--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the U.S., African- Americans, no…" description: "\"In the U.S., African- Americans, no matter what we do - when we sit in, when we freedom ride, when we kneel in, whatever it is, the initial response fr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/463/van-jones-984_african-americans_in-the-u-s-african-americans-no-matter-w_1121905.jpg" --- # In the U.S., African- Americans, no matter what we do… ![“In the U.S., African- Americans, no matter what we do - when we sit in, when we freedom ride, when we kneel in, whatever it is, the initial response from the public tends to be overwhelmingly negative, because basically we're kind of raining on folks' parades. As time goes on, the Muhammad Ali's…” quote by Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/463/van-jones-984_african-americans_in-the-u-s-african-americans-no-matter-w_1121905.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/463/van-jones-984_african-americans_in-the-u-s-african-americans-no-matter-w_1121905.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/463/van-jones-984_african-americans_in-the-u-s-african-americans-no-matter-w_1121905.jpg) > “In the U.S., African- Americans, no matter what we do - when we sit in, when we freedom ride, when we kneel in, whatever it is, the initial response from the public tends to be overwhelmingly negative, because basically we're kind of raining on folks' parades. As time goes on, the Muhammad Ali's and all the people that raised those issues, they then become heroes later when people reflect on the courage they showed and the issues that they raised. And Donald Trump is in danger of being a more and more reviled figure as the years go on.” [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Public backlash often follows early activism, but over time society may re‑evaluate and celebrate those who challenged norms. **In simple terms:** Early protest is often unpopular but can become heroic later. Key Takeaway Expect initial resistance, stay resilient. Themes activism public perception historical revisionism Mood defiant hopeful Type historical inspirational When to use this quote - civil rights protests - political dissent - social media campaigns Key Concepts social change heroism media framing Questions to Reflect On - How do you sustain momentum when faced with hostility? - What factors turn a vilified figure into a hero? A Different Perspective Not all negative reactions fade; some become entrenched. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [African americans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-americans/) [Danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) [Muhammad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/muhammad/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Rain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rain/) ## Related quotes > [Trump has raised the very issues I raised in the early '90s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/trump-has-raised-the-very-issues-i-raised-in-the-early-90s/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [ I got \[Muhammad Ali's boxing shorts\] for $40 at an auction. Nobody wanted them. I have them framed in my house. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/i-got-muhammad-ali-s-boxing-shorts-for-40-at-an-auction-nobody-wanted/) [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) > [Shaq and Muhammad Ali's my favorite two athletes of all time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martellus-bennett/shaq-and-muhammad-ali-s-my-favorite-two-athletes-of-all-time/) [Martellus Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martellus-bennett/) > [My stuff is direct. Critics have compared my writing style with boxing all the way back to 1978 when my first book of essays…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/my-stuff-is-direct-critics-have-compared-my-writing-style-with-boxing/) [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) > [Bernie Sanders deserves a lot of credit because he has raised issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hickenlooper/bernie-sanders-deserves-a-lot-of-credit-because-he-has-raised-issues/) [John Hickenlooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hickenlooper/) > [The problem is that you can't impose the church's teachings on all Americans as a matter of law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/the-problem-is-that-you-can-t-impose-the-church-s-teachings-on-all/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [It is paramount that we take control of the story behind our movement, which is that we seek equality for all Americans, no matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-reid/it-is-paramount-that-we-take-control-of-the-story-behind-our-movement/) [Eric Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-reid/) > [“The task at hand is not about securing the goodness of the American Idea or about perfecting the union. It is about according dignity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-s-glaude-jr/the-task-at-hand-is-not-about-securing-the-goodness-of-the-american/) [Eddie S. Glaude Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-s-glaude-jr/) > [McGregor is taking Muhammad Ali's model. He can say whatever he wants but he's got to prove it. If he doesn't prove it, his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/royce-gracie/mcgregor-is-taking-muhammad-ali-s-model-he-can-say-whatever-he-wants/) [Royce Gracie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/royce-gracie/) > [The environmental assessment should give us the answers to all the issues that have been raised: potential lead migration, endangered species, noise abatement and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-hall/the-environmental-assessment-should-give-us-the-answers-to-all-the/) [Steven Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-hall/) > [I absolutely believe that a lot of the issues raised in 'Amped' about technology migrating into our bodies are issues that we're really going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-wilson/i-absolutely-believe-that-a-lot-of-the-issues-raised-in-amped-about/) [Daniel H. