--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was during those long and lonely years…" description: "\"It was during those long and lonely years that my hunger for the freedom of my own people became a hunger for the freedom of all people, white and blac..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/944/nelson-mandela-248_black_it-was-during-those-long-and-lonely-year_1172956.jpg" --- # It was during those long and lonely years that my hunger… ![“It was during those long and lonely years that my hunger for the freedom of my own people became a hunger for the freedom of all people, white and black. I knew as well as I knew anything that the oppressor must be liberated just as surely as the oppressed.” quote by Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/944/nelson-mandela-248_black_it-was-during-those-long-and-lonely-year_1172956.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/944/nelson-mandela-248_black_it-was-during-those-long-and-lonely-year_1172956.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/944/nelson-mandela-248_black_it-was-during-those-long-and-lonely-year_1172956.jpg) > “It was during those long and lonely years that my hunger for the freedom of my own people became a hunger for the freedom of all people, white and black. I knew as well as I knew anything that the oppressor must be liberated just as surely as the oppressed.” [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Personal desire for his own people's freedom expanded to all humanity, seeing oppressor and oppressed needing liberation. **In simple terms:** Freedom should be universal, for both oppressed and oppressor. Key Takeaway Seek liberation for all, not just one group. Themes freedom solidarity justice Mood inspirational hopeful Type political humanitarian When to use this quote - civil rights activism - conflict resolution - community healing Key Concepts universal human rights empathy transformative justice Questions to Reflect On - Can oppressors be truly liberated? - What does liberation mean for those in power? A Different Perspective Risk of false equivalence between oppressor and oppressed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Hunger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hunger/) [Hunger Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hunger-freedom-2785287/) [Liberated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberated/) [Liberated Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberated-just-3407759/) [Lonely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lonely/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long walk to freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-walk-to-freedom/) [My own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-own/) [Oppressed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppressed/) [Oppressor Liberated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppressor-liberated-3407758/) [Oppressors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppressors/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) [White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [I knew as well as I knew anything that the oppressor must be liberated just as surely as the oppressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-knew-as-well-as-i-knew-anything-that-the-oppressor-must-be-2/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It was during those long and lonely years that my hunger for the freedom of our own people became a hunger for the freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-was-during-those-long-and-lonely-years-that-my-hunger-for-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [When I walked out of prison, that was my mission, to liberate the oppressed and the oppressor both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/when-i-walked-out-of-prison-that-was-my-mission-to-liberate-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I am not truly free if I am taking away someone else's freedom, just as surely as I am not free when my freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-am-not-truly-free-if-i-am-taking-away-someone-else-s-freedom-just/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/as-we-are-liberated-from-our-own-fear-our-presence-automatically/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [A piece of freedom is no longer enough for human beings...unlike bread, a slice of liberty does not finish hunger. Freedom is like life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/a-piece-of-freedom-is-no-longer-enough-for-human-beings-unlike-bread/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Video screenshot Facts and figures from Nelson Mandela's life, set to the trailer from 'Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.' "Man's goodness is a flame…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/video-screenshot-facts-and-figures-from-nelson-mandela-s-life-set-to/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [The victory of democracy in South Africa is the common achievement of all humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/the-victory-of-democracy-in-south-africa-is-the-common-achievement-of/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-have-taken-a-moment-here-to-rest-to-steal-a-view-of-the-glorious/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/no-one-is-born-hating-another-person-because-of-the-colour-of-his-3/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/there-were-many-dark-moments-when-my-faith-in-humanity-was-sorely/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I always knew that someday I would once again feel the grass under my feet and walk in the sunshine as a free man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-always-knew-that-someday-i-would-once-again-feel-the-grass-under-my/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-have-fought-against-white-domination-and-i-have-fought-against/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [No one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jails. A nation should not be judged by how it treats its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/no-one-truly-knows-a-nation-until-one-has-been-inside-its-jails-a/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Prison itself is a tremendous education in the need for patience and perseverance. It is above all a test of one's commitment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/prison-itself-is-a-tremendous-education-in-the-need-for-patience-and/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## More by Nelson Mandela > [We must work together to ensure the equitable distribution of wealth, opportunity and power in our society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-must-work-together-to-ensure-the-equitable-distribution-of-wealth/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Especially for those of us who lived in single cells, you had the time to sit down and think, and we discovered that sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/especially-for-those-of-us-who-lived-in-single-cells-you-had-the-time/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [If you don't allow people to contribute, to offer their point of view, or to criticize what has been put before them, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/if-you-don-t-allow-people-to-contribute-to-offer-their-point-of-view/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Courageous people do not fear forgiving, for the sake of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/courageous-people-do-not-fear-forgiving-for-the-sake-of-peace/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [As a leader... I have always endeavored to listen to what each and every person in a discussion had to say before venturing my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/as-a-leader-i-have-always-endeavored-to-listen-to-what-each-and-every/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Some of the mission groups that have been responsible for our education have not been part of the government. In fact, they acted contrary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/some-of-the-mission-groups-that-have-been-responsible-for-our/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“I believed that I would become a counsellor to the Thembu king,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-believed-that-i-would-become-a-counsellor-to-the-thembu-king/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [What he means by this is that instead of saying you'll "try", you need to "do". And as we let our light shine, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/what-he-means-by-this-is-that-instead-of-saying-you-ll-try-you-need/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-learned-that-courage-was-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-the-triumph/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [We need to exert ourselves that much more, and break out of the vicious cycle of dependence imposed on us by the financially powerful:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-need-to-exert-ourselves-that-much-more-and-break-out-of-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“Prison is a still point in a turning world, and it is very easy to remain in the same place in jail while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/prison-is-a-still-point-in-a-turning-world-and-it-is-very-easy-to/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [A fundamental concern for others in our individual and community lives would go a long way in making the world the better place we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/a-fundamental-concern-for-others-in-our-individual-and-community/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I am aware of what the position is in the United States of America. If somebody gives to charity, then he gets a tax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-am-aware-of-what-the-position-is-in-the-united-states-of-america-if/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It is our duty to give support to the brother leader ... especially in regards to the sanctions which are not hitting just him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-is-our-duty-to-give-support-to-the-brother-leader-especially-in/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It was during those long and lonely years that my hunger for the freedom of our own people became a hunger for the freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-was-during-those-long-and-lonely-years-that-my-hunger-for-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) [Explore all 809 Nelson Mandela quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## 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. 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