Too Much No matter how strongly one feels about something, sometimes thoughts and actions can become too intense, too extreme, quite simply: too much. The idea of exceeding normal boundaries is a key idea in the Nation of Islam movement in America in the 1950s and 1960s. The Nation of Islam preached an idea that was very unfamiliar to common thought in America at that time. Ideology practiced by black Muslims, as those people of Islam were known as, was very intense, very driven, very narrow minded, but it made a lot of African Americans feel better about who they were and where they were at. On the other hand, many other African Americans believed that the practices of Islam were far too outrageous to be followed or trusted. James Baldwin, a very influential and respected African American author of the 1950s and 1960s, was a man of this belief. Baldwin had ties to the Nation of Islam movement, having been associated with Malcolm X when he appeared along side him on a television program. But Baldwin shared less ideology with the Muslims than one might expect. In his essay, “Down at the Cross,” (“Cross” for short), Baldwin recounts his encounter with the honorable Elijah Muhammad, leader of the Nation of Islam movement. Baldwin’s encounter with Muhammad shows the reader that although Baldwin certainly had ties to the Nation of Islam movement, some of the views of the movement were too narrow minded and too extreme for him to fully accept. Baldwin refused to believe that all white people are devils and as a result Baldwin depicts himself as a man who respects the efforts of the Black Muslim movement, but cannot be a member of it. The Nation of Islam was a true extremist movement. Every thoug... ... middle of paper ... ...idn’t agree with Elijah. Baldwin acknowledges both sides of African American society, showing the reader that the Nation of Islam movement was good in the sense that it gave African Americans purpose, but that its views were too extreme to be fully followed and accepted. Works Cited Baldwin, James. “Down at the Cross.” 1955. James Baldwin: Collected Essays. Ed. Toni Morrison. New York: Library of America, 1998. 296-347. Marsh, Clifton E. From Black Muslims to Muslims: The Resurrection, Transformation, and Change of the Lost-Found Nation of Islam in America, 1930-1995. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, Inc., 1996. Slocum, John W. “Malcolm X Decides Not to Speak At Protest Rally in Englewood.” New York Times 8 August 1962: 45. Teague, Robert L. “Negroes Say Conditions in U.S. Explain Nationalists’ Militancy.” New York Times 2 March 1961: 1+.
In 1961 James Baldwin met Elijah Muhammad, the leader of the Nation of Islam movement at the time. Baldwin’s experience within the Christian Church prior to his meeting with Elijah helped him analyze the Nation of Islam. This also allowed him to draw parallels between the Nation of Islam movement and the Christian Church. How James Baldwin understood the way the Christian Church worked, and a close look at the Nation of Islam, brings to light the credibility of organized religions.
Baldwin, James. “Notes of a Native Son.” 1955. James Baldwin: Collected Essays. Ed. Toni Morrison. New York: Library of America, 1998. 63-84.
Baldwin’s father died a broken and ruined man on July 29th, 1943. This only paralleled the chaos occurring around him at the time, such as the race riots of Detroit and Harlem which Baldwin describes to be as “spoils of injustice, anarchy, discontent, and hatred.” (63) His father was born in New Orleans, the first generation of “free men” in a land where “opportunities, real and fancied, are thicker than anywhere else.” (63) Although free from slavery, African-Americans still faced the hardships of racism and were still oppressed from any opportunities, which is a factor that led Baldwin’s father to going mad and eventually being committed. Baldwin would also later learn how “…white people would do anything to keep a Negro down.” (68) For a preacher, there was little trust and faith his father ...
James Baldwin is one of the premier essayists of his time. He draws on his experiences in a straightforward, unapologetic manner, which helps achieve his purpose in The Fire Next Time. His style elucidates his arguments for racial harmony and for the understanding of other religions.
Baldwin, James. “Down at the Cross.” 1995. James Baldwin: Collected Essays. Ed. Toni Morrison. New York: Library of America, 1998:296-347.
Baldwin was given the opportunity to become an influential figure in the Nation of Islam movement, he rejected Elijah Muhammed's offer. He was totally against the belief that the movement held. Baldwin says, "love takes off the masks that we fear we cannot live without and we know we cannot live within." (95) Whites cannot love because they fear "to be judged by those who are not white.".
This paper will discuss the different stages of thought processes the former Nation of Islam minister, Malcolm X went through during his lifetime in terms of how he viewed white people, but more specifically “the white man” in America. The reason the focus is on White Americans is because these were the people outside of the Nation of Islam that shaped his life good or bad and put him on the path where he eventually transformed from Malcolm Little to Malcolm X who was one of the most polarizing and controversial figures during his lifetime and even nearly 50 years after his death the name Malcolm X causes certain people to shudder. Malcolm X became a well-known figure during the 50’s and 60’s during the civil rights movement which involved figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. This was a pivotal era in American history because for the first time that there was major push towards full rights for African Americans. When Malcolm X came on the scene he put fear into White people because they weren’t used to hearing the truth about race relations in America and many of them felt that things were just fine because they themselves were living life high on the hog while at the same time exploiting Blacks. Because this type of talk from a black person was new to them they misinterpreted his views as “hate speech” and accused him of trying to incite violence when he was simply trying wake his people up to properly deal with what was happening to them.
Baldwin, James. ?Notes of a Native Son.? 1955. James Baldwin: Collected Essays. Ed. Toni Morrison. New York: Library of America, 1998. 63-84.
Nabrit, James M. Jr. “The Relative Progress and the Negro in the United States: Critical Summary and Evaluation.” Journal of Negro History 32.4 (1963): 507-516. JSTOR. U of Illinois Lib., Urbana. 11 Apr. 2004
Rahman, Fazlur. Islam & Modernity: Transformation of an Intellectual Tradition. Chicago: U of Chicago, 1982. Print.
...e and perseverance, another lesson taught by Malcolm X. He states in his Letters from Mecca, that brotherhood can save America from imminent racial disaster and remove the “cancer of racism” (Griffith, 516). Even though the media made him look bad, he knew that he could not lash out, get frustrated and give up. He kept going. He never gave up and today he is looked back upon to be one of the greatest men in American history due to his efforts in changing America. To end, while many take some time to learn about the truth, several others believe what they hear and spread the lies. The truth can only be found if one seeks it and in order to seek the truth ignorance and blind belief needs to be eliminated. America was founded on the basis of freedom of religion and that is what Americans need to continue to uphold by educating themselves and accepting all religions.
...on.” 1956. James Baldwin: Collected Essays. Ed. Toni Morrison. New York: Library of America, 1998: 606-613.
The Nation of Islam, which Malcolm X was an important member of, is not a religious organization as the name suggests but rather an organization whose goal was to make the lives of African Americans better instead of actually teaching the proper ethics of Islam. One of the main objectives of this organization was Black Nationalism, through which Black leaders can control the areas where there is a majority of African Americans. This cause was greatl...
Baldwin, James. “Down at the Cross.” 1963. James Baldwin: Collected Essays. Ed. Toni Morrison. New York: Library of America, 1998: 296-347.
Baldwin, James. “Notes of a Native Son.” 1955. James Baldwin: Collected Essays. Ed. Toni Morrison. New York: Library of America, 1998. 63-84.