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-wilson/) > [The guidelines say all the right things, ... They address all the issues that were raised as problems at the Air Force Academy. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-foxman/the-guidelines-say-all-the-right-things-they-address-all-the-issues/) [Abraham Foxman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-foxman/) > [ There are, however, those who have called the book \[The Kite Runner\] divisive and objected to some of the issues raised in the book,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/there-are-however-those-who-have-called-the-book-the-kite-runner/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [I would not advise people who feel strongly or are concerned about some of the issues that have been raised during the course of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-would-not-advise-people-who-feel-strongly-or-are-concerned-about/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [There are very important and practical issues raised by following this alternative route which says, let's look to material conditions, to the systems of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-harris/there-are-very-important-and-practical-issues-raised-by-following/) [Marvin Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-harris/) ## More by Van Jones > [Right now, the government is spending billions of dollars supporting the problem-makers in the U.S. economy - the polluters, despoilers, incarcerators, and warmongers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/right-now-the-government-is-spending-billions-of-dollars-supporting/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [ If \[Donald\] Trump throws 20 million off of health care, that's going to be - if he handles this badly - and it's very… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/if-donald-trump-throws-20-million-off-of-health-care-that-s-going-to/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [America should be leading the world in green and clean solutions, and human rights. We shouldn't be leading the world in wars and incarceration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/america-should-be-leading-the-world-in-green-and-clean-solutions-and/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [ I learned more in those six months \[ in the White House\] than in the prior six years. I don't think that anybody who… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/i-learned-more-in-those-six-months-in-the-white-house-than-in-the/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [Most green-collar jobs are middle-skill jobs. That means they require more education that a high-school diploma, but less than a four-year degree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/most-green-collar-jobs-are-middle-skill-jobs-that-means-they-require/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [The problem that we have is that most Americans don't even study American history, let alone Pinochet, Mussolini, Hitler, Stalin and all these guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/the-problem-that-we-have-is-that-most-americans-don-t-even-study/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [ \[Donald Trump\] is a horrible human being, but he ain't worse than Bull Connor. Fannie Lou loved Bull Connor and beat Bull Connor because… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/donald-trump-is-a-horrible-human-being-but-he-ain-t-worse-than-bull/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [The government built the grid to favor one industry over others. But I don't hear any conservatives screaming about that. Folks don't understand that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/the-government-built-the-grid-to-favor-one-industry-over-others-but-i/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [Keith Ellison is an organizer's organizer.He's one of the only Muslims in Congress, so you have a big statement there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/keith-ellison-is-an-organizer-s-organizer-he-s-one-of-the-only/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [Everybody should be mad but anger only takes you so far. At some point, you'll have outrage fatigue and burn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/everybody-should-be-mad-but-anger-only-takes-you-so-far-at-some-point/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [We have to accept that some very toxic stuff was marbled into the Trump phenomenon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/we-have-to-accept-that-some-very-toxic-stuff-was-marbled-into-the/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [All the big ideas for getting us onto a lower carbon trajectory involve a lot of people doing a lot of work, and that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/all-the-big-ideas-for-getting-us-onto-a-lower-carbon-trajectory/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [I'm the guy that's trying to break up that monopoly to introduce free enterprise and competition to the energy sector.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/i-m-the-guy-that-s-trying-to-break-up-that-monopoly-to-introduce-free/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [I think that America could not become America until it dealt with the disenfranchisement of women and African Americans in the last century. