Who said “I swear to the Lord, I still can't see, why Democracy means, everybody but me.”?

Verified

Langston Hughes. A published source records them saying or writing it.

Source"The Black Man Speaks," from Jim Crow's Last Stand (1943)

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Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: "The Black Man Speaks," from Jim Crow's Last Stand (1943).

APA

Hughes, L. (n.d.). I swear to the Lord, I still can't see, why Democracy means, everybody but me. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/13163-i-swear-to-the-lord-i-still-cant/

MLA

Hughes, Langston. “I swear to the Lord, I still can't see, why Democracy means, everybody but me.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/13163-i-swear-to-the-lord-i-still-cant/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Hughes, Langston. “I swear to the Lord, I still can't see, why Democracy means, everybody but me.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/13163-i-swear-to-the-lord-i-still-cant/.

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