--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Black is beautiful when it is a slum kid…" description: "\"Black is beautiful when it is a slum kid studying to enter college, when it is a man learning new skills for a new job, or a slum mother battling to gi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/whitney-m-young-34161_beautiful_black-is-beautiful-when-it-is-a-slum-kid_2097463.png" --- # Black is beautiful when it is a slum kid studying to enter… ![“Black is beautiful when it is a slum kid studying to enter college, when it is a man learning new skills for a new job, or a slum mother battling to give her kids a chance for a better life. But white is beautiful, too, when it helps change society to make our system work for black people also…” quote by Whitney M. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/whitney-m-young-34161_beautiful_black-is-beautiful-when-it-is-a-slum-kid_2097463.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/whitney-m-young-34161_beautiful_black-is-beautiful-when-it-is-a-slum-kid_2097463.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/whitney-m-young-34161_beautiful_black-is-beautiful-when-it-is-a-slum-kid_2097463.png) > “Black is beautiful when it is a slum kid studying to enter college, when it is a man learning new skills for a new job, or a slum mother battling to give her kids a chance for a better life. But white is beautiful, too, when it helps change society to make our system work for black people also. White is ugly when it oppresses blacks-and so is black ugly when black people exploit other blacks. No race has a monopoly on vice or virtue, and the worth of an individual is not related to the color of his skin.” [Whitney M. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-m-young/) ## 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 argues that moral value is independent of race; both black and white can be virtuous or vicious, and individuals should be judged by character, not skin color. **In simple terms:** Character matters, not skin color. Key Takeaway Judge people by actions, not race. Themes eity justice equality racism character Mood hopeful critical inspirational Type aphilosophical motivational When to use this quote - education reform - employment training - community empowerment - policy advocacy Key Concepts Moral philosophy social critique human dignity Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure policies truly benefit marginalized groups? - What personal biases must we confront? A Different Perspective Racism can persist despite good intentions; systemic change is slow. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Better life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-life/) [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Black Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-beautiful-421060/) [Black is beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-is-beautiful/) [Black people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-people/) [Black Ugly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-ugly-3489824/) [Blacks Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blacks-black-4175422/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Color](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/color/) [Diversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diversity/) [Exploits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exploits/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Learning new](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning-new/) [Learning new skills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning-new-skills/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Monopoly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monopoly/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [New job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-job/) [New skills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-skills/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Related](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/related/) [Skills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skills/) [Skins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skins/) [Slums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slums/) [Social justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-justice/) [Study](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/study/) [Ugly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ugly/) [Ugly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ugly-black-4175421/) [Vices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vices/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white/) ## Related quotes > [Black is beautiful when it is a slum kid studying to enter college, when it is a man learning new skills for a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-m-young/black-is-beautiful-when-it-is-a-slum-kid-studying-to-enter-college/) [Whitney M. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-m-young/) > [“Never let anyone tell you, your Black is not beautiful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/habeeb-akande/never-let-anyone-tell-you-your-black-is-not-beautiful/) [Habeeb Akande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/habeeb-akande/) > [“Her black is beautiful, his society is ugly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/habeeb-akande/her-black-is-beautiful-his-society-is-ugly/) [Habeeb Akande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/habeeb-akande/) > [It isn't a matter of black is beautiful as much as it is white is not all that's beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cosby/it-isn-t-a-matter-of-black-is-beautiful-as-much-as-it-is-white-is-not/) [Bill Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cosby/) > [From a very young age, I felt a spiritual, visceral, instinctual connection with 'black is beautiful.' Just the black experience and wanting to celebrate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-dolezal/from-a-very-young-age-i-felt-a-spiritual-visceral-instinctual/) [Rachel Dolezal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-dolezal/) > [Our noses are broad, our lips are thick, our hair is nappy-we are black and beautiful!