--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Now, of course, we know there has been an…" description: "\"Now, of course, we know there has been an end to apartheid in South Africa, but what excited me was seeing it in the context of history.\" — Roger Rees" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d4/roger-rees-8378_apartheid_now-of-course-we-know-there-has-been-an_524428.jpg" --- # Now, of course, we know there has been an end to apartheid… ![“Now, of course, we know there has been an end to apartheid in South Africa, but what excited me was seeing it in the context of history.” quote by Roger Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d4/roger-rees-8378_apartheid_now-of-course-we-know-there-has-been-an_524428.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d4/roger-rees-8378_apartheid_now-of-course-we-know-there-has-been-an_524428.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d4/roger-rees-8378_apartheid_now-of-course-we-know-there-has-been-an_524428.jpg) > “Now, of course, we know there has been an end to apartheid in South Africa, but what excited me was seeing it in the context of history.” [Roger Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-rees/) ## 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 how witnessing the end of apartheid provided a powerful historical perspective, highlighting the excitement of seeing change in context. **In simple terms:** Seeing apartheid end gave a vivid sense of history in action. Key Takeaway Historical context makes change feel alive. Themes Study history to appreciate present transformations. Mood thoughtful inquisitive inspirational Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - political science - human rights - education Key Concepts history social change perspective learning awareness context Practical Applications - classroom discussion - policy analysis - personal growth - activism Questions to Reflect On - How does understanding history shape your view of current events? - What lessons can we draw from past struggles? A Different Perspective Historical narratives can oversimplify complex events. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apartheid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apartheid/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [South africa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/south-africa/) ## Related quotes > [All of my life had been spent in the shadow of apartheid. And when South Africa went through its extraordinary change in 1994, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athol-fugard/all-of-my-life-had-been-spent-in-the-shadow-of-apartheid-and-when/) [Athol Fugard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athol-fugard/) > [Apartheid was in South Africa; now it has been transferred to Palestine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yahya-jammeh/apartheid-was-in-south-africa-now-it-has-been-transferred-to-palestine/) [Yahya Jammeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yahya-jammeh/) > [In the Occupied Territories, what Israel is doing is much worse than apartheid. The South African Nationalists needed the black population. That was their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/in-the-occupied-territories-what-israel-is-doing-is-much-worse-than/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Mandela didn't end Apartheid in South Africa, the poor guy was in jail for 27 years, it was the African people that ended it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/mandela-didn-t-end-apartheid-in-south-africa-the-poor-guy-was-in-jail/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [The South Africans decided that they would like to prove to the world they did not have any nuclear weapons and their decision was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-blix/the-south-africans-decided-that-they-would-like-to-prove-to-the-world/) [Hans Blix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-blix/) > [“Don’t let anyone tell you that Apartheid has nothing to do with South Africa now. Those roots run deep and tangled and we’ll be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-beukes/don-t-let-anyone-tell-you-that-apartheid-has-nothing-to-do-with-south/) [Lauren Beukes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-beukes/) > [There is no more apartheid in South Africa than in the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/there-is-no-more-apartheid-in-south-africa-than-in-the-united-states/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Even in South Africa, the Commonwealth were not doing anything, and their attitude was to tolerate apartheid in South Africa. There was a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahathir-mohamad/even-in-south-africa-the-commonwealth-were-not-doing-anything-and/) [Mahathir Mohamad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahathir-mohamad/) > [Our target is not negotiations, it is the end of the apartheid system. There can be no compromise about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-tambo/our-target-is-not-negotiations-it-is-the-end-of-the-apartheid-system/) [Oliver Tambo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-tambo/) > [I remember being very affected by what was going on there towards the end of Apartheid. And the subject is still very pertinent, politically,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-remember-being-very-affected-by-what-was-going-on-there-towards-the/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [Before 1994, many South Africans used theater as a voice of protest against the government. But with the end of apartheid, like the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/before-1994-many-south-africans-used-theater-as-a-voice-of-protest/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [When I talk about the end of apartheid, I prefer not to claim the honor that I have ended it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-w-de-klerk/when-i-talk-about-the-end-of-apartheid-i-prefer-not-to-claim-the/) [F. W. de