James Baldwin and Race in America: Thoughts and Implications

"Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed if it isn't faced" (I Am Not Your Negro, 07:18)

When I think of James Baldwin's film, I Am Not Your Negro, one word comes to mind: POWERFUL.

James Baldwin's film left an impression to say the least...

I was struck with a series of emotions while watching this film, and to be honest, the sheer videos and clips were enough to ignite uneasy feelings. There were points in the film where I was so compelled and bothered by the photos and videos on the screen that I had to rewind the video to hear what was just being said by Samuel L. Jackson a.k.a James Baldwin.

This film sincerely allowed me to reflect on aspects of my own identity. Here I am, a white woman watching videos of crowds of white people celebrating the oppression and brutality against black people. I am watching, as black people are being killed and tortured for the color of their skin. I am also sitting behind the safety of a computer screen, in my house, at the center of a white town. I never had nor have to worry about getting harassed doing day-to-day activities, such as going to school or even driving down the street, as these PEOPLE in the film. 

I understand that I will never understand. However, I stand.

Baldwin attempted to get many notions across, that centered around the principle that black people want to be recognized as human beings. As said by Baldwin, "What is really happening in this country is brother has murdered brother, KNOWING it was his brother" (I Am Not Your Negro, 50:00). In other words, people are killing people. People are hating people. People are brutalizing the lives of other people. This really struck me-- especially this word KNOWING. People are KNOWINGLY inflicting harm and are KNOWINGLY attempting to oppress other people.

"History is not the past. It is the present" (I Am Not Your Negro, 7:18). 

I think that it is significant to acknowledge the fact that racism and racist institutions are not a measure of the past, as it is presumed and made to be; in fact it is so embedded in our culture, that racism is normalized and legalized. I remember being taught about MLK and about the Civil Rights Movement in elementary school, and believing that it happened probably sometime in the 1800's. I never put it into perspective that MLK was shot, while my dad was 4 years old. This was not something ancient. My teachers taught FACTS, not PERSPECTIVE. We see this in government policies, corporate policies, education, etc. To this day, society is KNOWINGLY subjecting black people to racism and are staying by, as the system continues to work its injustices. In addition, society itself is built upon the foundations of biases and stereotypes aimed at oppressing people of color, while on the opposite end, feeding into the almighty image of white people. 

This poses the question: What can I do as an educator?

I couldn't help but feel a pit in my stomach while watching...

...white people, young and old, holding up signs on strike, demanding segregation.

...15 year old Dorthy Counts being spat upon and paraded by a crowd of white people on her way to school.

...black people lynched on trees and murdered for the color of their skin

...brutality

...hate

I believe that it is vital for my students to be able to acknowledge the racism that lives among them, and the ways that structural racism plays against people who stray from the definition of white. These past two weeks I have given a lot (and I mean A LOT) of thought as to how to implement a critical pedagogy in the classroom, and how to present these power structures to students in a way that they can digest, contend with, and become empowered to act on their knowledge. As an ELA teacher, I want to teach students how to think critically. I do not want to outright tell students about ideas such as structural racism, but show them. Additionally, I want to teach students how to question the world around them. With this in mind, I want to give students books and other mediums of literature that discuss race, and are by African American authors. Students should read non-white literature and become immersed in the perspective of someone not white. I want to then engage students into discussion regarding these matters and create a strong, foundational classroom culture that welcomes students to contribute their thoughts, and be as bold as they endeavor. Additionally, I want to scaffold them into asking questions about even canonical literature, that will most likely find their way into the curriculum and on standardized testing. I know for a fact that there will be a time where we will have to teach out-dated literature-- no choice will be given. I want to present this literature in a way that will stretch students to look into the reading with a critical lens. I endeavor to treat every lesson and reading as an opportunity to help mold my students into critically informed members of society.