--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If there is anybody in this land who…" description: "\"If there is anybody in this land who thoroughly believes that the meek shall inherit the earth they have not often let their presence be known.\" — W. E..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b6/w-e-b-du-bois-2240_earth_if-there-is-anybody-in-this-land-who-tho_29622.png" --- # If there is anybody in this land who thoroughly believes… ![“If there is anybody in this land who thoroughly believes that the meek shall inherit the earth they have not often let their presence be known.” quote by W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b6/w-e-b-du-bois-2240_earth_if-there-is-anybody-in-this-land-who-tho_29622.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b6/w-e-b-du-bois-2240_earth_if-there-is-anybody-in-this-land-who-tho_29622.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b6/w-e-b-du-bois-2240_earth_if-there-is-anybody-in-this-land-who-tho_29622.png) > “If there is anybody in this land who thoroughly believes that the meek shall inherit the earth they have not often let their presence be known.” [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Critiques the passive expectation that humility alone will bring justice, urging active engagement instead of silent acceptance. **In simple terms:** Calls for visible action over quiet belief. Key Takeaway Passivity hinders change. Themes social justice activism power dynamics moral agency historical critique Mood defiant inspirational Type political philosophical When to use this quote - civil rights movements - community organizing - political advocacy - grassroots campaigns Key Concepts meekness inheritance visibility social change Practical Applications - motivational speeches - educational curricula Questions to Reflect On - How does silence affect progress? - What alternatives to meekness exist? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Humility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) ## Related quotes > [The meek shall inherit the earth. They won't have the nerve to refuse it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-vernon/the-meek-shall-inherit-the-earth-they-won-t-have-the-nerve-to-refuse/) Jackie Vernon > [“The meek shall inherit the Earth, but the mighty shall inherit the universe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/the-meek-shall-inherit-the-earth-but-the-mighty-shall-inherit-the/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [The meek shall inherit the earth - a 6 foot plot above them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/the-meek-shall-inherit-the-earth-a-6-foot-plot-above-them/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [The meek shall inherit the earth. The rest of us are going to the stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-diamandis/the-meek-shall-inherit-the-earth-the-rest-of-us-are-going-to-the-stars/) [Peter Diamandis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-diamandis/) > [The meek shall inherit the earth, but they'll never increase market share.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-g-mcgowan/the-meek-shall-inherit-the-earth-but-they-ll-never-increase-market/) William G. McGowan > [Pity the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-marquis/pity-the-meek-for-they-shall-inherit-the-earth/) [Don Marquis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-marquis/) > [“Meek shall inherit the earth? The earth shall inherit the meek.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-vasquez-das-racist/meek-shall-inherit-the-earth-the-earth-shall-inherit-the-meek/) Victor Vasquez -Das Racist > [And the meek shall inherit the earth,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geddy-lee/and-the-meek-shall-inherit-the-earth/) [Geddy Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geddy-lee/) > [“The meek shall inherit the Earth. The rest of us will have gone to the stars. Gary Gentile”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-carl-weiler/the-meek-shall-inherit-the-earth-the-rest-of-us-will-have-gone-to-the/) Roy Carl Weiler > [The meek shall inherit the Earth, but not its mineral rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-paul-getty/the-meek-shall-inherit-the-earth-but-not-its-mineral-rights/) [J. Paul Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-paul-getty/) > [The militant not the meek shall inherit the earth!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-jones/the-militant-not-the-meek-shall-inherit-the-earth/) Mother Jones > [“the meek who shall inherit the earth; for those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-meek-who-shall-inherit-the-earth-for-those-who-take-up-the-sword/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“Then, my son, when the strong have devoured each other, the Christian ethic may at last be fulfilled, and the meek shall inherit the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hilton/then-my-son-when-the-strong-have-devoured-each-other-the-christian/) [James Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hilton/) > [“We are told that "the meek shall inherit the earth." It follows that the meek are chosen of God. I shall try to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-brunner/we-are-told-that-the-meek-shall-inherit-the-earth-it-follows-that-the/) [John Brunner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-brunner/) > [Beware the meek ... for we shall attempt to inherit the Earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/beware-the-meek-for-we-shall-attempt-to-inherit-the-earth/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) ## More by W. E. B. Du Bois > [So often do you see collegians enter life with high resolve and lofty purpose and then watch them shrink and shrink to sordid, selfish,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/so-often-do-you-see-collegians-enter-life-with-high-resolve-and-lofty/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [As a race, the Negroes are not lazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/as-a-race-the-negroes-are-not-lazy/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [Men we shall have only as we make manhood the object of the work of the schools - intelligence, broad