I know this letter was written with love, but it makes me very sad. In this letter, Baldwin addresses his nephew, James. He tells James that while he should not desire to be like the white man, he should understand that the white man is ignorant of the world they live in. He insists that white men foolishly believe in the inferiority of Black people, and that is a result of years of lies. He tells his nephew to love them despite their ignorance as they are lost. I am conflicted. I simultaneously agree and reject Baldwin’s point. I love humanity and all people and I want all people to be free, but I still feel like I shouldn’t burden myself with issues of whiteness. However, I understand that if I want all people to be free, if I want to be free, the oppressors will also be free of their own ignorance. It may feel burdensome to have to work toward the freedom of oppressors, but it’s important to recognize that true liberation requires the freedom of everyone, including oppressors.
This letter demonstrates the love Baldwin had for his nephew. It takes a lot of courage to for someone to be honest about the pain of their life experiences and still recognize the importance of remaining true to the cause. I don’t view this letter as a show of respectability, I think it’s more recognizing that everyone is victimized in our society. We all stand to gain something from questioning the status quo, whether it be improvements in our material conditions or the ability to develop genuine connections. Ultimately, everyone benefits from liberation even if they are unable to see how right now.
Baldwin, James. “A Letter to My Nephew.” Progressive, The (USA), vol. 63, no. 1, 1 Jan. 1999, p. 67. NewsBank: Access World News, infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AWNB&docref=news/15CF7F5622D02BA0.
