“Our teachers urged us toward the example of freedom marchers, Freedom Riders, and Freedom Summers, and it seemed that the month could not pass without a series of films dedicated to the glories of being beaten on camera. The black people in these films seemed to love the worst things in life - love the dogs that rent their children apart, the tear gas that clawed at their lungs, the firehorses that tore off their clothes and tumbled them into the streets. They seemed to love the men who raped them, the women who cursed them, love the children who spat on them, the terrorists that bombed them. Why are they showing this to us? Why were only our heroes nonviolent? I speak not of the morality of nonviolence, but of the sense that blacks are in especial need of this morality.”

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About Ta-Nehisi Coates

American essayist and journalist, 21st century His work centers on race, history, and the American experience, blending sharp analysis with personal reflection. Known for essays like *Between the World and Me* and his contributions to *The Atlantic*, he explores systemic inequality and the legacy of slavery.

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"Our teachers urged us toward the example of freedom marchers, Freedom…" — Ta-Nehisi Coates | Daily Quotes