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wolverine876 · 5 years ago
Watch I Am Not Your Negro, a documentary on Baldwin, to understand what a genius he was - innovative, able to think clearly beyond the intense social pressures of his time and around him (something we can better appreciate these days), miles ahead, extraordinarily articulate. He is the best commentator on racial issues in 2020.
js2 · 5 years ago
Also watch Baldwin debate Buckley:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFeoS41xe7w

(And as an aside, if you haven't had your fill of Buckley after that, watch Best of Enemies: Buckley vs. Vidal)

I recently came across an opinion piece Baldwin wrote for the NYT in 1967. I won't try to summarize it because it's short enough and I can't do it justice.

https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/books/98/03/29/s...

nemesis1637 · 5 years ago
Yes! Such a good film.
bmcn2020 · 5 years ago
Amazing writer. If you haven't yet, please read The Fire Next Time for an understanding of racial issues in America, and a love-based solution
ciarannolan · 5 years ago
+1 to The Fire Next Time

God gave Noah the rainbow sign -- no more water, The Fire Next Time

I found the book to be much more intellectual and insightful compared to modern pop-race-psychology or whatever the latest wave of books should be called.

goldwind1111 · 5 years ago
Interesting to see this on Hackernews. I appreciate it. and thanks @bmcn2020
js2 · 5 years ago
Recent HN discussion of James Baldwin:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23584298

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