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BIOGRAPHICAL
• Born1924inHarlem,NewYork
• 8 siblings• Stepfather• Becameateenpreacherat14
• Orilla “Bill”Miller
• Essays(TheFireNextTime,NoNameintheStreet,NotesofaNativeSon...)andnovels(GoTellItOntheMountain,Giovanni’sRoom,AnotherCountry...)
HARLEMINTHETWENTIETHCENTURY
• HarlemasthelargestsiteforincomersfromtheGreatMigration(1915-1970)
• BothofBaldwin’sparentsmigratedfromthesouth(separately)
• Siteofcivilunrestinprotestofpolicebrutality
• HarlemRenaissance
• 20th centuryculturalmovement,self-affirmativeBlackidentity
• W.E.B.DuBois,LangstonHughes,JamesWeldonJohnson,ClaudeMcKay,ZoraNealHurston,JeanToomer,DukeEllington,JosephineBaker...
BIOGRAPHICAL
• Lifeabroad:FranceandTurkey• Confrontationofdifferentracialdynamics
• Baldwinaswitness
• DiedintheSouthofFranceinDecember1987
ESCAPEFROMTHEU.S.
• Baldwinwas“trappedbyhisAmericannness.”(MagdalenaZaborowska,JamesBaldwin’sTurkishDecade)
• “IgottoPariswithfortydollarsinmypocket,butIhadtogetoutofNewYork.Myreflexesweretormentedbytheplightofotherpeople.Readinghadtakenmeawayforlongperiodsatatime,yetIstillhadtodealwiththestreetsandtheauthoritiesandthecold.IknewwhatitmeanttobewhiteandIknewwhatitmeanttobeanigger,andIknewwhatwasgoingtohappentome.Myluckwasrunningout.Iwasgoingtogotojail,Iwasgoingtokillsomebodyorbekilled.”TheParisReview,1984.
• IncidentattherestaurantinNewJersey(NotesofaNativeSon)
AFRICANAMERICANEXPERIENCESINTHEU.S.
• Mid-twentiethcentury
• Conditionsoflifeatthetime
• CivilRightsMovement
• BlackNationalism
• Butnoonetotalizingexperience
FRIENDSHIPS
• MalcolmX
• MartinLutherKing,Jr.
• MedgarEvers
• MarlonBrando
• Sedat Pakay• Expatcirclesabroad
THEFIRENEXTTIME
• Publishedin1963
• Twoletters:LettertomyNephewandLetterFromaRegioninMyMind(alsoknownasDownattheCross)
• BothoriginallypublishedasessaysinTheProgressiveandTheNewYorkerrespectively
MYDUNGEONSHOOK:LETTERTOMYNEPHEW
ONTHEONE-HUNDREDTHANNIVERSARYOFTHE
EMANCIPATION
• FirstpublishedinTheProgressivein1963• Baldwinaddresseshisteenagenephew,alsocalledJames
• EmancipationProclamation(1863)
• Mixofpublicandprivate
• The“talk”– aboutrace• Questionofaudience
TA-NEHISICOATES,BETWEENTHEWORLD
ANDME
• ComparisontoBaldwin
• FathertoSon,UncletoNephew:Blackmaleheritage
• WhoisCoates’audience?
OPENINGLINES
• Baldwinplacesnephewintothefamilylineage
• Alsoplaceshimintolineageofviolence
• “Well,he[yourgrandfather]isdead,heneversawyou,andhehadaterriblelife;hewasdefeatedlongbeforehediedbecause,atthebottomofhisheart,hereallybelievedwhatwhitepeoplesaidabouthim”(333)
• Death,racism,andwhitesupremacyintroducedimmediately
THEQUESTIONOFINNOCENCE
• “Itistheinnocencewhichconstitutesthecrime”(334)
• Aimofletter:topreparenephewforthedenialoftheinnocents
• “Ihearthechorusoftheinnocentsscreaming,‘No!Thisisnottrue!Howbitter youare!’—butIamwritingthislettertoyou,totrytotellyousomethingabouthowtohandlethem,formostofthemdonotyetreallyknowthatyouexist”(334)
• “Thisinnocentcountrysetyoudowninaghettoinwhich,infact,itisintendedthatyoushouldperish”(335)
EXPLAININGHISNEPHEW’SCIRCUMSTANCES
• “Youwerebornwhereyouwerebornandfacedthefuturethatyoufacedbecauseyouwereblackandfornootherreason.Thelimitsofyourambitionwere,thus,expectedtobesetforever”(335)
• Thinkaboutlettersofthisgenre– hopefulandoptimisticaboutthefuture
• “Youwerenotexpectedtoaspiretoexcellence:youwereexpectedtomakepeacewithmediocrity”
• Warnsagainsthiscountrymen• “Takenoone’swordforanything,includingmine—buttrustyourexperience”
KNOWTHYSELF
• “Knowwhenceyoucame.Ifyouknowwhenceyoucame,thereisreallynolimittowhereyoucango”(335)
• Self-knowledgeasatoolagainstwhitesupremacy
• “Thedetailsandsymbolsofyourlifehavebeendeliberatelyconstructedtomakeyoubelievewhatwhitepeoplesayaboutyou.Pleasetrytorememberthatwhattheybelieve,aswellaswhattheydoandcauseyoutoendure,doesnottestifytoyourinferioritybuttotheirinhumanityandfear”(335)
• Self-knowledgeoneoftheenduringthemesinBaldwin’sworks
THEFALSENESSOFACCEPTANCEAND
INTEGRATION
• Whatisentailedinacceptanceandintegration?
