What James Baldwin taught me about American freedom
From a Black girl who used to love Independence Day
Hiya family! Welcome to Black Joy Behind the Scenes 📽️, where every Sunday I’ll be giving y’all a glimpse beyond the journalism veil of my nationwide media brand Black Joy. My mission is to chronicle the different ways we as Black people continue the ancestral practice of cultivating liberatory joy in our lives. Today’s examines the morality of American society. But before we get into that, consider becoming a subscriber if you’re not part of our community already!
I have a confession to make. The Fourth of July used to be my favorite holiday when I was a kid.
Yes. I know. In my defense, I wasn’t into it for the patriotic theatrics. The American flags whipping in the wind and constant rotation of Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA” didn’t capture my attention. I was in it for the togetherness at the cookouts, pool parties and firework shows. Any excuse to get my friends and fam together was a good time for me. Most people are off the clock for Independence Day, making it easier to plan something with my folks. Plus, it was the only holiday that happened during the middle of summer, which was my favorite season at the time.
But we outgrow many things in life. Now my favorite holiday is split between Halloween and Christmas. I’ve turned into a spring girlie because climate change turned up the temperatures on these heat waves, ruining the summertime fun. Coming to terms with my own miseducation of American history dissolved my love for Independence Day. More than 30 of the 47 men illustrated in the famous “Declaration of Independence” painting enslaved African people. An empire built on stolen land prides itself on being the “home of the brave.” Once you start to see the hypocrisy in this country’s actions, patriotism becomes a celebration for white cisgender men.
Fredrick Douglass’ speech “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” and many other Black literary works have questioned the country’s conscience by bringing up these same facts. Today, I would like to bring one of these famed writers to the forefront: James Baldwin.
Now, publishing the Black Joy newsletter on Fridays is a two-step process. Part one is writing the content itself. For example, Friday’s story was a round up of how Black Americans found, and fought, for their freedom on historically Black beaches during segregation. You can give it a read here if you’re interested!
The second part involves writing the intro of the newsletter itself. The tone of the intro swings between chill, funny chit-chats and profound mini-essays about today’s world. Since Friday’s newsletter landed on a “patriotic” holiday, I went with the latter energy. Weeks prior to the holiday, my editor Minda Honey (who also has her own substack) scheduled a quote from Baldwin’s “A Letter To My Nephew” to post on Black Joy’s Instagram. The quote was new to me, which inspired my desire to read the entire passage.
I was captivated by every line. Every word drew me deeper into Baldwin’s psyche. If you’ve ever read his work, then that reaction shouldn’t be a surprise to you. Reading his letter was like walking through a spiritual portal. I started the passage disheartened by the state of society today. I ended the passage feeling determined to use my ancestral gifts to create a better future for all of our descendants. I knew then that I had to share what I learned with our community, just like I am going to share my intro with you today.
So here’s the intro from Friday’s Black Joy newsletter (slightly edited to avoid repetition). May Baldwin’s words inspire within you the same audacity that he inspired within me. Have another Baldwin quote you want to share? Leave it in the comment section below, along with a reason why the quote inspires you!:
In 1962, renowned writer and activist Baldwin wrote an open letter to his teenage nephew about freedom in a nation where white supremacy still reigns.
“A Letter to My Nephew” was originally published in The Progressive magazine and later included in the author’s third collection of essays, “The Fire Next Time.” Through his signature insightful and captivating rhetoric, Baldwin warned about the intention of racism: to wear down the self-worth of Black Americans through slurs and discrimination. He advised his nephew, whose name was also James, not to accept this indoctrination of Black trauma or the low standards from which white society viewed his life. In his letter, Baldwin explained how emancipation didn’t end enslavement.
“You know and I know that the country is celebrating one hundred years of freedom one hundred years too early,” he wrote.
More than 60 years later, Baldwin’s words still hold relevance. On Friday, the nation celebrated Independence Day, but can freedom ring when constitutional rights are being threatened? When Black immigrants are being dragged from their families without due process? When the divestment from diversity, equity and inclusion is affecting Black opportunities in corporations and education? When a political campaign of anti-LGBTQ+ laws makes our Black queer community more vulnerable to violence?
I ask these questions not to scare people, just as Bladwin’s intention wasn’t to provoke fear in his nephew. Along with his warnings, Baldwin also talked about how Black love and heritage are powerful defenses against racial turmoil.
“It will be hard, James, but you come from sturdy peasant stock, men who picked cotton, dammed rivers, built railroads, and in the teeth of the most terrifying odds, achieved an unassailable and monumental dignity,” Baldwin said.
Black Americans continue to defy the odds in the past and present. We do it when we call out the immigration raids. When we create our own resources for Black professionals and students to thrive. When Black queer organizers continue to build safe havens for their communities.
“Great men have done great things here and will again and we can make America what America must become,” Baldwin stated.
Even when Friday’s festivities felt unfair, I encourage all of you to take the time to honor the ways your ancestors fought for liberation. Ask yourselves how you can follow that blueprint today, tomorrow, and tomorrow and tomorrow.
I can’t vouch for the value of this country’s independence.
But I can always bank on the Black minds, spirits and ancestral magic that has forged our own freedom for generations.