James Baldwin Quotes

Top 100 wise famous quotes and sayings by James Baldwin

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James Baldwin Famous Quotes & Sayings

Discover top inspirational quotes from James Baldwin on Wise Famous Quotes.

James Baldwin quotes: The first love disappears, but never goes. That ache becomes reconciliation. The first love disappears, but never goes. That ache becomes reconciliation.
James Baldwin quotes: Any real change implies the breakup of the world as one has always known it, the loss of all that gave one an identity, the end of safety. Any real change implies the breakup of the world as one has always known it, the loss of all that gave one an identity, the end of safety.
James Baldwin quotes: If your countrymen think that privacy is a crime, so much the worse for your country. If your countrymen think that privacy is a crime, so much the worse for your country.
James Baldwin quotes: Allegiance, after all, has to work two ways; and one can grow weary of an allegiance which is not reciprocal. Allegiance, after all, has to work two ways; and one can grow weary of an allegiance which is not reciprocal.
James Baldwin quotes: It's always at the hour of trouble and confrontation that the missing member aches. It's always at the hour of trouble and confrontation that the missing member aches.
James Baldwin quotes: Men - not just babies like you, but old men, too - they always need to have a woman tell them the truth. Les hommes, ils sont impossibles. Men - not just babies like you, but old men, too - they always need to have a woman tell them the truth. Les hommes, ils sont impossibles.
James Baldwin quotes: We had our arms round each other. It was like holding in my hand some rare, exhausted, nearly doomed bird which I had miraculously happened to find. We had our arms round each other. It was like holding in my hand some rare, exhausted, nearly doomed bird which I had miraculously happened to find.
James Baldwin quotes: It was a gesture of great despair and I knew that she was giving herself, not to me, but to that lover who would never come. It was a gesture of great despair and I knew that she was giving herself, not to me, but to that lover who would never come.
James Baldwin quotes: Hatred is always self hatred, and there is something suicidal about it. Hatred is always self hatred, and there is something suicidal about it.
James Baldwin quotes: People are too various to be treated so lightly. I am too various to be trusted. People are too various to be treated so lightly. I am too various to be trusted.
James Baldwin quotes: You took the best, so why not take the rest? You took the best, so why not take the rest?
James Baldwin quotes: Love was a country he knew nothing about. Love was a country he knew nothing about.
James Baldwin quotes: The most dangerous creation of any society is the man who has nothing to lose. The most dangerous creation of any society is the man who has nothing to lose.
James Baldwin quotes: Perhaps he is a fool or a coward but almost everybody is one or the other and most people are both. Perhaps he is a fool or a coward but almost everybody is one or the other and most people are both.
James Baldwin quotes: If you know whence you came, there is really no limit to where you can go. If you know whence you came, there is really no limit to where you can go.
James Baldwin quotes: I was often allowed to watch them drink their cocktails. I was often allowed to watch them drink their cocktails.
James Baldwin quotes: It does seem - well, difficult - to be at the mercy of some gross, unshaven stranger before you can begin to be yourself. It does seem - well, difficult - to be at the mercy of some gross, unshaven stranger before you can begin to be yourself.
James Baldwin quotes: Therefore, whatever white people do not know about Negroes reveals, precisely and inexorably, Therefore, whatever white people do not know about Negroes reveals, precisely and inexorably,
James Baldwin quotes: She was in a terrible state, for she found that she could neither take her eyes off him nor look at him. She was in a terrible state, for she found that she could neither take her eyes off him nor look at him.
James Baldwin quotes: A man is not a man until he's able and willing to accept his own vision of the world, no matter how radically this vision departs from that of others. A man is not a man until he's able and willing to accept his own vision of the world, no matter how radically this vision departs from that of others.
James Baldwin quotes: What kind of friendship have you had?Or for that matter ... what kind of love affairs? What kind of friendship have you had?
Or for that matter ... what kind of love affairs?
James Baldwin quotes: Come out, come out, wherever you are! Come out, come out, wherever you are!
James Baldwin quotes: One must say Yes to life and embrace it wherever it is found - and it is found in terrible places; nevertheless, there it is. One must say Yes to life and embrace it wherever it is found - and it is found in terrible places; nevertheless, there it is.
James Baldwin quotes: This innocent country set you down in a ghetto in which, in fact, it intended that you should perish. This innocent country set you down in a ghetto in which, in fact, it intended that you should perish.
