In the movie I Am Not Your Negro, I think that James Baldwin chose to discuss the lives of Malcom X, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Medgar Evers because, in spite of how different their philosophies were, they all suffered the same fate. Men with entirely different ideologies, who argued amongst themselves of their contrasting beliefs, were somehow all stricken with the same cruelty of an ignorant and prejudice-ridden society.
My biggest takeaway from the film, or rather a scene that stuck out to me, was that of when James Baldwin was on a talk show and a white man tried to explain the need to not see people for their differences but rather for their similarities. However, Baldwin combatted this by stressing the importance of seeing people’s color. To view the world behind a colorless lens is to erase the tribulations people of color face. People of color, specifically in this instance, black people, do not have the privilege of neglecting the varying colors of people’s skin, because society does not grant black people said privilege. As Baldwin said, if black people were to turn their backs on society, they could die. Viewing people for their color is not a sort of phenomenon or obstacle black people can simply overcome in their own mind; rather it is essential because of the very real danger they face at the hands of a society that is against them.
This film not only introduced me to historical figures and specific events I had not previously known, but also further instilled in me the idea that, to combat racism, we must acknowledge color. We must communicate with each other, learn from one another, and step out of our small bubbles to hear about and actually understand the troubles people who are different than us go through, because without this acknowledgement of the struggles others face, we will continue to live in ignorance and allow for these prejudices to live on forever.
James Baldwin was definitely an amazing visionary and like he said in the film that out of all four of them(MLK, Malcolm X, Medgar Evers, and himself) he was the oldest which made him feel obliged to be the best role model for all of them. so his ability to handle situations correctly and respond in a respectful manner was not only important to get his point across to the American public but also to set an example on how other civil rights figures should handle situations like these.
I think the point made about acknowledging color is a very important one. There were a few posts I saw this summer that spoke about this idea of “not seeing color”. While it may not be a statement that is ill-intended, saying that you do not see color feels dismissive. Instead, it is important to acknowledge the differences that come along with being a person of color and their perspectives.
The message of I am not your black tries not to consider a person as inferior, insofar as one or more of their characteristics differentiate them from those that belong to a dominant ideology; prevalent fact in our culture. The film becomes, without a doubt, a necessity to understand both history and our current situation in a global environment, where discrimination seems to gain new force.