James Baldwin candidly and earnestly addressed the perplexities we have been taught. I am deeply saddened to have experienced an awkward nostalgia for the state of black Americans then, which is unfortunately still relevant today. I have been led to question the extent of change and the minimal progress made as we continue to fight for respect and relevancy. How fruitful have peaceful protests and educating, befriending white people been if we are still in similar predicaments? Are we to convince those who do not perceive our value that we are valuable? To know that we are still in a similar state to those when the book was written and published is both unsettling and discouraging.
“All my people black so stop asking me why I’m light skin
My great great grandmother was probably raped by the white man
And then the white man went and left his children fatherless
Gave the stereotype to the black man just to escape his cowardice”