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stokely-carmichael/our-noses-are-broad-our-lips-are-thick-our-hair-is-nappy-we-are-black/) [Stokely Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stokely-carmichael/) > [We weren't pushing Black is beautiful. We just showed it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunham/we-weren-t-pushing-black-is-beautiful-we-just-showed-it/) [Katherine Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunham/) > [Black is beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/black-is-beautiful/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you say 'Black is beautiful' you are saying, 'Man you are okay as you are, begin to look upon yourself as a human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/when-you-say-black-is-beautiful-you-are-saying-man-you-are-okay-as/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [We encourage women to become mentors within their communities in order to teach young girls how to thrive in this society. It's a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasha-smith/we-encourage-women-to-become-mentors-within-their-communities-in/) [Tasha Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasha-smith/) > [Yeah, I make fun of blacks, and why not? I'm not a black.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/yeah-i-make-fun-of-blacks-and-why-not-i-m-not-a-black/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [Somebody told a lie one day. They couched it in language. They made everything Black ugly and evil. Look in your dictionaries and see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somebody-told-a-lie-one-day-they-couched-it-in-language-they-made/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I was called everything ugly and black in the world. Man, those where some tough times. They called me Fat Albert, Magilla Gorilla, black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-henry/i-was-called-everything-ugly-and-black-in-the-world-man-those-where/) [Mark Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-henry/) > [I'm pore, I'm black, I may be ugly and can't cook, a voice say to everything listening. But I'm here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-m-pore-i-m-black-i-may-be-ugly-and-can-t-cook-a-voice-say-to/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [black isn't beautiful and it isn't ugly - black is! It's not kinky hair and it's not straight hair - it just is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-naylor/black-isn-t-beautiful-and-it-isn-t-ugly-black-is-it-s-not-kinky-hair/) [Gloria Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-naylor/) ## More by Whitney M. Young > [Support the strong, give courage to the timid, remind the indifferent, and warn the opposed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-m-young/support-the-strong-give-courage-to-the-timid-remind-the-indifferent/) [Whitney M. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-m-young/) > [Black is beautiful when it is a slum kid studying to enter college, when it is a man learning new skills for a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-m-young/black-is-beautiful-when-it-is-a-slum-kid-studying-to-enter-college/) [Whitney M. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-m-young/) > [Black Power simply means: Look at me, I'm here. I have dignity. I have pride. I have roots. I insist, I demand that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-m-young/black-power-simply-means-look-at-me-i-m-here-i-have-dignity-i-have/) [Whitney M. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-m-young/) > [Our ability to create has outreached our ability to use wisely the products of our invention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-m-young/our-ability-to-create-has-outreached-our-ability-to-use-wisely-the/) [Whitney M. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-m-young/) > [The unhealthy gap between what we preach in America and what we often practice creates a moral dry rot that eats at the very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-m-young/the-unhealthy-gap-between-what-we-preach-in-america-and-what-we-often/) [Whitney M. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-m-young/) > [You don’t get black power by chanting it. You get it by doing what the other groups have done. The Irish kept quiet. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-m-young/you-don-t-get-black-power-by-chanting-it-you-get-it-by-doing-what-the/) [Whitney M. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-m-young/) > [The hardest work in the world is being out of work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-m-young/the-hardest-work-in-the-world-is-being-out-of-work/) [Whitney M. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-m-young/) > [You can holler, protest, march, picket and demonstrate, but somebody must be able to sit in on the strategy conferences and plot a course.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-m-young/you-can-holler-protest-march-picket-and-demonstrate-but-somebody-must/) [Whitney M. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-m-young/) > [Stretch your mind and fly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-m-young/stretch-your-mind-and-fly/) [Whitney M. