--- title: "17 Knows Quotes By James A. Baldwin" description: "17 Knows quotes by James A. Baldwin. Plus more from James A. Baldwin and more Knows sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/236/james-a-baldwin-2080_europe_a-liberal-someone-who-thinks-he-knows-mo_796744.jpg" --- > [A liberal: someone who thinks he knows more about your experience than you do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/a-liberal-someone-who-thinks-he-knows-more-about-your-experience-than/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/236/james-a-baldwin-2080_europe_a-liberal-someone-who-thinks-he-knows-mo_796744.jpg) > [If you really want to know something about solitude, become famous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/if-you-really-want-to-know-something-about-solitude-become-famous/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fc/james-a-baldwin-2080_famous_if-you-really-want-to-know-something-abo_1731222.jpg) > [All I know about music is that not many people ever really hear it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/all-i-know-about-music-is-that-not-many-people-ever-really-hear-it/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fd/james-a-baldwin-2080_knows_all-i-know-about-music-is-that-not-many_39163.jpg) > [Whatever white people do not know about Negroes reveals, precisely and inexorably, what they do not know about themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/whatever-white-people-do-not-know-about-negroes-reveals-precisely-and/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a67/james-a-baldwin-2080_knows_whatever-white-people-do-not-know-about_1898050.jpg) > [A devotion to humanity is... too easily equated with a devotion to a Cause, and Causes, as we know, are notoriously bloodthirsty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/a-devotion-to-humanity-is-too-easily-equated-with-a-devotion-to-a/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0a/james-a-baldwin-2080_atheism_a-devotion-to-humanity-is-too-easily-equ_290752.jpg) > [There are few things more dreadful than dealing with a man who knows he is going under, in his own eyes, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/there-are-few-things-more-dreadful-than-dealing-with-a-man-who-knows/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/361/james-a-baldwin-2080_attention_there-are-few-things-more-dreadful-than_1600018.jpg) > [I must oppose any attempt that Negroes may make to do to others what has been done to them. . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/i-must-oppose-any-attempt-that-negroes-may-make-to-do-to-others-what/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c37/james-a-baldwin-2080_done_i-must-oppose-any-attempt-that-negroes-m_2273012.jpg) > [A society must assume that it is stable, but the artist must know, and he must let us know, that there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/a-society-must-assume-that-it-is-stable-but-the-artist-must-know-and/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88a/james-a-baldwin-2080_art_a-society-must-assume-that-it-is-stable_1232269.jpg) > [I really do believe in the New Jerusalem. I really do believe that we can all become better than we are. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/i-really-do-believe-in-the-new-jerusalem-i-really-do-believe-that-we/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6c/james-a-baldwin-2080_believe_i-really-do-believe-in-the-new-jerusalem_1182331.jpg) > [Such figures as Boy George do not disturb me nearly so much as do those relentlessly hetero (sexual?) keepers of the keys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/such-figures-as-boy-george-do-not-disturb-me-nearly-so-much-as-do/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55e/james-a-baldwin-2080_boys_such-figures-as-boy-george-do-not-distur_1370732.jpg) > [Talent is insignificant. I know a lot of talented ruins. Beyond talent lie all the usual words: discipline, love, luck, but, most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/talent-is-insignificant-i-know-a-lot-of-talented-ruins-beyond-talent/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba1/james-a-baldwin-2080_discipline_talent-is-insignificant-i-know-a-lot-of_1838307.jpg) > [You go into a book and you're in the dark, really. You go in with a certain fear and trembling. You know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/you-go-into-a-book-and-you-re-in-the-dark-really-you-go-in-with-a/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/james-a-baldwin-2080_boat_you-go-into-a-book-and-you-re-in-the-dar_1219646.jpg) > [If one really wishes to know how justice is administered in a country, one does not question the policemen, the lawyers, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/if-one-really-wishes-to-know-how-justice-is-administered-in-a-country/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d99/james-a-baldwin-2080_class_if-one-really-wishes-to-know-how-justice_1290476.jpg) > [When Americans look out on the world, they see nothing but dark and menacing strangers who appear to have no sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/when-americans-look-out-on-the-world-they-see-nothing-but-dark-and/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd1/james-a-baldwin-2080_affection_when-americans-look-out-on-the-world-the_1551338.jpg) > [Ask any Mexican, any Puerto Rican, any black man, any poor person - ask the wretched how they fare in the halls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/ask-any-mexican-any-puerto-rican-any-black-man-any-poor-person-ask/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14f/james-a-baldwin-2080_asks_ask-any-mexican-any-puerto-rican-any-bla_1284067.jpg) > [Fonny and I just sat there... while the voices of the congregation rose and rose around us, without mercy... Teddy had the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/fonny-and-i-just-sat-there-while-the-voices-of-the-congregation-rose/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0da/james-a-baldwin-2080_brain_fonny-and-i-just-sat-there-while-the-voi_1340180.jpg) > [It is a very grave matter to be forced to imitate a people for whom you know-which is the price of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/it-is-a-very-grave-matter-to-be-forced-to-imitate-a-people-for-whom/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/370/james-a-baldwin-2080_culture_it-is-a-very-grave-matter-to-be-forced-t_1035332.jpg) ## Other authors on Knows ## More by James A. Baldwin > [One cannot deny the humanity of another without diminishing one's own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/one-cannot-deny-the-humanity-of-another-without-diminishing-one-s-own/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [All I know about music is that not many people ever really hear it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/all-i-know-about-music-is-that-not-many-people-ever-really-hear-it/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [I've always believed that you can think positive just as well as you can think negative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/i-ve-always-believed-that-you-can-think-positive-just-as-well-as-you/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [The white man discovered the Cross by way