From There to Here: Baldwin Got it Right

The literary works of James Baldwin resonate with the trials of today. Although Baldwin died in the late eighties, “Notes of a Native Son” reveal several experiences that resemble the social injustice of the summer of 2020.  The story opens with Baldwin attending the funeral of his father.

As he and his family prepared for his father’s burial, Harlem was experiencing one of the most horrific race riots in modern history. While his father had frequently referred to the coming of the apocalypse, Baldwin felt that the unrest he was seeing right before him could certainly serve as a sign of the end of the world. Baldwin’s description of the aftermath eerily resembled the path left behind after peaceful protests turned violent in response to anger and resentment of inequality and police brutality today. “Notes of a Native Son” leaves some readers to wonder if Baldwin somehow saw the pain and anguish that would factor into the civil unrest we are still witnessing in the 21^st century. Baldwin wrote, “We drove my father to the graveyard through a wilderness of smashed plate glass and the spoils of injustice, anarchy, discontent and hatred was all around us”. The year was 1943.

Fast forward to recent years, and we find that Baldwin’s, “Notes of a Native Son” is still very relevant. He described in his essay the nature of the African American’s distrust of the police and the undertones of racism that have spread in many parts of the world today. There have been several unfortunate incidents over the last few years that would most likely result in Baldwin writing and revealing his thoughts to us much like he did in this very essay. Baldwin went on to write several more essays, novels, and poems. Many of his writings further detailed his passion for social change around civil and gay rights. Baldwin died in December 1987.

There are so many works from this literary genius. To explore the life and contributions of James Baldwin, educators can engage their students with a thorough research project starting with Baldwin’s biography. Additionally, a virtual field trip to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture in Washington, D.C. would not only enhance students’ interest in learning more about Baldwin, but would also assist them in developing their research and exploratory skills to better prepare them for college-level English courses including Multicultural Literature. The learning lab at the museum has an extensive collection about Baldwin as a “transatlantic commuter” and offers numerous resources for educators and their students to download for use in class.