What the Church Meant for James Baldwin

nytimes.com

47 points·samclemens··8 comments

Watch I Am Not Your Negro, a documentary on Baldwin, to understand what a genius he was - innovative, able to think clearly beyond the intense social pressures of his time and around him (something we can better appreciate these days), miles ahead, extraordinarily articulate. He is the best commentator on racial issues in 2020.

Yes! Such a good film.

Also watch Baldwin debate Buckley:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFeoS41xe7w

(And as an aside, if you haven't had your fill of Buckley after that, watch Best of Enemies: Buckley vs. Vidal)

I recently came across an opinion piece Baldwin wrote for the NYT in 1967. I won't try to summarize it because it's short enough and I can't do it justice.

https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/books/98/03/29/s...

Amazing writer. If you haven't yet, please read The Fire Next Time for an understanding of racial issues in America, and a love-based solution

Interesting to see this on Hackernews. I appreciate it. and thanks @bmcn2020

+1 to The Fire Next Time

God gave Noah the rainbow sign -- no more water, The Fire Next Time

I found the book to be much more intellectual and insightful compared to modern pop-race-psychology or whatever the latest wave of books should be called.

Recent HN discussion of James Baldwin:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23584298

https://archive.is/FagiG

Reply on news.ycombinator.com