James Baldwin quotes: Freedom lurked around us and I understood, at last, that he could help us be free if we would listen, that he would never be free until we did. Freedom lurked around us and I understood, at last, that he could help us be free if we would listen, that he would never be free until we did.
James Baldwin quotes: Yr crown has been bought and paid for. All you have to do is put it on yr head Yr crown has been bought and paid for. All you have to do is put it on yr head
James Baldwin quotes: For nothing is more unbearable, once one has it, than freedom. For nothing is more unbearable, once one has it, than freedom.
James Baldwin quotes: The role of the artist is exactly the same as the role of the lover. If I love you, I have to make you conscious of the things you don't The role of the artist is exactly the same as the role of the lover. If I love you, I have to make you conscious of the things you don't see.
James Baldwin quotes: Precisely at the point when you begin to develop a conscience you must find yourself at war with your society. Precisely at the point when you begin to develop a conscience you must find yourself at war with your society.
James Baldwin quotes: There is a fearful splendor in absolute desolation. There is a fearful splendor in absolute desolation.
James Baldwin quotes: The journey to the grave is already begun, the journey to corruption is, always, already, half over. The journey to the grave is already begun, the journey to corruption is, always, already, half over.
James Baldwin quotes: I wish I had heard him more clearly: an oblique confession is always a plea. I wish I had heard him more clearly: an oblique confession is always a plea.
James Baldwin quotes: American history is longer, larger, more various, more beautiful, and more terrible than anything anyone has ever said about it. American history is longer, larger, more various, more beautiful, and more terrible than anything anyone has ever said about it.
James Baldwin quotes: Wash me, cried the slave to his Maker, and I shall be whiter, whiter than snow! Wash me, cried the slave to his Maker, and I shall be whiter, whiter than snow!
James Baldwin quotes: People pay for what they do, and still more for what they have allowed themselves to become. And they pay for it very simply; by the lives they lead. People pay for what they do, and still more for what they have allowed themselves to become. And they pay for it very simply; by the lives they lead.
James Baldwin quotes: A real writer is always shifting and changing and searching. A real writer is always shifting and changing and searching.
James Baldwin quotes: I remembered that life in that room seemed to be occuring beneath the sea, time flowed past indiffrently above us, hours and days had no meaning. I remembered that life in that room seemed to be occuring beneath the sea, time flowed past indiffrently above us, hours and days had no meaning.
James Baldwin quotes: With everything in me screaming No! yet the sum of me sighed Yes. With everything in me screaming No! yet the sum of me sighed Yes.
James Baldwin quotes: Color is not a human or a personal reality; it is a political reality. Color is not a human or a personal reality; it is a political reality.
James Baldwin quotes: History is not a procession of illustrious people. It's about what happens to a people. Millions of anonymous people is what history is about. History is not a procession of illustrious people. It's about what happens to a people. Millions of anonymous people is what history is about.
James Baldwin quotes: Artists are the only people in a society who will tell that society the truth about itself. Artists are the only people in a society who will tell that society the truth about itself.
James Baldwin quotes: You don't have a home until you leave it and then, when you have left it, you never can go back. You don't have a home until you leave it and then, when you have left it, you never can go back.
James Baldwin quotes: The hope of the world lies in what one demands, not of others, but of oneself. The hope of the world lies in what one demands, not of others, but of oneself.
James Baldwin quotes: No man is a devil in his own mind. No man is a devil in his own mind.
James Baldwin quotes: Nothing is more unbearable, once has it, than freedom. Nothing is more unbearable, once has it, than freedom.
James Baldwin quotes: You write in order to change the world ... if you alter, even by a millimeter, the way people look at reality, then you can change it. You write in order to change the world ... if you alter, even by a millimeter, the way people look at reality, then you can change it.
James Baldwin quotes: Because I was raised in a Christian culture I never considered myself to be a totally free human being. Because I was raised in a Christian culture I never considered myself to be a totally free human being.
James Baldwin quotes: To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time. To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.
James Baldwin quotes: Education is indoctrination if you're white - subjugation if you're black. Education is indoctrination if you're white - subjugation if you're black.
James Baldwin quotes: I had decided to allow no room in the universe for something which shamed and frightened me. I had decided to allow no room in the universe for something which shamed and frightened me.
James Baldwin quotes: The people who think of themselves as White have the choice of becoming human or irrelevant. The people who think of themselves as White have the choice of becoming human or irrelevant.