• Baldwin’sfinalinjunction:toaccepttheinnocentpeople
• Flipsthemeaningofintegration
• Theinnocentareignoranttoandtrappedbytheirownhistory
• “Wecannotbefreeuntiltheyarefree”
LETTERFROMAREGIONINMYMIND
TakeuptheWhiteMan’sburden—
Yedarenotstooptoless—
NorcalltooloudonFreedom
Tocloakyourweariness;
Byallyecryorwhisper,
Byallyeleaveordo,
Thesilent,sullenpeoples
ShallweighyourGodsandyou.
—Kipling.
DownatthecrosswheremySaviour died,
DownwhereforcleansingfromsinIcried,
Theretomyheartwasthebloodapplied,
SingingglorytoHisname!
—Hymn.
RECAPOFSOCIALANDHISTORICALCONTEXT
• CivilRightsperiod
• Fightforintegration
• NationofIslam
• Fightforseparation
COMPONENTSOFTHISESSAY
• Acomingofagenarrative
• EncounterwiththeNationofIslam
• Islamasanalternativetothedominantculture
• Separatismvs.integration
ACOMINGOFAGENARRATIVE
• “Iunderwent,duringthesummerthatIbecamefourteen,aprolongedreligiouscrisis.”
• TeenyearsinHarlem
• Fromsenseofentrapmenttofreedomtotravel
BALDWIN’SDEFINITIONOF“RELIGIOUS”
• DiscoveryofGodandHell
• ConfinedwithintheChurch“OurChurch”
• Necessityofreligionforprotectionagainstevil
• Discoveryofreligiontiedinwithdiscoveryofsex
HARLEMASASITEOFRESISTANCE
• AgainsttherestofNewYork• Fighting“theman”– i.e.,the“whiteman”
• Senseofhopelessnessandhumiliation
• Senseofentrapment:“stayuptown[i.e.,Harlem]whereyoubelong”(339)
• SotheChurchbecomesaplaceofescape
RHETORICOFCAPITALISM
• “Forthewagesofsinwerevisibleeverywhere”(339)
• Inevitabilityofcrime
• Worknotenoughtoescape:a“meansofinspiringfear”alsonecessary
• Self-determinationandcreationofownstandards
BALDWIN’SPOLITICS
• Fearofcriminality
• Resistanceagainstbeingdefinedbyothers
• Findingagimmicktoescapethesecircumstances
• ThechurchasBaldwin’sgimmick
BEINGBLACKINAWHITEWORLD
• The“Negro”construct– uniquetotheU.S.
• “taughtreallytodespisethemselvesfromthemomenttheireyesopenontheworld.“
• WhitesupremacyasordainedbyGod:• “Whitepeopleholdthepower,whichmeansthattheyaresuperiortoblacks(intrinsically,thatis:Goddecreeditso),andtheworldhasinnumerablewaysofmakingthisdifferenceknownandfeltandfeared.”
