JamesBaldwin

TheFireNextTime

TuesdayMay30th

LECTUREOUTLINE

1)Biographyandhistory

2)LetterToMyNephew

3)LetterFromaRegioninMyMind/DownattheCross

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

CATEGORIZINGBALDWIN

• Black

• Gay

• CivilRightsfigure ...sortof

• Expatriate

• Self-imposedexile

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)