The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin

Racist and multi-cultural disparities have been a major issue in the United States, engulfing the American people in bigotry. Many Americans were unaware of the benefits of accepting integration in the mid-1900s, and as a result, they resorted to segregation as a solution to social and economic issues. This is elucidated in James Baldwin’s novel, The Fire Next Time, which highlights the difficulties that African Americans faced at the hands of whites. Notably, racial dilemmas during the civil rights protests resulted in mistreatment, discrimination, and injustice. Baldwin in his book examines the limitations arising from narrow-minded thinking fueled by Christianity. He confidently states that racial separation and violence are not the solutions to the attainment of power. As such, Baldwin’s commentaries traverses the reader through racial nightmares, religion and thinking surrounding the American life and explores the realities that the African Americans faced igniting a feeling of empathy.

Summary of the Main Points

This novel is set in the 1960s and heavily grounded in the historical context of the civil rights movement. Baldwin delves into the politics and culture of the American society, and from this position, he examines the plight of the blacks to become free from the bondage of discrimination. The book highlights racial tensions practiced in the past and present. Baldwin narrates the issues surrounding the “Negro Problem” which defines the challenge of racial inequality. Here, the terms socio-political are interchangeably used and refer to the African Americans. Evidently, the reader is able to note that the term ”Negro Problem” grounds itself in the facets of the American way of life practiced in the 1950s and 1960s. Also, Baldwin addresses the issue of religion and indicates how it was ineffective in solving the ”Negro Problem.” He further shows the relationships and influences that extended in generations. Baldwin breaks down the Negro problem from various angles and thus making the reader understand the history of the Black Americans and their need to seek equality. Baldwin writes ”it was a mask for hatred and self-hatred and despair” (Baldwin 39). He further notes that ”when we were told to love everybody…it only applied to those who believed as we did, and it did not apply to white people at all” (Baldwin 40). Notably, he uses an approach that attests to his personal experiences as an African American. With this, Baldwin tells the reader issues of racism that he encountered. Remarkably, his enigmatic and eloquent style of writing enables him to criticize racism and even evidence his outrage vehemently.

Baldwin recognizes how Christianity played a role in the ”Negro Problem.” This religion propelled racism instead of taming it in the American people. The book denotes that Christian religion involved in the oppression of the black race and made it feel inferior. The author notes that the church was hypocritical and showcases how it impacted on the life of the Americans. In fact, Baldwin indicates that this influence is still evidenced in the current society. In respect to this, he boldly recommends that people should be allowed exercise freedom and individuality. The Fire Next Time focuses on the Christian practices done by the blacks and whites alluding to the way this aspect limits people making both the whites and the blacks delusional. He argues that the Christianity way of life binds the US individuals to status quo. The book states ”People are not…anxious to be equal …… but they love the idea of being superior” (Baldwin 88).Therefore, Baldwin attacks the both collective and the individual truth embedded in Christian preaching. For this reason, he ascertains that the Americans are blinded by these tenets culminating into destruction. Americans’ belief in religious faith make them developed a fear of challenging anything, and thus people are unable to embrace change even if there is a need for it. In respect to this, Baldwin designates that one of the best ways of transcending the ”Negro Problem” is through changing the way of thinking by both blacks and whites. This will only be recognized by stepping out of the belief of status quo system and Christianity. Furthermore, the book looks at the American dream noting that this will be realized through expansion of the perceptions of life and allowance for new experiences.

Relevance of Baldwin’s Ideas in Today’s Society

Arguably, when the book was published in 1963, it sent ripples in the entire American society. It is due to this reason that Baldwin’s writing was termed to be one of the ultimate passionate books that explore a critical issue of race relations. Undisputedly, it is now more than a half a century, and Baldwin’s book still carries fresh relevance in the current society. Vast literature attests to the way the US and many western world nations are still haunted by the subject of racial inequality. The underlying ideas on race relations that were prevalent in the 1960s are depicted in today’s society. Perhaps, the idea of human rights movement which is central to the book has inspired many people in the current world to become activists. Notably, The Fire Next Time is a book that continues to influence numerous textual writings and studies touching on race relations. For example, in the US, upon the election of President Donald Trump, a Gallup survey carried out in March 2017 indicated that 42% of the Americans noted that they still worry about race relations. More interestingly, this figure was much higher compared to that of 2014 which was 17% (Gallup News). Additionally, a documentary done by Raoul Peck called ”I Am Not Your Negro” in February 2017 aggress with Baldwin’s argument. Baldwin profiles the killings of prominent American people such as Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X, and Medgar Evers. Similarly, in Peck’s documentary, he examines the issue of racism. He highlights how the blacks are discriminated as well as illustrating the role that race has historically played in the life of the Americans (Peck). Additionally, this documentary looks into the relationship that exists between religion and race in the current world. In fact, Peck focuses on Baldwin experiences with the Christian church to showcase his argument of how the American society has remained to be a racially segregated nation.

