JAMES BALDWIN ON FLEEING 'SOCIAL TERROR' IN U.S.

James Baldwin (1924-87) used his essays and speeches to challenge systemic racism and injustice in the United States.

In this clip from a 1969 debate with philosopher Paul Weiss (1901-2002) on ‘The Dick Cavett Show,’ Baldwin explained how it was impossible to extricate himself as a writer from the Black experience in the US. He explained how leaving the US in 1948 freed him from the ‘social terror’ he faced as a Black man. Outside the US, he could write without the constant fear of oppression.

Baldwin has said the ‘American dream’ was built on the subjugation of Black people, and true freedom required the country to confront its racist past and present. He challenged the idea that racism was solely an individual failing, framing it instead as a systemic problem. His works, such as ‘The Fire Next Time’ and ‘Notes of a Native Son,’ explored the intersection of race, class and sexual identity, advocating for social justice and equal rights for all marginalised people.

Video Credit: ‘The Dick Cavett Show,’ @ABC/@PBS (X)

Sources:

1. https://www.openculture.com/2020/08/james-baldwin-talks-about-racism-in-america-civil-rights-activism-on-the-dick-cavett-show-1969.html#google_vignette

2. https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/introduction-james-baldwin

3. https://time.com/5859214/james-baldwin-racism/