--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: These feet have walked ten thousand miles…" description: "\"These feet have walked ten thousand miles working for white folks and another ten thousand keeping up with colored.\" — Langston Hughes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bf/langston-hughes-1527_feet_these-feet-have-walked-ten-thousand-mile_1636893.png" --- # These feet have walked ten thousand miles working for… ![“These feet have walked ten thousand miles working for white folks and another ten thousand keeping up with colored.” quote by Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bf/langston-hughes-1527_feet_these-feet-have-walked-ten-thousand-mile_1636893.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bf/langston-hughes-1527_feet_these-feet-have-walked-ten-thousand-mile_1636893.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bf/langston-hughes-1527_feet_these-feet-have-walked-ten-thousand-mile_1636893.png) > “These feet have walked ten thousand miles working for white folks and another ten thousand keeping up with colored.” [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker reflects on the labor and oppression endured across races, highlighting shared struggle. **In simple terms:** Both races share burdens and history. Key Takeaway Acknowledge and address systemic inequities. Themes race history justice Mood reflective somber Type poetic social commentary When to use this quote - education - activism - community organizing - dialogue Key Concepts social inequality labor racial reconciliation Questions to Reflect On - How can we honor shared histories? - What actions promote true equality? A Different Perspective Historical context may differ; avoid overgeneralization. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey/) ## Related quotes > [I walked a thousand miles just to slip this skin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-walked-a-thousand-miles-just-to-slip-this-skin/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [Well love, i've walked a thousand miles in my shoes. And only I know how much mud and water i've stepped in or been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlye-rife/well-love-i-ve-walked-a-thousand-miles-in-my-shoes-and-only-i-know/) Carlye Rife > [There wasn't an easy way to find your true self, I walked a thousand miles within.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-gath/there-wasn-t-an-easy-way-to-find-your-true-self-i-walked-a-thousand/) [Vinod Gath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-gath/) > [I never knew you were supposed to push off of your feet when you walked. And I tried it, and I walked much faster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mulaney/i-never-knew-you-were-supposed-to-push-off-of-your-feet-when-you/) [John Mulaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mulaney/) > [I will never forget working in the White House for the first Black president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karine-jean-pierre/i-will-never-forget-working-in-the-white-house-for-the-first-black/) [Karine Jean-Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karine-jean-pierre/) > [The Honorable Elijah Muhammad says that the way to solve this problem is for the white man to give us some territory of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/the-honorable-elijah-muhammad-says-that-the-way-to-solve-this-problem/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [But I love your feet only because they walked upon the earth and upon the wind and upon the waters, until they found me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/but-i-love-your-feet-only-because-they-walked-upon-the-earth-and-upon/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [I spent three years working at the White House and wanted to do something that wasn't about passing bills and resolutions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lovett/i-spent-three-years-working-at-the-white-house-and-wanted-to-do/) [Jon Lovett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lovett/) > [Rule Number One for working for a white lady, Minny: it is nobody’s business. 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Billie guessed white folks didn't have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-hussey/they-walked-off-down-the-hall-in-the-direction-of-a-sign-that-said/) [Elaine Hussey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-hussey/) > [Now they're calling taking drugs an epidemic - that's cos white folks are doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-pryor/now-they-re-calling-taking-drugs-an-epidemic-that-s-cos-white-folks/) [Richard Pryor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-pryor/) ## More by Langston Hughes > [Good morning, daddy! Ain't you heard The boogie-woogie rumble Of a dream deferred? • • • • You think It's a happy beat?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/good-morning-daddy-ain-t-you-heard-the-boogie-woogie-rumble-of-a/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [Summer was made to give you a taste of what hell is like. Winter was made for landladies to charge high rents and keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/summer-was-made-to-give-you-a-taste-of-what-hell-is-like-winter-was/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [I was a victim of a stereotype. There were only two of us Negro kids in the whole class, and our English teacher was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/i-was-a-victim-of-a-stereotype-there-were-only-two-of-us-negro-kids/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [I am the American heartbreak- The rock on which Freedom Stumped its toe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/i-am-the-american-heartbreak-the-rock-on-which-freedom-stumped-its-toe/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [“As I Grew Older" It was a long time ago. I have almost forgotten my dream. But it was there then, In front of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/as-i-grew-older-it-was-a-long-time-ago-i-have-almost-forgotten-my/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [Words Like Freedom There are words like Freedom Sweet and wonderful to say. On my heartstrings freedom sings All day everyday. There are words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/words-like-freedom-there-are-words-like-freedom-sweet-and-wonderful/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [Beauty for some provides escape, who gain a happiness in eyeing the gorgeous buttocks of the ape or Autumn sunsets exquisitely dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/beauty-for-some-provides-escape-who-gain-a-happiness-in-eyeing-the/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [“In America the magazines in which one can frequently publish stories or poems about Negroes are very few, and most of these do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/in-america-the-magazines-in-which-one-can-frequently-publish-stories/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [Perhaps the mission of an artist is to interpret beauty to people - the beauty within themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/perhaps-the-mission-of-an-artist-is-to-interpret-beauty-to-people-the/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [Negro writers, just by being black, have been on the blacklist all our lives. 