“I
Am Not Your Negro”. Where do I begin to
discuss a film that packs such a wallop you are literally reeling when it
ends? So I guess I’ll start with the
subject of the film, the writer James Baldwin who is arguably the greatest
American writer of the 20th century. To describe Baldwin as a man
ahead of his time does not fully embrace his importance as a cultural
chronicler, nor does it adequately describe the genius of his artistry. There
really aren’t words to encompass all that James Baldwin was/is. His writing was certainly prophetic, both
from the standpoint of his perspective on American society in general and Black
American society specifically and his predictions on where America was/is
headed. “The Fire Next Time”, two essays
on race in America could just have easily been written today as when it was
published in 1963. The first essay "My
Dungeon Shook — Letter to my Nephew on the One Hundredth Anniversary of
Emancipation," should be required reading for all Americans as it lays out
so perfectly the race issue and why America cannot resolve it. The second essay
“Down At The Cross — Letter from a Region of My Mind"
does an equally magnificent job of dissecting the Black Church and its role in
preserving racial, social & political hierarchy in Black communities
throughout America. If you only have time to read one Baldwin book before
seeing “I Am Not Your Negro”, I recommend “The Fire Next Time” as it will
provide the perfect context for the film. Then if you really get ambitious,
move on to “Notes of A Native Son” and “Nobody Know My Name”, both of which
will provide more insight into Baldwin’s always on point intellect.
James
Baldwin never shied away from his role as artist/activist, using his
international celebrity to cast a spotlight on the plight of Black people at
home and abroad. One of the reasons he was so revered by Black America was
because of this willingness to speak truth to power and his clarity as to how such
forthrightness affected his people. Whether he was addressing a room of college
scholars or debating William Buckley, he remained focused on presenting truth
as he saw it, no matter the consequences.
I could say that his particular place in American cultural history was
partly determined by the tumultuous era in which he was most popular but that
would diminish his impact that actually spans several decades. I re-read Baldwin often because the work is so
present which is not surprising since as he states in the film, the past is the
present.
So, let
me now move on to my reaction to “I Am Not Your Negro”. There couldn’t be a better filmmaker for this
film then Raoul Peck. His exquisite use of archival footage juxtaposed against
present day imagery along with an inspired soundtrack made this so much more
than a typical documentary. The flow of the film is seamless, giving the
audience a complete picture of Baldwin’s time and our time and illustrates how
difficult it can be to tell the two apart. His meticulous choice of footage
from the 1960s is impeccable, making it difficult to separate the brutality of
that time from what we are barraged with on social media daily. Peck via Baldwin assures us that the more
things change, the more they stay the same, a situation that may have some
feeling pessimistic about the future but that James Baldwin asserted was not
his position. He remained an optimist until his death; always seeking the
humanity in White America since he maintained it would either find it or
destroy itself trying to avoid finding it. Clearly we are seeing this
prediction playing out today as illustrated by Peck’s insertion of images/footage
of mass shootings and other destructive activities carried out by white people
against each other. There is a powerful scene where whites are apologizing, and
Peck underscores how hollow these apologies are as he mutes the faces of the
speakers, making them appear as ghostlike images. Throughout the film, he uses
numerous graphic devices to keep from falling into a predictable format and
that serve to add texture to the film. Although Peck based the narrative on an
unpublished book, “Remember This House” that James Baldwin was working on at
the time of his death, it was incumbent upon him to bring this manuscript to
life and he exceeded my expectations in this area. I was excited that along
with giving the audience a wonderful profile of James Baldwin, they were able
to learn more about Malcolm X, Medgar Evers and Martin Luther King, Jr. beyond
the usual conversations around each of these mythic men.
As
we bemoan the start of 2017 because our political landscape is seemingly
sinking into a deep pit of despair, we should celebrate the brilliance of James
Baldwin and embrace his prophetic writings as we steel ourselves for the battle
ahead. As Raoul Peck so deftly illustrates, Brother Baldwin would expect us to
soldier on and keep our eyes on the prize. A luta continua.
Please make it your mission to see “I Am Not
Your Negro” at The Angelika Film Center at Mockingbird Station before it leaves
town!
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