James Baldwin quotes: The impossible is the least that one can demand. The impossible is the least that one can demand.
James Baldwin quotes: It is your responsibility to change the society if you think yourself as an educated person It is your responsibility to change the society if you think yourself as an educated person
James Baldwin quotes: And there was something so artless in this smile that I had to smile back. And there was something so artless in this smile that I had to smile back.
James Baldwin quotes: You know, and I know, that the country is celebrating one hundred years of freedom one hundred years too soon. You know, and I know, that the country is celebrating one hundred years of freedom one hundred years too soon.
James Baldwin quotes: I love America more than any other country in the world and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually. I love America more than any other country in the world and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.
James Baldwin quotes: I want to be an honest man and a good writer. I want to be an honest man and a good writer.
James Baldwin quotes: Everything was as it had been between us, and at the same time everything was different. Everything was as it had been between us, and at the same time everything was different.
James Baldwin quotes: At length, she lay beside him like a burden laid down at evening which must be picked up once more in the morning. At length, she lay beside him like a burden laid down at evening which must be picked up once more in the morning.
James Baldwin quotes: Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them. Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.
James Baldwin quotes: The American ideal is, after all, that everyone should be as much alike as possible. The American ideal is, after all, that everyone should be as much alike as possible.
James Baldwin quotes: Nobody is more dangerous than he who imagines himself pure in heart; for his purity, by definition, is unassailable. Nobody is more dangerous than he who imagines himself pure in heart; for his purity, by definition, is unassailable.
James Baldwin quotes: I often wonder what I'd do if there weren't any books in the world. I often wonder what I'd do if there weren't any books in the world.
James Baldwin quotes: It is very nearly impossible to become an educated person in a country so distrustful of the independent mind. It is very nearly impossible to become an educated person in a country so distrustful of the independent mind.
James Baldwin quotes: Trust life, and it will teach you, in joy and sorrow, all you need to know. Trust life, and it will teach you, in joy and sorrow, all you need to know.
James Baldwin quotes: I am what time, circumstance, history, have made of me, certainly, but I am also so much more than that. So are we all. I am what time, circumstance, history, have made of me, certainly, but I am also so much more than that. So are we all.
James Baldwin quotes: I don't know any writers who don't drink. I don't know any writers who don't drink.
James Baldwin quotes: You might feel different out there, with all the sunshine and oranges and all. You might feel different out there, with all the sunshine and oranges and all.
James Baldwin quotes: It's a long way," John said slowly, "ain't it? It's a hard way. It's uphill all the way. It's a long way," John said slowly, "ain't it? It's a hard way. It's uphill all the way.
James Baldwin quotes: Most of us are about as eager to be changed as we were to be born, and go through our changes in a similar state of shock. Most of us are about as eager to be changed as we were to be born, and go through our changes in a similar state of shock.
James Baldwin quotes: Love forces, at last, this humility: you cannot love if you cannot be loved, you cannot see if you cannot be seen. Love forces, at last, this humility: you cannot love if you cannot be loved, you cannot see if you cannot be seen.
James Baldwin quotes: If the world wasn't so full of dead folks maybe those of us that's trying to live wouldn't have to suffer so bad. If the world wasn't so full of dead folks maybe those of us that's trying to live wouldn't have to suffer so bad.
James Baldwin quotes: This is the charged, the dangerous moment, when everything must be re-examined, must be made new, when nothing at all can be taken for granted. This is the charged, the dangerous moment, when everything must be re-examined, must be made new, when nothing at all can be taken for granted.
James Baldwin quotes: These captive men are the hidden price for a hiden lie: the righteous must be able to locate the damned. These captive men are the hidden price for a hiden lie: the righteous must be able to locate the damned.
James Baldwin quotes: Hatred, which could destroy so much, never failed to destroy the man who hated, and this was an immutable law. Hatred, which could destroy so much, never failed to destroy the man who hated, and this was an immutable law.
James Baldwin quotes: Observing that, from this height, the city which had been so dark as he walked through it seemed to be on fire. Observing that, from this height, the city which had been so dark as he walked through it seemed to be on fire.
James Baldwin quotes: It is a very rare man who does not victimize the helpless. It is a very rare man who does not victimize the helpless.
