James Baldwin was a prominent American novelist and activist most notably known for his essays such as those collected in his book Notes of a Native Son which conveyed the intricacies of the racial, sexual, and class issues prevalent in Western societies, specifically the United States. Similarly, Baldwin’s novel Go Tell it on a Mountain, a semi-autobiographical piece, further explores these themes through a young African-American teenager growing up immersed in the Pentecostal Church in Harlem during the 1930s.
The brilliance of Baldwin’s writings was that they managed to encapsulate the Black experience in America with a distinct poignancy and abrasiveness that provided Black Americans with the language to verbalize their own plight while simultaneously informing their white counterparts of their struggle. These aspects are prevalent in Baldwin’s speeches as well which carry on the rhythmic cadence of a preacher, as Baldwin’s stepfather was a preacher in Harlem.
There are also numerous videos between Baldwin and other civil rights activists. A favorite of mine has to be a conversation between Baldwin and poet Nikki Giovanni on SOUL!
Overall, Baldwin’s work still remains incredibly relevant today. Despite spending years discussing the complexity of such social and political issues, Baldwin determined that the cause of perpetuating any form of injustice essentially results from a form of “moral atrophy”:
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| Preface to the 1984 edition of Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin |
Malcolm X, also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, was a prominent Civil Rights Activist in the 1950s through mid 1960s before he was assassinated. Although he was often portrayed as the anti-thesis of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. in American public schools, Malcolm X merely critiqued Dr. King’s belief that White America will sympathize with the struggles of Black Americans enough to permit them to obtain certain rights such as voting or eating in restaurants. According to Malcolm X, their reliance on White America to initiate change would only prolong their struggle as it was passive and permitted any injustice acted upon them to go unchallenged. Regardless of their differences, both men have contributed immensely to the success and poignancy of the Civil Rights Movement.
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| Stokeley Carmichael on Dr. King
Malcolm X initially obtained recognition during his time as a member of the Nation of Islam, an African American political movement that advocated for Black Power. It wasn’t until Malcolm X performed Hajj, an Islamic pilgrimage, that he saw Muslims of “all colors, from blue-eyed blondes to black-skinned Africans” interacting as equals that he realized the viability of achieving racial equality. He subsequently embraced Sunni Islam and divorced himself from the Nation of Islam resulting in him receiving numerous death threats. He was eventually assassinated on February 21, 1965 while speaking at the Audobon Ballroom in Manhattan in front of his pregnant wife, Betty Shabaz, and his four daughters.
Like Baldwin, many of Malcolm X’s writings and speeches conveyed the complexity of how racial inequality was perpetuated and maintained in the United States. It was essentially by recognizing the intricacies of such issues that Malcolm and numerous others would be able to address these discrepancies in a way that would make a significant impact.
His most notable speech, The Ballot or The Bullet, encouraged all Black Americans to unite in their effort to attain their rights as American citizens and vote. It is ranked as the 7th out of 100 top American speeches given in the 20th century.
The Autobiography of Malcolm X was written by Malcolm in collaboration with Alex Haley and is based on a series of in-depth interviews Haley conducted with Mr. X, and provides a greater insight in the background and evolution of Malcolm X over the years. It served as a primary resource for director Spike Lee’s film Malcolm X who claimed it was “the most important book… (he) ever read.”
 
Angela Davis was also a prominent activist for Black Liberation. She was a notable member of the Black Panther Party thereby making her a target for the FBI’s counterintelligence program which targeted Black Power Movement groups and activists. Although she was charged with aggravated kidnapping and first-degree murder in a politically charged murder case that occurred in the Marin County Courthouse, she was later acquitted as there was insufficient evidence of her involvement. Additional details regarding the case are addressed in Angela Davis’ Autobiography as well as Carole Aston’s and Leo Branton’s piece In Defense of Angela: Profile of the Davis Defense Team.
Angela Davis giving her speech at Madison Square behind bulletproof glass
Additionally, Davis’ piece If They Come in the Morning recounts her incarceration and struggle along with a scathing analysis of the American prison systems and the policing of Black individuals. The books opens with a letter written by James Baldwin to Davis in which he states “if they come for you in the morning, they will be coming for us that night.” The novel also includes contributions by numerous activists such as Huey P. Newton, George Jackson, Erica Huggins, Bobby Seale and others.
Her piece Lectures on Liberation is pamphlet she utilized for her course the "Recurring Philosophical Themes in Black Literature" which was the first course she taught at UCLA. Here, she analyzes the juxtaposition between what white and black writers classify as “freedom” and how Black Americans were denied it.
Overall, Angela Davis has written numerous profound pieces regarding race, women’s liberation, and the American prison system through a social and political lens and has provided individuals with equally valuable insight in her speeches and interviews as well. Both of which she continues to do so even today.
There are, admittedly, numerous other individuals who have made equally significant contributions to the advancement of Black Liberation in the United States. Many of which who are addressed in Joy James’ novel Imprisoned Intellectuals.
In order to adequately address the system that perpetuates the dehumanization of black lives in America, we need to obtain a better understanding of the system itself. And we can do so by listening to the individuals who have been most affected by it.
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