--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It has taken us that long to get the…" description: "\"It has taken us that long to get the deaf, dumb, and blind black men in the wilderness of North America to wake up and understand who they are.\" — Malc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/243/malcolm-x-213_america_it-has-taken-us-that-long-to-get-the-dea_258089.jpg" --- # It has taken us that long to get the deaf, dumb, and blind… ![“It has taken us that long to get the deaf, dumb, and blind black men in the wilderness of North America to wake up and understand who they are.” quote by Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/243/malcolm-x-213_america_it-has-taken-us-that-long-to-get-the-dea_258089.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/243/malcolm-x-213_america_it-has-taken-us-that-long-to-get-the-dea_258089.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/243/malcolm-x-213_america_it-has-taken-us-that-long-to-get-the-dea_258089.jpg) > “It has taken us that long to get the deaf, dumb, and blind black men in the wilderness of North America to wake up and understand who they are.” [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 emphasizes the long struggle for African‑American self‑awareness and empowerment in the U.S. **In simple terms:** Long fight for Black self‑knowledge. Key Takeaway Recognize and support ongoing empowerment efforts. Themes civil rights identity empowerment Mood determined hopeful Type historical motivational When to use this quote - community organizing - education reform - political activism - media representation Key Concepts self‑realization historical oppression Questions to Reflect On - How can we accelerate collective self‑awareness? - What barriers still hinder Black empowerment? A Different Perspective Progress can be slow and met with resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Blind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blind/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [North america](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/north-america/) [Wake up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wake-up/) [Wilderness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wilderness/) ## Related quotes > [There is a world of deaf, dumb and blind people out there, who are shuffling through their lives, not knowing how wonderful life can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/there-is-a-world-of-deaf-dumb-and-blind-people-out-there-who-are/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I was deaf and dumb and blind to all but me, myself and I.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loretta-young/i-was-deaf-and-dumb-and-blind-to-all-but-me-myself-and-i/) [Loretta Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loretta-young/) > [“Don't cry for the dead, for the dead is deaf, dumb, blind, lame, unemotional and dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/don-t-cry-for-the-dead-for-the-dead-is-deaf-dumb-blind-lame/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [If you're deaf, dumb, and blind to what's happening in the world, you're under no obligation to do anything. But if you know what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assata-shakur/if-you-re-deaf-dumb-and-blind-to-what-s-happening-in-the-world-you-re/) [Assata Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assata-shakur/) > [The music speaks to you every day, but you are too deaf, dumb, and blind to even listen to the music. You are too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-manson/the-music-speaks-to-you-every-day-but-you-are-too-deaf-dumb-and-blind/) [Charles Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-manson/) > [“صُمُّۢ بُكۡمٌ عُمۡىٌ۬ فَهُمۡ لَا يَرۡجِعُونَ they are deaf,dumb, and blind so they will not return”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allah/they-are-deaf-dumb-and-blind-so-they-will-not-return/) [Allah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allah/) > [If one can only see things according to one's own belief system, one is destined to become virtually deaf, dumb, and blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/if-one-can-only-see-things-according-to-one-s-own-belief-system-one/) [Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/) > [Girls work on their looks, not their minds, because they know boys are dumb, not blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/girls-work-on-their-looks-not-their-minds-because-they-know-boys-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“They were two people staring at each other knowingly, communicating psychically amidst an ocean of deaf, dumb and blind meatsacks.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-luedke/they-were-two-people-staring-at-each-other-knowingly-communicating/) [Travis Luedke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-luedke/) > [Dear Mr. President, Were you a lonely boy? How can you say No child is left behind? We're not dumb and we're not blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-nk/dear-mr-president-were-you-a-lonely-boy-how-can-you-say-no-child-is/) [P!nk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-nk/) > [Men who are proud of being black marry black women; women who are proud of being black marry black men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/men-who-are-proud-of-being-black-marry-black-women-women-who-are/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Here was one of the white man's most characteristic behavior patterns - where black men are concerned. He loves himself so much that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/here-was-one-of-the-white-man-s-most-characteristic-behavior-patterns/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [We black men have a hard enough time in our own struggle for justice, and already have enough enemies as it is, to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/we-black-men-have-a-hard-enough-time-in-our-own-struggle-for-justice/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [ The number one thing that has to be done, \[black men\] has to be retaught, be given - he has to be reeducated and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/the-number-one-thing-that-has-to-be-done-black-men-has-to-be-retaught/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The undisturbed coastal plain is home to a wide variety of plants and animals and is the only wilderness sanctuary in North America that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-lipinski/the-undisturbed-coastal-plain-is-home-to-a-wide-variety-of-plants-and/) [Dan Lipinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-lipinski/) ## 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 America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. 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