sympathy, knowledge of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/men-we-shall-have-only-as-we-make-manhood-the-object-of-the-work-of/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [Had it not been for the race problem early thrust upon me and enveloping me, I should have probably been an unquestioning worshipper at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/had-it-not-been-for-the-race-problem-early-thrust-upon-me-and/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [Before and after emancipation, the Negro, in self-defense, was propelled toward the white employer. The endowments of wealthy white men have developed great institutions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/before-and-after-emancipation-the-negro-in-self-defense-was-propelled/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [The use of slave women as day workers naturally broke up or made impossible the normal Negro home, and this and the slave code…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/the-use-of-slave-women-as-day-workers-naturally-broke-up-or-made/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [Before the Civil War, the Negro was certainly as efficient a workman as the raw immigrant from Ireland or Germany. But, whereas the Irishmen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/before-the-civil-war-the-negro-was-certainly-as-efficient-a-workman/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [All art is propaganda, and ever must be, despite the wailing of the purists. I stand in utter shamelessness and say that whatever art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/all-art-is-propaganda-and-ever-must-be-despite-the-wailing-of-the/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [The ruling of men is the effort to direct the individual actions of many persons toward some end. This end theoretically should be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/the-ruling-of-men-is-the-effort-to-direct-the-individual-actions-of/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [Education is that whole system of human training within and without the school house walls, which molds and develops men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/education-is-that-whole-system-of-human-training-within-and-without/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [As Negro voting increased, Congress got an improved sense of hearing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/as-negro-voting-increased-congress-got-an-improved-sense-of-hearing/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [From the day of its birth, the anomaly of slavery plagued a nation which asserted the equality of all men, and sought to derive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/from-the-day-of-its-birth-the-anomaly-of-slavery-plagued-a-nation/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [It is the stars, it is the ancient stars, it is the young and everlasting stars!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/it-is-the-stars-it-is-the-ancient-stars-it-is-the-young-and/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [It is a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at one's self through the eyes of others, of measuring one's soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/it-is-a-peculiar-sensation-this-double-consciousness-this-sense-of/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [My great-grandfather fought with the Colonial Army in New England in the American Revolution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/my-great-grandfather-fought-with-the-colonial-army-in-new-england-in/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) [Explore all 177 W. E. B. Du Bois quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) ## More Earth quotes > [There is something more important than any ultimate weapon. That is the ultimate position-the position of total control over Earth that lies somewhere out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/there-is-something-more-important-than-any-ultimate-weapon-that-is/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [“The global population of Earth are involved in the following corporate government experiments: The long term effects of - 1. Nuclear bomb fallout radiation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-global-population-of-earth-are-involved-in-the-following/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [Give me strength to walk the soft earth, a relative to all that is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/give-me-strength-to-walk-the-soft-earth-a-relative-to-all-that-is/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [Set NOT your hearts on the flowers of this world. They shall fade and die. Prize the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/set-not-your-hearts-on-the-flowers-of-this-world-they-shall-fade-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Then all this earth shines like one house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramana-maharshi/then-all-this-earth-shines-like-one-house/) [Ramana Maharshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramana-maharshi/) > [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [When man of slender visits you / Nothing on earth that one can do / In well he’ll hide, or watery hole / And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-goldstein/when-man-of-slender-visits-you-nothing-on-earth-that-one-can-do-in/) [Jack Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-goldstein/) > [Cities are 2% of the earth's crust, but they are 50% of the world's population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlo-ratti/cities-are-2-of-the-earth-s-crust-but-they-are-50-of-the-world-s/) [Carlo Ratti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlo-ratti/) > [This, at last, was where things were as they ought to be. Everything was in its place -- the tree, the earth underneath, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-liedloff/this-at-last-was-where-things-were-as-they-ought-to-be-everything-was/) [Jean Liedloff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-liedloff/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. 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