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/i-think-that-america-could-not-become-america-until-it-dealt-with-the/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [I'm learning and changing all the time, and I expect to continue doing so my entire life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/i-m-learning-and-changing-all-the-time-and-i-expect-to-continue-doing/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) [Explore all 314 Van Jones quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) ## More African americans quotes > [In a lot of movies, African-Americans are either maids or slaves, but that's not all they were. We need to show that. And we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-schroeder/in-a-lot-of-movies-african-americans-are-either-maids-or-slaves-but/) [Allison Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-schroeder/) > [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/) > [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/) > [“Alabama in 1927 alone, 27,701 men were arrested on misdemeanor charges and offered for sale by county sheriffs. In Blackmon’s estimation, “roughly half of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-haney-l-pez/alabama-in-1927-alone-27-701-men-were-arrested-on-misdemeanor-charges/) [Ian Haney López](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-haney-l-pez/) > [For people of color - especially African Americans - the idea that racist cops might frame members of their community is no abstract notion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/for-people-of-color-especially-african-americans-the-idea-that-racist/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [“He (Zerubavel) draws attention to the social influences on perception (what people notice), attention and concern (what people care about), classification (how people categorize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-griswold/he-zerubavel-draws-attention-to-the-social-influences-on-perception/) [Wendy Griswold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-griswold/) > [To those African-Americans suffering in our country, I say, what do you have to lose? Vote for Trump, I'm going to fix it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/to-those-african-americans-suffering-in-our-country-i-say-what-do-you/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Affirmative action was designed to recognize the uniquely difficult journey of African-Americans. This policy was justifiable and understandable, even to those who came from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-webb/affirmative-action-was-designed-to-recognize-the-uniquely-difficult/) [Jim Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-webb/) > [“The black officer checks Daddy while his partner glances around at all of the onlookers. There's quite a few of us now. Ms. Yvette…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/the-black-officer-checks-daddy-while-his-partner-glances-around-at/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [African Americans are doing a lot already, but I think we have an opportunity right now to change politics in a way that will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-beckmann/african-americans-are-doing-a-lot-already-but-i-think-we-have-an/) [David Beckmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-beckmann/) > [The uncomfortable reality we must face is that California, like the nation as a whole, has treated generations of African Americans and Latinos as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/the-uncomfortable-reality-we-must-face-is-that-california-like-the/) [Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/) > [Since the nations founding, African Americans repeatedly have been controlled through institutions such as slavery and Jim Crow, which appear to die but then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/since-the-nations-founding-african-americans-repeatedly-have-been/) [Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/) > [You take a look at the history of African Americans in the US. There's been about thirty years of relative freedom. There was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/you-take-a-look-at-the-history-of-african-americans-in-the-us-there-s/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Michael Schultz's 'Cooley High' is a classic. Oftentimes, we don't get to see films about coming of age, especially for young African Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salim-akil/michael-schultz-s-cooley-high-is-a-classic-oftentimes-we-don-t-get-to/) [Salim Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salim-akil/) > [As African-Americans, we don't start with a blank slate, while other people may. In our position, there's always some sort of stereotype that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xavier-woods/as-african-americans-we-don-t-start-with-a-blank-slate-while-other/) [Xavier Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xavier-woods/) [Browse all 593 African americans quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-americans/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In the U.S., African- Americans, no matter what we do - when we sit in, when we freedom ride, when we kneel in, whatever it is, the initial response from the public tends to be overwhelmingly negative, because basically we're kind of raining on folks' parades. As time goes on, the Muhammad Ali's and all the people that raised those issues, they then become heroes later when people reflect on the courage they showed and the issues that they raised. And Donald Trump is in danger of being a more and more reviled figure as the years go on.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Van Jones" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/in-the-u-s-african-americans-no-matter-what-we-do-when-we-sit-in-when/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "African americans" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/in-the-u-s-african-americans-no-matter-what-we-do-when-we-sit-in-when/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/463/van-jones-984_african-americans_in-the-u-s-african-americans-no-matter-w_1121905.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/463/van-jones-984_african-americans_in-the-u-s-african-americans-no-matter-w_1121905.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/463/van-jones-984_african-americans_in-the-u-s-african-americans-no-matter-w_1121905.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In the U.S., African- Americans, no matter what we do - when we sit in, when we freedom ride, when we kneel…” — Van Jones", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Van Jones", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In the U.S., African- Americans, no...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/in-the-u-s-african-americans-no-matter-what-we-do-when-we-sit-in-when/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/in-the-u-s-african-americans-no-matter-what-we-do-when-we-sit-in-when/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```