Klerk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-w-de-klerk/) > [We have got to move away from the concept of race and color because that is what apartheid is. We cannot end apartheid if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-tambo/we-have-got-to-move-away-from-the-concept-of-race-and-color-because/) [Oliver Tambo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-tambo/) > [Thats part of the fun, I guess, is having people excited about seeing you and signing autographs and getting to meet fans and things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-degraw/thats-part-of-the-fun-i-guess-is-having-people-excited-about-seeing/) [Gavin DeGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-degraw/) > [I feel like David Byrne is a great example of someone who is always in the 'now' moment of music and finding reasons to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santigold/i-feel-like-david-byrne-is-a-great-example-of-someone-who-is-always/) [Santigold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santigold/) ## More by Roger Rees > [No lens is quick enough to track the movement of the human body. The molecules are always moving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-rees/no-lens-is-quick-enough-to-track-the-movement-of-the-human-body-the/) [Roger Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-rees/) > ['Nicholas Nickleby' was the best example, where 43 people could make an audience of 1,500 look at a fingernail at any given moment. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-rees/nicholas-nickleby-was-the-best-example-where-43-people-could-make-an/) [Roger Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-rees/) > [My first acquaintance with 'Peter Pan' was back when I lived in South London. I was at art school, and I needed to earn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-rees/my-first-acquaintance-with-peter-pan-was-back-when-i-lived-in-south/) [Roger Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-rees/) > [I've often thought I'm a short music hall comedian stuck in a leading man's body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-rees/i-ve-often-thought-i-m-a-short-music-hall-comedian-stuck-in-a-leading/) [Roger Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-rees/) > [The loser, the fool, is embraced in England because there is a recognition of silliness there that allows a person to keep his ambitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-rees/the-loser-the-fool-is-embraced-in-england-because-there-is-a/) [Roger Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-rees/) > [Sometimes the most excruciating experiences in rehearsals and performances yield the most beautiful work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-rees/sometimes-the-most-excruciating-experiences-in-rehearsals-and/) [Roger Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-rees/) > [Rattigan's world demanded unwavering trust in principles, loyalty, and virtue. At the time of this play - Rattigan was writing this play in 1947…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-rees/rattigan-s-world-demanded-unwavering-trust-in-principles-loyalty-and/) [Roger Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-rees/) > [Everything happens every night for this audience, and it's a very special occasion to come to the theatre.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-rees/everything-happens-every-night-for-this-audience-and-it-s-a-very/) [Roger Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-rees/) > [Some of the finest Shakespeare has been done recently by college theater programs. I'll tell you what these young kids have: They have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-rees/some-of-the-finest-shakespeare-has-been-done-recently-by-college/) [Roger Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-rees/) > [Anything I do is as theatrical as I can get it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-rees/anything-i-do-is-as-theatrical-as-i-can-get-it/) [Roger Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-rees/) > [When it was announced I had won the Tony Award, I was in Bangkok doing a movie with Judi Dench. I remember coming back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-rees/when-it-was-announced-i-had-won-the-tony-award-i-was-in-bangkok-doing/) [Roger Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-rees/) > [I am an anthologist, you see. I sort of make anthologies for people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-rees/i-am-an-anthologist-you-see-i-sort-of-make-anthologies-for-people/) [Roger Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-rees/) > [If you live in the States, you have to join a gym.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-rees/if-you-live-in-the-states-you-have-to-join-a-gym/) [Roger Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-rees/) > [I do one thing Gielgud didn't: I play the ukulele.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-rees/i-do-one-thing-gielgud-didn-t-i-play-the-ukulele/) [Roger Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-rees/) > [I have a little studio in Chinatown, and I sometimes go there and rearrange my brushes. But I would have to stop acting altogether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-rees/i-have-a-little-studio-in-chinatown-and-i-sometimes-go-there-and/) [Roger Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-rees/) [Explore all 81 Roger Rees quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-rees/) ## More Apartheid quotes > [My life had been defined by the apartheid years. Now we were going into an era of democracy... and I believed that I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athol-fugard/my-life-had-been-defined-by-the-apartheid-years-now-we-were-going/) [Athol Fugard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athol-fugard/) > [If apartheid is removed, then the violence that is necessary to maintain it will be removed