James Baldwin was an expatriate American author living in France when he returned home as the civil rights movement reached a crisis point. Already well-known as the author of the novel Go Tell It on the Mountain (1953) and two trenchant essay collections, Baldwin felt compelled to return to lend his voice to the freedom movement.
The Fire Next Time is composed of two essays published in American magazines in 1962 and together in book form in 1963, the year of the March on Washington. Write a 700-word essay that assesses Baldwin’s book in the context of its time and the long sweep of US history you have been studying. Include a thesis statement and references to the actual text and relevant course materials to support your analysis.
1) First, think about the title and the structure of the book—a personal essay addressed to Baldwin’s nephew, followed by a more “public” second essay, as well as the epigraphs he uses. What does this structure signify and how does it inform our understanding of the book?
2) Analyze the first essay (“My Dungeon Shook”) briefly describing Baldwin’s views on the place of race in American history. What is particularly “African American” about his conception as opposed to the supposedly “neutral” liberal ideal of the time that argued for colorblindness as the model for improved race relations?
3) In the second essay (“Down at the Cross”), Baldwin challenges thinking about race by including his encounter with Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad. Why is Baldwin skeptical of black nationalism as a solution to the problems of race in America? How does his own religious experience factor into his attitude toward black nationalism?
