The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin had a very interesting suggestion for the other James, his namesake and nephew. It was very hard for James to tell his nephew what he thinks about his past as he wrote this letter to him for the fifth time. Rather than teaching his nephew to strive for a greater good, James informed his nephew that he is inferior because he is of color. I find this to be a discouraging message interesting in the sense that James told his nephew there is nothing wrong with his past and he should get accustomed to it because times have not changed and races will never be of equal rights. James is trying to convince his nephew that he is living in pretty similar circumstances of his ancestors picking the cotton and building railroads and it is not as different today that people claim it to be. He tells James he is born in unfortunate circumstances, but he should not try to change it. The only positive thing that got them through those hard trembling times was the love that surrounded them and bonded them as a family. That is the most important part and reason for survival and the reason to continue on and be strong for him and his family’s future. James degradingly tells his nephew that because he is Black society sets low standards for him and determines his limits, making him have to live in a world where white people must accept him. This is because James believes the past still stands and isn’t really the past, for it is more similar today than most people are able to realize and admit to. James at the end, assures his nephew to do good and that he has ancestors that have been very accomplished and in fact, he too, has the capability to go a far way, against many odds.