Who said “No democracy can long survive which does not accept as fundamental to its very existence…”?

Verified

Franklin D. Roosevelt. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceLetter to Walter Francis White, president of the NAACP (25 June 1938)

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“No democracy can long survive which does not accept as fundamental to its very existence the recognition of the rights of minorities.”
— Franklin D. Roosevelt
VerifiedLetter to Walter Francis White, president of the NAACP (25 June 1938) · evidenceMinorities

Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Letter to Walter Francis White, president of the NAACP (25 June 1938).

APA

Roosevelt, F. D. (n.d.). No democracy can long survive which does not accept as fundamental to its very existence the recognition of the rights of minorities. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/29395-no-democracy-can-long-survive-which-does-not/

MLA

Roosevelt, Franklin D. “No democracy can long survive which does not accept as fundamental to its very existence the recognition of the rights of minorities.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/29395-no-democracy-can-long-survive-which-does-not/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Roosevelt, Franklin D. “No democracy can long survive which does not accept as fundamental to its very existence the recognition of the rights of minorities.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/29395-no-democracy-can-long-survive-which-does-not/.

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“The nation that destroys its soil destroys itself.”
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