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-m-young/) > [No race has a monopoly on vice or virtue, and the worth of an individual is not related to the color of his skin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-m-young/no-race-has-a-monopoly-on-vice-or-virtue-and-the-worth-of-an/) [Whitney M. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-m-young/) > [Every man is our brother, and every man’s burden is our own. Where poverty exists, all are poorer. Where hate flourishes, all are corrupted.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-m-young/every-man-is-our-brother-and-every-man-s-burden-is-our-own-where/) [Whitney M. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-m-young/) > [The danger is that people may mistake what is basically a change in vocabulary for a change in behavior, practices, and attitudes. While practically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-m-young/the-danger-is-that-people-may-mistake-what-is-basically-a-change-in/) [Whitney M. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-m-young/) > [Liberalism seems to be related to the distance people are from the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-m-young/liberalism-seems-to-be-related-to-the-distance-people-are-from-the/) [Whitney M. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-m-young/) [Explore all 14 Whitney M. Young quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-m-young/) ## More Beautiful quotes > [I received a beautiful welcome to the world of music. I want to give something back to the younger generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-pavarotti/i-received-a-beautiful-welcome-to-the-world-of-music-i-want-to-give/) [Luciano Pavarotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciano-pavarotti/) > [Being beautiful comes naturally!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-beautiful-comes-naturally/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [“do not misunderstand person by beauty You really do not know its real or Mask on dirty thoughts”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-zaki-ansari/do-not-misunderstand-person-by-beauty-you-really-do-not-know-its-real/) [Mohammed Zaki Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-zaki-ansari/) > [In the hearing world, I'm constantly having to lip-read and trying to understand what's going on. Sign language is so beautiful. It gives you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-ayling-ellis/in-the-hearing-world-i-m-constantly-having-to-lip-read-and-trying-to/) [Rose Ayling-Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-ayling-ellis/) > [The more perfect the sight is the more delightful the beautiful object. The more perfect the appetite, the sweeter the food. The more musical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/the-more-perfect-the-sight-is-the-more-delightful-the-beautiful/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [Call her beautiful a million times and she won't believe you. Call her ugly once, and she will never forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tumblr/call-her-beautiful-a-million-times-and-she-won-t-believe-you-call-her/) [Tumblr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tumblr/) > [You will never know just how beautiful you are to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-will-never-know-just-how-beautiful-you-are-to-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You felt a deep sorrow, the kind of melancholy you feel when you're in a beautiful place and the sun is going down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thrity-umrigar/you-felt-a-deep-sorrow-the-kind-of-melancholy-you-feel-when-you-re-in/) [Thrity Umrigar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thrity-umrigar/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [You're beautiful, cute, pretty, gorgeous, and fuck.. I ran out of words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghib-clitso/you-re-beautiful-cute-pretty-gorgeous-and-fuck-i-ran-out-of-words/) [Raghib Clitso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghib-clitso/) > [Growing up in Iceland, it was very beautiful, very safe, but quite isolated. There was something about jazz music that had a way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laufey/growing-up-in-iceland-it-was-very-beautiful-very-safe-but-quite/) [Laufey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laufey/) > [How could you feel worthless when God has honoured you by creating you and choosing you to be with Him, in this life and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/how-could-you-feel-worthless-when-god-has-honoured-you-by-creating/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [Sometimes it's about less is more. It's about the seed. Thinking about this gigantic tree that you think is so beautiful but it started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-durst/sometimes-it-s-about-less-is-more-it-s-about-the-seed-thinking-about/) [Fred Durst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-durst/) > [God's Word does provide life lessons to teach us how to live. And it gives us beautiful poetry that gives voice to our human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-rothschild/god-s-word-does-provide-life-lessons-to-teach-us-how-to-live-and-it/) [Jennifer Rothschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-rothschild/) [Browse all 17,976 Beautiful quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Black is beautiful when it is a slum kid studying to enter college, when it is a man learning new skills for a new job, or a slum mother battling to give her kids a chance for a better life. But white is beautiful, too, when it helps change society to make our system work for black people also. White is ugly when it oppresses blacks-and so is black ugly when black people exploit other blacks. 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