“The Fire Next Time” by James Baldwin, Book Review Example

In “The Fire Next Time” the Author James Baldwin provides a collection of essays on Racial Harmony. He examines this from a number of different religious perspectives.  Baldwin was a champion of the civil rights movement in America.  The title of the book is derived from an old Negro spiritual song : Mary don’t you weep and references a title within the song   God gave Noah the rainbow sign, no more water the fire next time. The fire that James referred to was relative to the African American community or those Afro immigrants moving to the United States and gaining civil rights in their new homeland.

The book  contained two Essays :  (1) My Dungeon Shook and (2) Down at the Cross.  The second perhaps the more important as it dealt with the experiences of Darwin in his youth and looked at his religious perspectives from time spent in Harlem. It examined a wide perspective of different faiths from Christianity, Islam and other beliefs in Harlem.

The book had a huge impact amongst the Civil Rights movements of the time and particularly the Afro-American community. The book provides the reader with a profound feeling of what it was like to grow up in Harlem in the 1950’s and 60’s.  It tells the story of the peoples struggle to gain civil rights in the United States.  Baldwin gained a huge respect as an excellent writer and researcher of the civil rights movement.  ” knew that “black culture” had a texture, a logic, of its own, and that it was inextricable from “white culture.” That was the paradox that Baldwin identified and negotiated, and that is why I say his prose shaped my identity as an Afro-American, as much by the questions he raised as by the answers he provided”  (123helpme.com)

The book focuses on the stereotypes contained within both black and white societies. He gets to the root causes of what truly liberates society ” To truly “liberate” society, one must discover his/her individual and personal identity by learning to love.” the importance of being caring, compassionate and understanding human beings. He went on to describe fear as being a state of ignorance and that true knowledge was only gained by love and compassion to others.  Baldwin was a religious person but became disillusioned in the readings when he perceived these to be bias towards the white man. He recognized the hypocrisy of the Bible and particularly how it supported racism.  He became intolerant of these views and branched away from the Church to put forward his own views on racial harmony  (123helpme.com)

Baldwin became disillusioned with the Church because he saw it as a vehicle of the whites to subjugate the black population throughout history.  He recognized the need for religious concepts but not as a means the white people adopted for power brokering and domination over the blacks.  Baldwin saw Islam equally at fault and believed that both religions would need to moderate their respective views if the black movement in America was to gain any power. He understood that the acquisition of power would be the only conduit for the civil rights movement to achieve their objectives and gain recognition for the black community in American society.

Baldwin saw the Islamic movement as wanting domination over the whites and tried to influence the black people along this direction to remove power from the whites. Baldwin equally rejected this philosophy. He stated that love of one another in a shared environment of trust and respect would only see the black people liberated.  In this regard the white people must become unafraid of sharing power and dominating others. He felt that black people were not helping themselves as they fed on the myth of white domination by becoming dependent upon them.

Baldwin’s Harlem told the story of his youth in Harlem and how this shaped his future life ” Baldwin’s Harlem illuminates the writers diverse views and impressions of the community that would remain a consistent presence in virtually all of his writing. Baldwin’s Harlem provides an intelligent and enlightening look at one of Americas most important literary enclaves.”  (Boyd)

Baldwin’s Essay is essentially one of hope and inspiration promoting a healing within American Society.  Since the 1960’s there has not been a massive amount of progress and as such the democratic election of President Obama in 2008 was monumental in American History and inspired all Americans towards a new beginning in racial harmony.  Yet despite the hope projected by the newly elected President there still remains a degree of scepticism ” A new Gallup poll suggests the majority of those surveyed, 56 per cent, believe that a solution to America’s race-relations problem will eventually be worked out – almost exactly the same number as in 1963, when Gallup first started asking the question in the midst of the civil rights movement. ”  (Star)

Works Cited

123helpme.com. “Impact of The Fire Next Time. 9 11 2009. 9 11 2009 < <http://www.123HelpMe.com/view.asp?id=4828>. >.

Boyd, Herb. “Baldwin’s Harlem: A Biography of James Baldwin.” Boyd, Herb. Baldwin’s Harlem: A Biography of James Baldwin. New York: Atria, 2004.

Star, Toronto. A year after Obama’s election, ‘change’ remains elusive. 1 11 2009. 9 11 2009 <http://www.thestar.com/news/world/obama/article/719525–a-year-after-obama-s-election-change-remains-elusive>.