James Baldwin and Racial Segregation

Paper Summary:

This study analyzes the premise of racial segregation through the familial, educational, and social background found within James Baldwin's essay "Notes of a Native Son." Baldwin's father is an example of the racial construct of family that drives Baldwin's desire to find a better life as a writer. The writer notes that, in many instances, Baldwin presents a rhetorical narrative that defines the victimization of his race through his father, which is paramount to proving that segregation is a real phenomenon in American society. In essence, the writer concludes that the basis of a familial, educational and social background reveals the tenets of racial segregation that was a major part of Baldwin's life as an African-American writer.

From the Paper:

"Another aspect of Baldwin's essay relates to the problem of social upheaval that occurred and how it affected his family. Not only was his father deeply cynical of whites and their role of aggression towards African Americans, but there was also the symbolic threat of rioting that had occurred when his father had died. In many Ways, Baldwin feels a parallel social influence on his family that made an impression on his mind. The riot that were taking place in Harlem acted in tandem with Baldwin's father's death, thereby activating a sense of purpose in his life. He certainly saw a cause in combating racial segregation because of the damage it caused to his society. This is the sympathetic relationship that he viewed in his father, but was part of the ongoing build up of violence during the Civil Rights era .."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Baldwin, James. Notes of a Native Son. New York: Beacon Press, 1984.
• Campbell, James. Talking at the Gates: A Life of James Baldwin. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 2002.
• Norman, Brian. Reading a "Closet Screenplay": Hollywood, James Baldwin's Malcolms and the Threat of Historical Irrelevance." African American Review, summer, 2005. Findarticles.com. 26 march, 2007. <http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2838/is_1-2_39/ai_n15675152>
• "The Henry James of Harlem: James Baldwin Struggles." 2006. Guardian.co.uk. 26 March, 2006. <http://books.guardian.co.uk/lrb/articles/0,6109,551979,00.html>

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