--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: 10 years ago the black man knew what his…" description: "\"10 years ago the black man knew what his condition was. And today, because of the world revolution that's taking place all over this earth, the black m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bc/malcolm-x-213_black_10-years-ago-the-black-man-knew-what-his_478611.jpg" --- # 10 years ago the black man knew what his condition was… ![“10 years ago the black man knew what his condition was. And today, because of the world revolution that's taking place all over this earth, the black man would be fighting for what he knows is his by right, but the movement on the part of [Martin Luther] King and the others had done nothing but…” quote by Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bc/malcolm-x-213_black_10-years-ago-the-black-man-knew-what-his_478611.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bc/malcolm-x-213_black_10-years-ago-the-black-man-knew-what-his_478611.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bc/malcolm-x-213_black_10-years-ago-the-black-man-knew-what-his_478611.jpg) > “10 years ago the black man knew what his condition was. And today, because of the world revolution that's taking place all over this earth, the black man would be fighting for what he knows is his by right, but the movement on the part of \[Martin Luther\] King and the others had done nothing but slow down the militancy that is inherent in the nature of the black man.” [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that Black people historically understood their oppression and now, amid global change, they are asserting their rights, while earlier civil rights leaders slowed their militant response. **In simple terms:** Black people know their oppression and now demand rights, but earlier leaders reduced militant action. Key Takeaway Recognize the need for assertive action. Themes civil rights militancy global change empowerment Mood determined urgent Type political historical When to use this quote - protest movements - policy advocacy - community organizing - educational outreach Key Concepts Black identity systemic oppression activism Questions to Reflect On - How can militant and nonviolent strategies complement each other? - What role does global context play in local struggles? A Different Perspective The quote may overlook the strategic value of nonviolent tactics and coalition building. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Black Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-man/) [Conditions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conditions/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Fighting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighting/) [Inherent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inherent/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luther/) [Luther King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luther-king/) [Martin luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/martin-luther/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Militancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/militancy/) [Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolution/) [Revolution Taking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolution-taking-2548682/) [Slow down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slow-down/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-revolution-838092/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [Years ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-ago/) ## Related quotes > [ That's where Dr. \[Martin Luther\] King is mixed up. His goals should be the solution of the problem of the black man in America. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/that-s-where-dr-martin-luther-king-is-mixed-up-his-goals-should-be/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [What Martin Luther King is doing is disarming the black people of America of their God-given right and of their natural right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/what-martin-luther-king-is-doing-is-disarming-the-black-people-of/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Just as Uncle Tom, back during slavery used to keep the Negroes from resisting the bloodhound or resisting the Ku Klux Klan by teaching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/just-as-uncle-tom-back-during-slavery-used-to-keep-the-negroes-from/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [ Nonviolence with Dr. \[Martin Luther \]King is only a method. That's not his objective. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/nonviolence-with-dr-martin-luther-king-is-only-a-method-that-s-not/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I'll say nothing against him. At one time the whites in the United States called him a racialist, and extremist, and a Communist. Then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/i-ll-say-nothing-against-him-at-one-time-the-whites-in-the-united/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [ Nonviolence is his, is his method. Well, my objective is the same as \[Martin Luther\] King's. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/nonviolence-is-his-is-his-method-well-my-objective-is-the-same-as/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The white man supports Reverend Martin Luther King, subsidizes Reverend Martin Luther King, so that Reverend Martin Luther King can continue to teach the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/the-white-man-supports-reverend-martin-luther-king-subsidizes/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The goal of Dr. Martin Luther King is to give Negroes a chance to sit in a segregated restaurant beside the same white man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/the-goal-of-dr-martin-luther-king-is-to-give-negroes-a-chance-to-sit/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [You're not a Black man. You're a human being in God's eyes. So when you sit down to talk to someone and you talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/you-re-not-a-black-man-you-re-a-human-being-in-god-s-eyes-so-when-you/) [James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) > [“A revolution is taking place within her, as though a lifetime's experience could be outdistanced in the span of a conversation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-a-harrison/a-revolution-is-taking-place-within-her-as-though-a-lifetime-s/) [A.S.A. Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-a-harrison/) > [There is a system set up that we live in, and I've got to use that system and fight the revolution from within. