On the recordJanuary 1, 1903
They who live without knew not nor dreamed of that full power within, that mighty inspiration which the dull gauze of caste decreed that most men should not know.
Said by
W.E.B. Du Bois
Source
gutenberg.orgW.E.B. Du Bois: “They who live without knew not nor dreamed of that full power within, that mighty inspiration which the dull gauze of…”
Editor's note · Context
From his seminal work, this passage critiques the societal blindness that prevents those outside a marginalized group from recognizing the profound inner strength and inspiration within it.
Share
More from W.E.B. Du Bois
Jan 1, 1903
Such an assumption is the arrogance of peoples irreverent toward Time and ignorant of the deeds of men.
Jan 1, 1903
Actively we have woven ourselves with the very warp and woof of this nation,—we fought their battles, shared their sorrow, mingled our blood with theirs, and generation after generation have pleaded with a headstrong, careless people to…
Jan 1, 1903
But whichever it is, the meaning is always clear: that sometime, somewhere, men will judge men by their souls and not by their skins.