Indeed, the problem of black liberation depicts to be at crossroads similar to what was experienced in the 1960s. For example, the Black Lives Matter is a group that has evolved and grown into a dynamic political movement protesting for human rights. This group voices out its grievances, and it has significantly created a vast network of activists. Undoubtedly, this movement has gained momentum and attention in today’s American society. Black Lives Matter movement vehemently protested against the killings of people such as Philando Castile, Alton Sterling, and Darren Wilson. Equally, the affiliates of the movement reintroduce Baldwin’s postulation of the ”Negro Problem” attesting to a ”post-racial society.” Demands made by this movement that revolves around political power, economic, and racial injustice along with the violence perpetrated by police. They thus offer a detailed overview of the problems that keep on haunting the American society including, violence and racism.

Certainly, the book preemptively delimits given forms of political behavior that dehumanize humanity. The narrative around upholding respect as postulated through the civil rights was aimed at curbing racial inequality experienced by the marginalized groups particularly the African Americans. Arguably, a question has always remained on what is to be changed to open up radical forms of expression which are essential in attaining fundamental goals in the current society. Undisputedly, Baldwin foresaw the difficulties that would arise from the dilemma of political power while writing his book. Baldwin writes that ”Now, there is simply no possibility of a real change in the Negro’s situation without the most radical and far-reaching changes in the American political and social structure” (Baldwin 18). The underlining logic and the fundamental assumption depicted in the American society, for example, require much scrutiny. Notably, the book finds its way into the true discussions of black liberation and the political power. The book firmly asserts that the practice of political thinking that is conscious to both the whites and the blacks will help in realizing the required changes.

Black radicalism helps one in understanding how the book pushes beyond the state-sanctioned violence to evidence the brutality that these movements undergo. The violence still perpetrated by police today still evidenced Baldwin’s contention. The problems surrounding politics is an ongoing challenge in many nations. People are unwilling to connect the dots from Baldwin’s book, and perhaps this has culminated into the inability to recognize the need for change. Baldwin states in his book that ”renewal becomes impossible if one supposes things to be constant that are not” (Baldwin 29). Truly, a nation cannot expect to achieve a radical form of democracy when it still clings to the same ways of life. It is for this reason that many citizens will remain to suffer and be tortured under similar regimes of power. The book, The Fire Next Time presents Baldwin to be a masterful and a skillful writer who vividly portrays the dehumanizing historical practices that trouble the modern society.

Conclusion

Baldwin’s book is fashioned in the past American life as well as presenting the possibilities of future struggles as suggested by the title of the book. There is no doubt that today’s society is the ”next time” that Baldwin was referring to his writing. Attempts to end racial nightmares remain to be a critical problem, and its roots emanate from the American history. Indeed, Baldwin opens into the cruelty of the state-sanctioned violence that was done to people such as Martin Luther King Jr. Many nations are torn between political realities and the hope of political tolerance due to the value placed on skin color by some nations. This continues to diminish many African Americans testifying to the racial problems evident in Baldwin argument. Baldwin calls for attention to the power of history and understanding its relevance in today’s world. The relevance of the book attests to the significance of remembering the past suffering on attempts to comprehend the struggles manifested in the present day.

Works Cited

Baldwin James. The Fire Next Time. New York City. Taschen. 1963.

Gallup News. Americans’ Worries About Race Relations at Record High. Gallup News. March 2017. http://news.gallup.com/poll/206057/americans-worry-race-relations-record-high.aspx (Accessed on September 22, 2017).

Peck Raoul. I Am Not Your Negro. Film Society of Lincoln Center. Feb 23, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iHqUqixrQQ. (Accessed on September 22, 2017).