williams-673_black-culture_i-think-i-was-drawn-to-black-culture-by_1995442.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/013/thomas-chatterton-williams-673_black-culture_i-think-i-was-drawn-to-black-culture-by_1995442.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/013/thomas-chatterton-williams-673_black-culture_i-think-i-was-drawn-to-black-culture-by_1995442.jpg) > “I think I was drawn to black culture by the same things that have been drawing the entire world to it since the days of Richard Wright, Josephine Baker and Louis Armstrong. This culture is original, potent and seductive.” [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Black culture's universal appeal stems from its originality, power, and allure, shaping global artistic expression. **In simple terms:** Black culture inspires worldwide. Key Takeaway Recognize and respect its influence. Themes culture inspiration identity Mood thoughtful analytical Type cultural social When to use this quote - music appreciation - historical study - creative collaboration Key Concepts artistic expression social impact Questions to Reflect On - How do we honor rather than exploit? - What responsibilities come with admiration? A Different Perspective Risk of cultural appropriation without understanding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-culture/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“During the racial confrontations of the 1960s, An American Dilemma encountered rising criticism from activists and scholars who disputed Myrdal's optimism about white liberalism,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-patterson/during-the-racial-confrontations-of-the-1960s-an-american-dilemma/) [James T. Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-patterson/) > [Until black culture as a whole is effectively disentangled from the python-grip of hip-hop, and by extension the street, we are not going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/until-black-culture-as-a-whole-is-effectively-disentangled-from-the/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [In 'Losing My Cool,' I argue repeatedly that it is a terrible lie, which has been foisted on us and sold to us for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/in-losing-my-cool-i-argue-repeatedly-that-it-is-a-terrible-lie-which/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [One day, I'd like to tackle a biopic. I grew up very influenced by Josephine Baker, Billie Holiday, and Nina Simone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zazie-beetz/one-day-i-d-like-to-tackle-a-biopic-i-grew-up-very-influenced-by/) [Zazie Beetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zazie-beetz/) > [I want to live in Paris for a couple of years. I'm dying to do the Josephine Baker story. I really want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-ross/i-want-to-live-in-paris-for-a-couple-of-years-i-m-dying-to-do-the/) [Diana Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-ross/) > [...It looked very different from the Statue of Liberty, but what did that matter? What was the good of having the statue without the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-baker/it-looked-very-different-from-the-statue-of-liberty-but-what-did-that/) [Josephine Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-baker/) > [It was so strange. I knew that Josephine Baker had performed on the same stage but that night I felt it. Many of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/latoya-jackson/it-was-so-strange-i-knew-that-josephine-baker-had-performed-on-the/) [LaToya Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/latoya-jackson/) > [What I'm doing now is having people with and around me to build what other designers built before - like Pierre Balmain with Josephine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-rousteing/what-i-m-doing-now-is-having-people-with-and-around-me-to-build-what/) [Olivier Rousteing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-rousteing/) > [“ ‘Guys’?” Doucet asked. “I saw three members of l’Académie.” “Um, Provost?” “Prévost?” “That’s it.” “I’ll contact him. She also spent some time with Josephine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-r-king/guys-doucet-asked-i-saw-three-members-of-l-acad-mie-um-provost-pr/) [Laurie R. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-r-king/) > [I just think Josephine Baker life story needs to be done. I think she was an extraordinary woman. To see someone who was basically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-ross/i-just-think-josephine-baker-life-story-needs-to-be-done-i-think-she/) [Diana Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-ross/) > [Josephine Baker is such an iconic woman that once you've touched her and she has touched you, it never goes away. I'm stuck with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-whitfield/josephine-baker-is-such-an-iconic-woman-that-once-you-ve-touched-her/) [Lynn Whitfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-whitfield/) > [ Designing the prints was very much like writing a story with characters, \[inspired by\] some of my my favorite icons of the time: Eva… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-moretti/designing-the-prints-was-very-much-like-writing-a-story-with/) [Mia Moretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-moretti/) > [“The things we truly love stay with us always, locked in our hearts as long as life remains.”  -Josephine Baker”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittainy-c-cherry/the-things-we-truly-love-stay-with-us-always-locked-in-our-hearts-as/) [Brittainy C. Cherry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittainy-c-cherry/) > [“Richard Wright, a Mississippi-born negro, has written a blinding and corrosive study in hate. It is a novel entitled "Native Son".”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-l-cohn/richard-wright-a-mississippi-born-negro-has-written-a-blinding-and/) David L. Cohn > [Mine is, after all, the generation that had come to maturity drinking in the forebodings of the Silones, Koestlers, and Richard Wrights. It had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-hansberry/mine-is-after-all-the-generation-that-had-come-to-maturity-drinking/) [Lorraine Hansberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-hansberry/) ## More by Thomas Chatterton Williams > [Pent-up white racism did fire Mr. Trump's candidacy, and he happily fanned the flames.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/pent-up-white-racism-did-fire-mr-trump-s-candidacy-and-he-happily/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [I do think that some form of reparations for the descendants of American slavery would go a long way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/i-do-think-that-some-form-of-reparations-for-the-descendants-of/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [The ideal post-Trump politician will, at the very least, be a deeply serious figure with a strong record of public service behind her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/the-ideal-post-trump-politician-will-at-the-very-least-be-a-deeply/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [I think that unlearning race for black people is more along the lines of seriously saying blackness isn't real, race isn't real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/i-think-that-unlearning-race-for-black-people-is-more-along-the-lines/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [If the idea of separate human races is a mistake to begin with, then monoracial forms of identification are fictitious and counterproductive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/if-the-idea-of-separate-human-races-is-a-mistake-to-begin-with-then/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [Paris has long been a palimpsest of different cities, each new iteration grafted on top of the still visible last, spanning the extremes of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/paris-has-long-been-a-palimpsest-of-different-cities-each-new/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [I've been socially deemed black in America, and this is a category that's been hurting my family for generations and that has also led…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/i-ve-been-socially-deemed-black-in-america-and-this-is-a-category/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [The French, whose fascination with 19th-century Japanese painting and decorative art led them to coin the term 'Japonisme,' have reciprocated the interest, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/the-french-whose-fascination-with-19th-century-japanese-painting-and/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [White people have basically been encouraged for most of recent history in America to think of themselves as outside of race. White people do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/white-people-have-basically-been-encouraged-for-most-of-recent/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [Well, I think that hip-hop is not just a music. It's really a culture and it's a way of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/well-i-think-that-hip-hop-is-not-just-a-music-it-s-really-a-culture/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [I had the benefit, I'll say it, of coming up behind my brother and seeing what he went through and just simply trying do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/i-had-the-benefit-i-ll-say-it-of-coming-up-behind-my-brother-and/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [It is mind-blowing to pause and think that a film as forward-facing and potent as 'Do the Right Thing' was released the same year…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/it-is-mind-blowing-to-pause-and-think-that-a-film-as-forward-facing/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [I write a lot about race precisely because I don't believe it's real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/i-write-a-lot-about-race-precisely-because-i-don-t-believe-it-s-real/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [If the first year of the Trump administration has made anything clear, it's that experience, knowledge, education and political wisdom matter tremendously. Governing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/if-the-first-year-of-the-trump-administration-has-made-anything-clear/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [Traveling through France in regular times, for better or worse, I am simply perceived as an American.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/traveling-through-france-in-regular-times-for-better-or-worse-i-am/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) [Explore all 98 Thomas Chatterton Williams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) ## More Black quotes > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. 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We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) Frank B. 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