James Baldwin quotes: There's no way not to suffer. But you try all kinds of ways to keep from drowning in it. There's no way not to suffer. But you try all kinds of ways to keep from drowning in it.
James Baldwin quotes: You have to go the way your blood beats. If you don't live the only life you have, you won't live some other life, you won't live any life at You have to go the way your blood beats. If you don't live the only life you have, you won't live some other life, you won't live any life at all.
James Baldwin quotes: ...love brought you here. If you trusted love this far, don't panic now. ...love brought you here. If you trusted love this far, don't panic now.
James Baldwin quotes: Love takes off the masks we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within. Love takes off the masks we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within.
James Baldwin quotes: The purpose of art is to lay bare the questions that have been hidden by the answers. The purpose of art is to lay bare the questions that have been hidden by the answers.
James Baldwin quotes: You face reality, not the lights. The lights go off as quickly as they come on. You face reality, not the lights. The lights go off as quickly as they come on.
James Baldwin quotes: all men were like this, their thoughts rose no higher, and they lived only to gratify on the bodies of women their brutal and humiliating needs. One all men were like this, their thoughts rose no higher, and they lived only to gratify on the bodies of women their brutal and humiliating needs. One
James Baldwin quotes: We stared at each other across a narrow space that was full of danger, that almost seemed to roar, like flame.'Come,' he said. We stared at each other across a narrow space that was full of danger, that almost seemed to roar, like flame.

'Come,' he said.
James Baldwin quotes: You don't realize you're intelligent until it gets you into trouble. You don't realize you're intelligent until it gets you into trouble.
James Baldwin quotes: The primary distinction of the artist is that he must actively cultivate that state which most men, necessarily, must avoid; the state of being alone. The primary distinction of the artist is that he must actively cultivate that state which most men, necessarily, must avoid; the state of being alone.
James Baldwin quotes: I must believe, I must believe, that the heavy grace of God, which has brought me to this point, is all that can carry me out of it. I must believe, I must believe, that the heavy grace of God, which has brought me to this point, is all that can carry me out of it.
James Baldwin quotes: Our humanity is our burden, our life. We need not battle for it. We need only to do what is infinitely more difficult: that is, accept it. Our humanity is our burden, our life. We need not battle for it. We need only to do what is infinitely more difficult: that is, accept it.
James Baldwin quotes: There are few things under heaven more unnerving than the silent, accumulating contempt and hatred of a people. There are few things under heaven more unnerving than the silent, accumulating contempt and hatred of a people.
James Baldwin quotes: The sons of the masters were roaming the world, looking for arms to hold them. And the arms that might have held themcould not forgive. The sons of the masters were roaming the world, looking for arms to hold them. And the arms that might have held them
could not forgive.
James Baldwin quotes: True rebels after all, are as rare as true lovers,and in both cases, to mistake a fever for passion can destroy one's life True rebels after all, are as rare as true lovers,and in both cases, to mistake a fever for passion can destroy one's life
James Baldwin quotes: All that hatred down there," he said, "all that hatred and misery and love. It's a wonder it doesn't blow the avenue apart. All that hatred down there," he said, "all that hatred and misery and love. It's a wonder it doesn't blow the avenue apart.
James Baldwin quotes: The place in which I'll fit will not exist until I make it. The place in which I'll fit will not exist until I make it.
James Baldwin quotes: We cannot discuss the state of our minorities until we first have a sense of what we are, who we are, what our goals are, and what we take life We cannot discuss the state of our minorities until we first have a sense of what we are, who we are, what our goals are, and what we take life to be.
James Baldwin quotes: I hope that nobody has ever had to look at anybody they love through glass. I hope that nobody has ever had to look at anybody they love through glass.
James Baldwin quotes: Nothing is more desirable than to be released from an affliction, but nothing is more frightening than to be divested of a crutch. Nothing is more desirable than to be released from an affliction, but nothing is more frightening than to be divested of a crutch.
James Baldwin quotes: But the Atlantic Ocean is deep and wide and money doesn't hurry from the other side. But the Atlantic Ocean is deep and wide and money doesn't hurry from the other side.
James Baldwin quotes: In those days my mother was given to the exasperating and mysterious habit of having babies. In those days my mother was given to the exasperating and mysterious habit of having babies.
James Baldwin quotes: The person who distrusts himself has no touchstone for reality - for this touchstone can be only oneself. The person who distrusts himself has no touchstone for reality - for this touchstone can be only oneself.

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