--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Strange, is it not, my brothers, how…" description: "\"Strange, is it not, my brothers, how often in America those great watchwords of human energy - 'Be strong!' 'Know thyself!' 'Hitch your wagon to a star..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ac/w-e-b-du-bois-2240_america_strange-is-it-not-my-brothers-how-often_2247309.png" --- # Strange, is it not, my brothers, how often in America… ![“Strange, is it not, my brothers, how often in America those great watchwords of human energy - 'Be strong!' 'Know thyself!' 'Hitch your wagon to a star!' - how often these die away into dim whispers when we face these seething millions of black men? And yet do they not belong to them? Are they not…” quote by W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ac/w-e-b-du-bois-2240_america_strange-is-it-not-my-brothers-how-often_2247309.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ac/w-e-b-du-bois-2240_america_strange-is-it-not-my-brothers-how-often_2247309.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ac/w-e-b-du-bois-2240_america_strange-is-it-not-my-brothers-how-often_2247309.png) > “Strange, is it not, my brothers, how often in America those great watchwords of human energy - 'Be strong!' 'Know thyself!' 'Hitch your wagon to a star!' - how often these die away into dim whispers when we face these seething millions of black men? And yet do they not belong to them? Are they not their heritage as well as yours?” [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. The quote highlights the paradox of lofty ideals being ignored when confronting massive Black populations, questioning who truly owns those aspirations. **In simple terms:** Great ideals often fade when faced with harsh realities. Key Takeaway Recognize and uphold ideals for all people. Themes justice identity heritage inequality hope Mood reflective critical hopeful Type philosophical social commentary When to use this quote - civil rights activism - educational curricula - community organizing - public policy - media representation Key Concepts American history racial dynamics collective memory Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure universal ideals are truly inclusive? - What barriers prevent ideals from reaching marginalized groups? A Different Perspective The quote may overlook the agency of Black people to define their own aspirations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Black Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-men-275532/) [Brothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brothers/) [Brothers America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brothers-america-5118541/) [Energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy/) [Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great/) [Heritage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heritage/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men Belong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-belong-3012557/) [Millions Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/millions-black-3685586/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) ## Related quotes > [Look for me in the whirlwind or the storm, look for me all around you, for, with God's grace, I shall come and bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/look-for-me-in-the-whirlwind-or-the-storm-look-for-me-all-around-you/) [Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/) > [“I believe men belong in the garage, because that’s where the dog food is stored. 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I've had girlfriends, family members comment on black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanaa-lathan/people-are-going-to-always-have-their-opinions-whether-you-date-a/) [Sanaa Lathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanaa-lathan/) > [Jefferson Pierce is the epitome of what black men are: He loves his wife, his children, and the community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salim-akil/jefferson-pierce-is-the-epitome-of-what-black-men-are-he-loves-his/) [Salim Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salim-akil/) > [For a long time, images of black men with big lips and a round head were used to make us feel inferior, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/for-a-long-time-images-of-black-men-with-big-lips-and-a-round-head/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) ## 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/) > [If there is anybody in this land who thoroughly believes that the meek shall inherit the earth they have not often let their presence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/if-there-is-anybody-in-this-land-who-thoroughly-believes-that-the/) [W. E. B. 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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. 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