along with the pressures from apartheid which create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-tambo/if-apartheid-is-removed-then-the-violence-that-is-necessary-to/) [Oliver Tambo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-tambo/) > [I try not to get too political. But coming from South Africa, where apartheid was a huge problem, and there was lots of inequality,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-anderson/i-try-not-to-get-too-political-but-coming-from-south-africa-where/) [Kevin Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-anderson/) > [I grew up under Thatcher; the era of apartheid; the era of the poll tax; the era of riots. I remember Neil Kinnock was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/i-grew-up-under-thatcher-the-era-of-apartheid-the-era-of-the-poll-tax/) [David Lammy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/) > [When I talk about the end of apartheid, I prefer not to claim the honor that I have ended it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-w-de-klerk/when-i-talk-about-the-end-of-apartheid-i-prefer-not-to-claim-the/) [F. W. de Klerk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-w-de-klerk/) > [ We \[ with Brian Mulroney and Rajiv Gandhi\] went to the meeting in Canada \[the 1987 Vancouver CHOGM\] and I said to them there… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/we-with-brian-mulroney-and-rajiv-gandhi-went-to-the-meeting-in-canada/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [My time in prison only deepened my resolve against apartheid. Even while I was in prison, I fought against it, teaching my cellmates about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/my-time-in-prison-only-deepened-my-resolve-against-apartheid-even/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [But I think I'm on track to do something even bigger. I liberate minds with my music. That's more important than liberating a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/but-i-think-i-m-on-track-to-do-something-even-bigger-i-liberate-minds/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [The mistake the apartheid government made was they gave the black people nothing, so they had nothing to lose. But now a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilbur-smith/the-mistake-the-apartheid-government-made-was-they-gave-the-black/) [Wilbur Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilbur-smith/) > [HEAVEN: The big apartheid in the sky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-appleman/heaven-the-big-apartheid-in-the-sky/) [Philip Appleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-appleman/) > [I have no doubt that in the future, the laws that criminalize human love and commitment will look the way the apartheid laws do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/i-have-no-doubt-that-in-the-future-the-laws-that-criminalize-human/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [My life had been defined by the apartheid years. Now we were going into an era of democracy... and I believed that I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athol-fugard/my-life-had-been-defined-by-the-apartheid-years-now-we-were-going-2/) [Athol Fugard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athol-fugard/) > [The violence associated with the A.N.C. is minimal, infinitesimal next to the violence of the apartheid regime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-tambo/the-violence-associated-with-the-a-n-c-is-minimal-infinitesimal-next/) [Oliver Tambo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-tambo/) > [Imagine if your kids had to carry a ladder to climb an apartheid wall to get to school everyday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-suleiman/imagine-if-your-kids-had-to-carry-a-ladder-to-climb-an-apartheid-wall/) [Omar Suleiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-suleiman/) > [The private schools and the independent schools like Oprah's are really doing well because they've got the best of everything but it certainly puts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlayne-hunter-gault/the-private-schools-and-the-independent-schools-like-oprah-s-are/) [Charlayne Hunter-Gault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlayne-hunter-gault/) [Browse all 299 Apartheid quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apartheid/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Now, of course, we know there has been an end to apartheid in South Africa, but what excited me was seeing it in the context of history.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Roger Rees" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-rees/now-of-course-we-know-there-has-been-an-end-to-apartheid-in-south/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Apartheid" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-rees/now-of-course-we-know-there-has-been-an-end-to-apartheid-in-south/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d4/roger-rees-8378_apartheid_now-of-course-we-know-there-has-been-an_524428.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d4/roger-rees-8378_apartheid_now-of-course-we-know-there-has-been-an_524428.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d4/roger-rees-8378_apartheid_now-of-course-we-know-there-has-been-an_524428.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Now, of course, we know there has been an end to apartheid in South Africa, but what excited me was seeing…” — Roger Rees", "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": "Roger Rees", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-rees/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Now, of course, we know there...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-rees/now-of-course-we-know-there-has-been-an-end-to-apartheid-in-south/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-rees/now-of-course-we-know-there-has-been-an-end-to-apartheid-in-south/#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 } } ] } ```