AWHITEUNIVERSE
• “Blackpeople,mainly,lookdownorlookupbutdonotlookateachother,notatyou,andwhitepeople,mainly,lookaway.Andtheuniverseissimplyasoundingdrum;thereisnoway,nowaywhatever,soitseemedthenandhassometimesseemedsince,togetthroughalife,toloveyourwifeandchildren,oryourfriends,oryourmotherandfather,ortobeloved.Theuniverse,whichisnotmerelythestarsandthemoonandtheplanets,flowers,grass,andtrees,butotherpeople,hasevolvednotermsforyourexistence,hasmadenoroomforyou,andiflovewillnotswingwidethegates,nootherpowerwillorcan.Andifonedespairs—aswhohasnot?—ofhumanlove,God’slovealoneisleft.ButGod—andIfeltthiseventhen,solongago,onthattremendousfloor,unwillingly—iswhite.AndifHislovewassogreat,andifHelovedallHischildren,whywerewe,theblacks,castdownsofar?”(344)
DEPARTUREFROMTHECHURCH
• Severalfactors:
• Reading– especiallyDostoyevsky• HisJewishfriends:“peoplewhowere,bydefinition,beyondanyhopeofsalvation”
• Theyforcehimtoconfrontthepromotionalmaterialshebringsfromthechurchtohisschool
• Thechurch’smessageasblackmail
• LoveofGodversusfearofHell• TheBiblewasnotwrittenforpeoplelikehim
THEQUESTIONOFCOLOR
• HisJewishfriendsalsoforcehimtoconfronthisrace
• Christianityasawhitereligion• Inevitabilityofhisfate:tobeexcludedfromsalvation
• Jesus,the”sun-baked Hebrew,”isnot the”realarchitectoftheChristianchurch”– Paulis
• AcallfortheU.S.andotherWesternnationsto“re-examinethemselves”
• Gesturingathistoryofcolonialismandimperialism
IFCHRISTIANITYISWHITE...
• AndGodisonthesideoftheWest…
• What’sthealternative?
• TheMuslimGod
• “Godhadcomealongwayfromthedesert—butthensohadAllah,thoughinaverydifferentdirection.God,goingnorth,andrisingonthewingsofpower,hadbecomewhite,andAllah,outofpower,andonthedarksideofHeaven,hadbecome—forallpracticalpurposes,anyway—black”(352)
NATIONOFISLAM
• ElijahMuhammad
• MalcolmX– secondincommand
• BlackNationalism• Reclamationofidentity– the“X”surname
• Separatism(versusintegration)
• EncounterwiththepoliceinHarlem(352-3)
• “Thewhitemanisthedevil”
THEIDEAOFABLACKDEITY
“Godisblack.AllblackmenbelongtoIslam;theyhavebeenchosenAndIslamshallruletheworld.Thedream,thesentimentisold;onlythecolorisnew.Anditisthisdream,thissweetpossibility,thatthousandsofoppressedblackmenandwomeninthiscountrynowcarryawaywiththemaftertheMuslimministerhasspoken,throughthedark,noisomeghettostreets,intothehovelswheresomanyhaveperished.ThewhiteGodhasnotdeliveredthem;perhapstheblackGodwill”(357)
TREPIDATIONATMEETINGELIJAH
MUHAMMAD
• MuhammadtriestoreachBaldwin
• Whatdoesitmeanto“becomemyself”?• “ElijahmentionedhavingseenmeontelevisionandsaidthatitseemedtohimthatIwasnotyetbrainwashedandwastryingtobecomemyself.Hesaidthisinacuriouslyunnervingway,hiseyeslookingintomineandonehandhalfhidinghislips,asthoughheweretryingtoconcealbadteeth.Buthisteethwerenotbad.ThenIrememberedhearingthathehadspenttimeinprison.IsupposethatIwould liketobecomemyself,whateverthatmaymean,butIknewthatElijah’smeaningandminewerenotthesame.Isaidyes,Iwastryingtobeme,butIdidnotknowhowtosaymorethanthat,andsoIwaited.”(360)
ODDDYNAMICBETWEENMUHAMMADANDHIS
FOLLOWERS
• ServilityoffollowersbeginstoannoyBaldwin
• IndirectwayofquestioningBaldwin
• Tryingtogethimtobelievethatthe“whitemanisthedevil”andBaldwin’sresistancethismessage
THEAPPEALOFTHENATION’SMESSAGE
• ThebrutalityoftheAfricanAmericanexperience
• Lackofrepresentation,lackofcredibilityinawhitesupremacistworld
• Obstructionofthetruth
ISLAMASARADICALALTERNATIVE
• Radicaltothestatusquo– whiteChristiansupremacy
• Asameansofdiscoveringthetruth
• Asameansofresistancetowhitesupremacy
• “Forwhereelse,afterall,couldIgo?Iwasblack,andthereforeapartofIslam,andwouldbesavedfromtheholocaustawaitingthewhiteworldwhetherIwouldorno.”