of the Bible, but the black man discovered the Bible by way of the Cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/the-white-man-discovered-the-cross-by-way-of-the-bible-but-the-black/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [The American ideal of sexuality appears to be rooted in the American ideal of masculinity. This idea has created cowboys and Indians, good guys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/the-american-ideal-of-sexuality-appears-to-be-rooted-in-the-american/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [Voyagers discover that the world can never be larger than the person that is in the world; but it is impossible to foresee this,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/voyagers-discover-that-the-world-can-never-be-larger-than-the-person/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [We take our shape, it is true, within and against that cage of reality bequeathed us at our birth; and yet it is precisely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/we-take-our-shape-it-is-true-within-and-against-that-cage-of-reality/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [The American ideal is, after all, that everyone should be as much alike as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/the-american-ideal-is-after-all-that-everyone-should-be-as-much-alike/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [James Joyce is right about history being a nightmare-- but it may be that nightmare from which no one can awaken. People are trapped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/james-joyce-is-right-about-history-being-a-nightmare-but-it-may-be/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [I think Americans are terrified of feeling anything. I never met a people more infantile in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/i-think-americans-are-terrified-of-feeling-anything-i-never-met-a/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [Unless a writer is extremely old when he dies, in which case he has probably become a neglected institution, his death must always be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/unless-a-writer-is-extremely-old-when-he-dies-in-which-case-he-has/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [An identity is questioned only when it is menaced, as when the mighty begin to fall, or when the wretched begin to rise, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/an-identity-is-questioned-only-when-it-is-menaced-as-when-the-mighty/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [White people will have quite enough to do in learning how to accept and love themselves and each other, and when they have achieved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/white-people-will-have-quite-enough-to-do-in-learning-how-to-accept/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [A devotion to humanity is... too easily equated with a devotion to a Cause, and Causes, as we know, are notoriously bloodthirsty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/a-devotion-to-humanity-is-too-easily-equated-with-a-devotion-to-a/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [Most people... find a disorientating mismatch between the long-term nature of their liabilities and the increasingly short-term nature of their assets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/most-people-find-a-disorientating-mismatch-between-the-long-term/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/james-a-baldwin/#itemlist", "name": "17 Knows Quotes By James A. 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Baldwin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 8, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A society must assume that it is stable, but the artist must know, and he must let us know, that there is nothing stable under heaven.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James A. Baldwin" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/a-society-must-assume-that-it-is-stable-but-the-artist-must-know-and/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88a/james-a-baldwin-2080_art_a-society-must-assume-that-it-is-stable_1232269.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88a/james-a-baldwin-2080_art_a-society-must-assume-that-it-is-stable_1232269.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88a/james-a-baldwin-2080_art_a-society-must-assume-that-it-is-stable_1232269.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A society must assume that it is stable, but the artist must know, and he must let us know, that there is…” — James A. Baldwin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 9, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I really do believe in the New Jerusalem. 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Baldwin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 10, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Such figures as Boy George do not disturb me nearly so much as do those relentlessly hetero (sexual?) keepers of the keys and seals, those who know what the world needs in the way of order and who are ready and willing to supply that order.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James A. 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Beyond talent lie all the usual words: discipline, love, luck, but, most of all, endurance.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James A. Baldwin" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/talent-is-insignificant-i-know-a-lot-of-talented-ruins-beyond-talent/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba1/james-a-baldwin-2080_discipline_talent-is-insignificant-i-know-a-lot-of_1838307.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba1/james-a-baldwin-2080_discipline_talent-is-insignificant-i-know-a-lot-of_1838307.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba1/james-a-baldwin-2080_discipline_talent-is-insignificant-i-know-a-lot-of_1838307.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Talent is insignificant. I know a lot of talented ruins. Beyond talent lie all the usual words: discipline…” — James A. 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Baldwin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 13, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If one really wishes to know how justice is administered in a country, one does not question the policemen, the lawyers, the judges, or the protected members of the middle class. One goes to the unprotected - those, precisely, who need the law's protection most! - and listens to their testimony.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James A. 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Baldwin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 15, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Ask any Mexican, any Puerto Rican, any black man, any poor person - ask the wretched how they fare in the halls of justice, and then you will know, not whether or not the country is just, but whether or not it has any love for justice, or any concept of it. It is certain, in any case, that ignorance, allied with power, is the most ferocious enemy justice can have.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James A. 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