JAMES BALDWIN
Gormandizing in fluent pinches of radicalism to get America’s attention, James Baldwin made a moral decision to use his gifts to help elevate the Civil Rights Movement. The hype of James Baldwins literary gigabytes gave American black folks the greatest premeditated light to turn on during the era of the 50's, 60’s and 70’s. Black folks could see themselves as black excellence and mortal. James Baldwin was born to tell the narratives America was not ready to receive. Ready or not, he went on to "Go Tell It On The Mountain" any way. White folks could listen in, but they could not control the volume of his voice. If they didn’t like it, they had the option to close the book. James Baldwin also expressively told America He was "Not Their Negro.” The residue from slavery, (hate, racism and discrimination) are still breathing on us heavy and hard but it cannot hinder you from going forward with the plans, purpose and destiny God predestined for you to conquer.
Did you know James Baldwin was a proficient writer at a young age? Yes! At the age of 14 he was a preacher but he quit that job at 17 and later moved to France. Baldwin did not feel like he could flourish as a man or as a writer in America. The genocidal empire of racism and injustice towards the plight of black people made America very unattractive to James Baldwin. Baldwin was threaded as a thematic antidote of hope for the dilemma of black people and the Civil Rights Movement. He lived what he wrote about. His novels, films, essays, poems and plays made ways out of the desolation, adoration, conviction, and trepidation in black folks faces and behind their backs during those times.
I encourage you, your friends and family to read all Baldwin’s pieces of literature. Some of his most popular novels include: Go Tell It on the Mountain. This book came out in 1953 and reflects Baldwin's own life growing up in church. This book was also made into a movie; Notes of A Native Son was published in 1955 and this book spoke to the issues in the Civil Rights Movement in the form of essays; Giovanni’s Room came out in 1956 and this book was very taboo considering it dealt with homosexuality in a hot and steamy way; In 1962 Another Country was distributed. This book talks about love, suicide, mental health and bisexuality; The Fire Next Time was printed in 1963. This book examines Christianity, race and racism in America in the form of essays; Going to Meet The Man was available in 1965. This book of short stories gives you jazz musicians, angry men and dirty cops. If Beale Street Could Talk was a 1974 novel made into a movie in 2018 dealing with love and injustice. I Am Not your Negro came out in 2017. Before Baldwin died he had a lot of notes, books interviews and letters that formulated this book. It’s a tribute to Malcolm X, Martin Luther King and Meager Evers. This book was also made into a movie.
There certainly is no mystery, James Baldwin was born to write, to help you think, and to leave some of his plans and purpose in the pages of American history.
Did you know James Baldwin was a proficient writer at a young age? Yes! At the age of 14 he was a preacher but he quit that job at 17 and later moved to France. Baldwin did not feel like he could flourish as a man or as a writer in America. The genocidal empire of racism and injustice towards the plight of black people made America very unattractive to James Baldwin. Baldwin was threaded as a thematic antidote of hope for the dilemma of black people and the Civil Rights Movement. He lived what he wrote about. His novels, films, essays, poems and plays made ways out of the desolation, adoration, conviction, and trepidation in black folks faces and behind their backs during those times.
I encourage you, your friends and family to read all Baldwin’s pieces of literature. Some of his most popular novels include: Go Tell It on the Mountain. This book came out in 1953 and reflects Baldwin's own life growing up in church. This book was also made into a movie; Notes of A Native Son was published in 1955 and this book spoke to the issues in the Civil Rights Movement in the form of essays; Giovanni’s Room came out in 1956 and this book was very taboo considering it dealt with homosexuality in a hot and steamy way; In 1962 Another Country was distributed. This book talks about love, suicide, mental health and bisexuality; The Fire Next Time was printed in 1963. This book examines Christianity, race and racism in America in the form of essays; Going to Meet The Man was available in 1965. This book of short stories gives you jazz musicians, angry men and dirty cops. If Beale Street Could Talk was a 1974 novel made into a movie in 2018 dealing with love and injustice. I Am Not your Negro came out in 2017. Before Baldwin died he had a lot of notes, books interviews and letters that formulated this book. It’s a tribute to Malcolm X, Martin Luther King and Meager Evers. This book was also made into a movie.
There certainly is no mystery, James Baldwin was born to write, to help you think, and to leave some of his plans and purpose in the pages of American history.
As an American activist, author and writer, James Baldwin's novels, plays and essays made black folks intelligently brave enough to question why they had to fight for civil rights as American citizens. As a black man, Baldwin strongly felt the legality of America was still managed by slave codes. No doubt, Baldwin histrionically knew how to get his point across.
Make sure you snuggle up close with some James Arthur Baldwin books. It is very necessary for black children to read about a man who tackled issues that we are trying to overcome today, right now, at this very hour! Baldwin spoke truth to power to let those who are still fighting oppression, depression and recession know they still matter. You still matter! Your children and family still matter! James Baldwin maximized the worth and humanity of black people that was hijacked by white supremacy.
“They needed us for labor and sports now they can’t get rid of us. We cannot be exiled.” James Baldwin
Make sure you snuggle up close with some James Arthur Baldwin books. It is very necessary for black children to read about a man who tackled issues that we are trying to overcome today, right now, at this very hour! Baldwin spoke truth to power to let those who are still fighting oppression, depression and recession know they still matter. You still matter! Your children and family still matter! James Baldwin maximized the worth and humanity of black people that was hijacked by white supremacy.
“They needed us for labor and sports now they can’t get rid of us. We cannot be exiled.” James Baldwin
Staggerlee wonders by James Baldwin
I always wonder
what they think the niggers are doing
while they, the pink and alabaster pragmatists,
are containing
Russia
and defining and re-defining and re-aligning
China,
nobly restraining themselves, meanwhile,
from blowing up that earth
which they have already
blasphemed into dung:
the gentle, wide-eyed, cheerful
ladies, and their men,
nostalgic for the noble cause of Vietnam,
nostalgic for noble causes,
aching, nobly, to wade through the blood of savages--
ah—!
Uncas shall never leave the reservation,
except to purchase whisky at the State Liquor Store.
The Panama Canal shall remain forever locked:
there is a way around every treaty.
We will turn the tides of the restless
Caribbean,
the sun will rise, and set
on our hotel balconies as we see fit.
The natives will have nothing to complain about,
indeed, they will begin to be grateful,
will be better off than ever before.
They will learn to defer gratification
and save up for things, like we do.
Oh, yes. They will.
We have only to make an offer
they cannot refuse.
This flag has been planted on the moon:
it will be interesting to see
what steps the moon will take to be revenged
for this quite breathtaking presumption.
This people
masturbate in winding sheets.
They have hacked their children to pieces.
They have never honoured a single treaty
made with anyone, anywhere.
The walls of their cities
are as foul as their children.
No wonder their children come at them with knives.
Mad Charlie man's son was one of their children,
had got his shit together
by the time he left kindergarten,
and, as for Patty, heiress of all the ages,
she had the greatest vacation
of any heiress, anywhere:
"Staggerlee wonders" is just one of many poems produced by James Baldwin. There are 4 pieces to this poem. I used an excerpt from the poem but you can view the entire poem of Staggerlee wonders right here.