• Baldwinhimselfwasatheist.
• "Ileftthechurch20yearsagoandhaven’tjoinedanythingsince."Elijahasked,"Andwhatareyounow?"Baldwinexplained,"Now?Nothing.I'mawriter.Ilikedoingthingsalone."
SEPARATISMANDITSVICES
• Baldwin’sevidenceofgoodwhitepeople:theyareexceptionstotherule.
• Hisrealityversustherealityoftheworld• Hehasasuddenthoughtexperimentwherehe“humanizes”whitepeople:
• “Intheeeriestwaypossible,IsuddenlyhadaglimpseofwhatwhitepeoplemustgothroughatadinnertablewhentheyaretryingtoprovethatNegroesarenotsubhuman.Ihadalmostsaid,afterall,“Well,takemyfriendMary,”andverynearlydescendedtoacatalogueofthosevirtuesthatgaveMarytherighttobealive.Andinwhathope?ThatElijahandtheotherswouldnodtheirheadssolemnlyandsay,atlast,“Well,she’s allright—buttheothers!””
...ANDITSVIRTUES
• AfricanAmericansaretheonlygroupofpeoplewhodon’thavetheirownlandandnation
• Integrationisa“grudging”and“tardy”recognitionofBlackhumanity
• NowonderBlackMuslimsdon’twanttointegrate
• BlackMuslimstakethedefinitionofhumanityintotheirownhandsinsteadofallowingittobedeterminedbywhitepeople
• Formingaseparatenation:• “onlyhopeofnotperishingintheAmericanbackwaterandbeingentirelyandforeverforgotten,asthoughhehadneverexistedatallandhistravailhadbeenfornothing.”
REVIEWOFTHENATION’SRULES
• “Returntoyourtruereligion”
• “Protectyourwomen”
• MalcolmX:”ThemostdisrespectedwomeninAmericaistheBlackwoman”
• Blackisbeautiful
BALDWIN’SFINALPOSITION
• Baldwinarguesthatthepoweroftheblackcommunity– thesourceofitswealth– comesfromthewholeoftheU.S.economy
• Willtheirpower– includingspendingpower– bethesameafterseparation– fromlandandeconomy
• Howtoimaginelifeasseparatenations?
• Necessitytoacceptthetruthofone’spast:“theNegrohasbeenformedbythisnation,forbetterorforworse,anddoesnotbelongtoanyother—nottoAfrica,andcertainlynottoIslam.”
• Versusan“inventedpast,”whichisnotviable.
“AUNIQUECREATION”
• DifficulttocomparetheirstatusasAfricanAmericanstoAfricans(whichtheNOIsortofdoes)
• “Themostdespisedcreatureinhiscountry”
• NotthemostoptimisticaboutBlacksuccess
AWHITENATION?
• Americaandthequestionofcolor
• VsEurope– presumedtobesynonymouswiththeword“civilization”
• Thiscountry’sdenialofitsstatus
• “BringnewlifetotheWesternachievements,andtransformthem”
• The“NegroasthekeyfiguretotheU.S.”
• “DoIreallywant tobeintegratedintoaburninghouse?”
CONCLUSION
“Inshort,we,theblackandthewhite,deeplyneedeachotherhereifwearereallytobecomeanation—ifwearereally,thatis,toachieveouridentity,ourmaturity,asmenandwomen.Tocreateonenationhasprovedtobeahideouslydifficulttask;thereiscertainlynoneednowtocreatetwo,oneblackandonewhite.ButwhitemenwithfarmorepoliticalpowerthanthatpossessedbytheNationofIslammovementhavebeenadvocatingexactlythis,ineffect,forgenerations.IfthissentimentishonoredwhenitfallsfromthelipsofSenatorByrd,thenthereisnoreasonitshouldnotbehonoredwhenitfallsfromthelipsofMalcolmX.AndanyCongressionalcommitteewishingtoinvestigatethelattermustalsobewillingtoinvestigatetheformer.Theyareexpressingexactlythesamesentimentsandrepresentexactlythesamedanger.ThereisabsolutelynoreasontosupposethatwhitepeoplearebetterequippedtoframethelawsbywhichIamtobegovernedthanIam.ItisentirelyunacceptablethatIshouldhavenovoiceinthepoliticalaffairsofmyowncountry,forIamnotawardofAmerica;IamoneofthefirstAmericanstoarriveontheseshores”(375-6)
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