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Hold fast to dreams for when dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/hold-fast-to-dreams-for-if-dreams-die-life-is-a-broken-winged-bird/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [Oh, God of Dust and Rainbows, Help us to see That without the dust the rainbow Would not be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/oh-god-of-dust-and-rainbows-help-us-to-see-that-without-the-dust-the/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [I loved my friend He went away from me There's nothing more to say The poem ends, Soft as it began- I loved my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/i-loved-my-friend-he-went-away-from-me-there-s-nothing-more-to-say/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [The Jewish people and the Negro people both know the meaning of Nordic supremacy. We have both looked into the eyes of terror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/the-jewish-people-and-the-negro-people-both-know-the-meaning-of/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) [Explore all 230 Langston Hughes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) ## More Feet quotes > [The minute you step onstage, you get eight feet taller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cooper/the-minute-you-step-onstage-you-get-eight-feet-taller/) [Alice Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cooper/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [I always step on the plane with my right foot and touch the outside of the plane with my left hand. Sometimes you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hope-davis/i-always-step-on-the-plane-with-my-right-foot-and-touch-the-outside/) [Hope Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hope-davis/) > [The evening's the best part of the day. You've done your day's work. Now you can put your feet up and enjoy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/the-evening-s-the-best-part-of-the-day-you-ve-done-your-day-s-work/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [We can't love a place or a person if we always have one foot out the door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-weiner/we-can-t-love-a-place-or-a-person-if-we-always-have-one-foot-out-the/) [Eric Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-weiner/) > [When I was 3, my parents strapped on a pair of Playskool plastic roller skates to my feet, and that's where the story begins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-celski/when-i-was-3-my-parents-strapped-on-a-pair-of-playskool-plastic/) [J. R. Celski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-celski/) > [A man could be a lover and defender of the wilderness without ever in his lifetime leaving the boundaries of asphalt, powerlines, and right-angled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/a-man-could-be-a-lover-and-defender-of-the-wilderness-without-ever-in/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [We never think that our mothers will die. It was like suddenly an abyss opened at my feet - I was standing on nothing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-okri/we-never-think-that-our-mothers-will-die-it-was-like-suddenly-an/) [Ben Okri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-okri/) > [“Always wash you feet last.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/always-wash-you-feet-last/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My husband really loves my feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayesha-curry/my-husband-really-loves-my-feet/) [Ayesha Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayesha-curry/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [Our duty as Christians is always to keep heaven in our eye and earth under our feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/our-duty-as-christians-is-always-to-keep-heaven-in-our-eye-and-earth/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [Griezmann is an exceptional player. He's brimming with talent, and he knows how to keep his feet on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-matuidi/griezmann-is-an-exceptional-player-he-s-brimming-with-talent-and-he/) [Blaise Matuidi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-matuidi/) > [I thought that I had no time for faith nor time to pray, then I saw an armless man saying his Rosary with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/i-thought-that-i-had-no-time-for-faith-nor-time-to-pray-then-i-saw-an/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [I could not prove the Years had feet-/Yet confident they run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/i-could-not-prove-the-years-had-feet-yet-confident-they-run/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) Browse all 6,557 Feet quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "These feet have walked ten thousand miles working for white folks and another ten thousand keeping up with colored.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Langston Hughes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/these-feet-have-walked-ten-thousand-miles-working-for-white-folks-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Feet" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/these-feet-have-walked-ten-thousand-miles-working-for-white-folks-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bf/langston-hughes-1527_feet_these-feet-have-walked-ten-thousand-mile_1636893.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bf/langston-hughes-1527_feet_these-feet-have-walked-ten-thousand-mile_1636893.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bf/langston-hughes-1527_feet_these-feet-have-walked-ten-thousand-mile_1636893.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“These feet have walked ten thousand miles working for white folks and another ten thousand keeping up with…” — Langston Hughes", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Langston Hughes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "These feet have walked ten thousand...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/these-feet-have-walked-ten-thousand-miles-working-for-white-folks-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/these-feet-have-walked-ten-thousand-miles-working-for-white-folks-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```