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bez/there-is-a-system-set-up-that-we-live-in-and-i-ve-got-to-use-that/) [Bez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bez/) > [There is a revolution taking place in school and college campuses in India, and particularly in Kerala, much like the one that sowed the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pranav-mistry/there-is-a-revolution-taking-place-in-school-and-college-campuses-in/) [Pranav Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pranav-mistry/) > [I have never understood why they tried to start the revolution by taking over the universities. It should have been self-evident that the net…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-beadle/i-have-never-understood-why-they-tried-to-start-the-revolution-by/) [Muriel Beadle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-beadle/) > [A revolution is already taking place in India. Things are changing here already - peacefully and democratically. There's no danger of communism. There would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/a-revolution-is-already-taking-place-in-india-things-are-changing/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [I keep telling everyone that I want to start a revolution but no one is taking me seriously. If I had black skin and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/i-keep-telling-everyone-that-i-want-to-start-a-revolution-but-no-one/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) ## More by Malcolm X > [If Christianity had asserted itself in Germany, six million Jews would have lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/if-christianity-had-asserted-itself-in-germany-six-million-jews-would/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Adam Clayton Powell's entire political career has to be looked at in the entire context of the American history and the history of, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/adam-clayton-powell-s-entire-political-career-has-to-be-looked-at-in/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [American civil rights leader, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Lynching is a murder. For the past four hundred years our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/american-civil-rights-leader-where-do-we-go-from-here-chaos-or/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Be nonviolent only with those who are nonviolent to you. And when you can bring me a nonviolent racist, bring me a nonviolent segregationist,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/be-nonviolent-only-with-those-who-are-nonviolent-to-you-and-when-you/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [You can't legislate good will - that comes through education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/you-can-t-legislate-good-will-that-comes-through-education/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Truth is on the side of the oppressed today, it's against the oppressor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/truth-is-on-the-side-of-the-oppressed-today-it-s-against-the-oppressor/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Those type of whites who are always going to jail with Negroes are the ones who tell Negroes to be loving and be kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/those-type-of-whites-who-are-always-going-to-jail-with-negroes-are/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [We Muslims believe that the white race, which is guilty of having oppressed and exploited and enslaved our people here in America, should and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/we-muslims-believe-that-the-white-race-which-is-guilty-of-having/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I mean a real police state just to get a token recognition of a law. It take, it took, I think, 15,000 troops and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/i-mean-a-real-police-state-just-to-get-a-token-recognition-of-a-law/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Like Samson, I am ready to pull down the white man's temple, knowing full well that I will be destroyed by the falling rubble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/like-samson-i-am-ready-to-pull-down-the-white-man-s-temple-knowing/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Any negro who occupies a position that was given to him by the white man, if you analyze his function, his function never enables…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/any-negro-who-occupies-a-position-that-was-given-to-him-by-the-white/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Stumbling is not falling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/stumbling-is-not-falling/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [God is going to punish the white man for his misdeeds toward black people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/god-is-going-to-punish-the-white-man-for-his-misdeeds-toward-black/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Much of what I say might sound like it's stirring up trouble, but it's the truth!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/much-of-what-i-say-might-sound-like-it-s-stirring-up-trouble-but-it-s/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I believe in the brotherhood of all men, but I don't believe in wasting brotherhood on anyone who doesn't want to practice it with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/i-believe-in-the-brotherhood-of-all-men-but-i-don-t-believe-in/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) [Explore all 891 Malcolm X quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) ## More Black quotes > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [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/) > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [How can you be more subject; black woman in a white man's world?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/how-can-you-be-more-subject-black-woman-in-a-white-man-s-world/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [We have to build our own power. We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) [Frank B. Wilderson III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-b-wilderson-iii/) > [I know how hard it is to be a woman, especially a black woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-know-how-hard-it-is-to-be-a-woman-especially-a-black-woman/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [If soot stains your tunic, dye it black. This is vengeance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-bakker/if-soot-stains-your-tunic-dye-it-black-this-is-vengeance/) [R. Scott Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-bakker/) > [Hollywood is so fixated on keeping it that way because it's generating the buzz, but that representation isn't right. I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. That's how they tried to cut off all my brothers in the rest of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-ain-t-no-such-thing-as-black-muslims-that-s-how-they-tried-to/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) [Browse all 11,655 Black quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "10 years ago the black man knew what his condition was. And today, because of the world revolution that's taking place all over this earth, the black man would be fighting for what he knows is his by right, but the movement on the part of [Martin Luther] King and the others had done nothing but slow down the militancy that is inherent in the nature of the black man.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Malcolm X" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/10-years-ago-the-black-man-knew-what-his-condition-was-and-today/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Black" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/10-years-ago-the-black-man-knew-what-his-condition-was-and-today/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bc/malcolm-x-213_black_10-years-ago-the-black-man-knew-what-his_478611.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bc/malcolm-x-213_black_10-years-ago-the-black-man-knew-what-his_478611.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bc/malcolm-x-213_black_10-years-ago-the-black-man-knew-what-his_478611.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“10 years ago the black man knew what his condition was. And today, because of the world revolution that's…” — Malcolm X", "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": "Malcolm X", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "10 years ago the black man...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/10-years-ago-the-black-man-knew-what-his-condition-was-and-today/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/10-years-ago-the-black-man-knew-what-his-condition-was-and-today/#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 } } ] } ```