It is dangerous to be an American Negro male. America has never wanted its Negroes to be men, and does not, generally, treat them as men. It treats them as mascots, pets, or things.
James A. BaldwinRead
The white man discovered the Cross by way of the Bible, but the black man discovered the Bible by way of the Cross.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the different perspectives on faith and history between racial groups.
James A. Baldwin's quote emphasizes the contrasting experiences of the white and black communities regarding Christianity and its symbols. While the 'white man' approached the Cross through the Bible, signifying an exploration of faith, the 'black man' found the Bible through the Cross, suggesting a profound historical struggle where the Cross represented suffering and redemption. This distinction speaks to the complex relationship with religion in the context of racial identity and history.
Themes
FaithHistoryReligionRaceIdentity
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the influence of religion in African American culture.
More from James A. Baldwin
All quotes βThose kids aren't dumb. But the people who run these schools want to make sure they don't get smart: they are really teaching the kids to be slaves.
James A. BaldwinRead
Experience, which destroys innocence, also leads one back to it.
James A. BaldwinRead
The reason people think it's important to be white is that they think it's important not to be black.
James A. BaldwinRead
The trick is to love somebody.... If you love one person, you see everybody else differently.
James A. BaldwinRead
Every legend, moreover, contains its residuum of truth, and the root function of language is to control the universe by describing it.
James A. BaldwinRead
Similar quotes
Personally, when it comes to rights, I think one of two things is true. I think either we have unlimited rights, or we have no rights at all. Personally I lean towards unlimited rights, I feel for instance I have the right to do anything I please, BUT! If I do something you don't like I think you have the right to kill me.
George CarlinRead
We both believe, and disbelieve a hundred times an hour, which keeps believing nimble.
Emily DickinsonRead
Clearly I miss Him, having been brought up in religion. But now a man must be responsible to himself.
Ernest HemingwayRead
Every funeral may justly be considered as a summons to prepare for that state into which it shows us that we must some time enter; and the summons is more loud and piercing as the event of which it warns us is at less distance. To neglect at any time preparation for death is to sleep on our post at a siege; but to omit it in old age is to sleep at an attack.
Lyndon B. JohnsonRead
In my own life I know that my state of cheerfulness is a reliable gauge of my level of spiritual enlightenment at that moment. The more cheerful, happy, contented, and satisfied I am feeling, the more aware I am of my deep connection to Spirit.
Wayne DyerRead
I mean, I think it's a two-way relationship: I think you should not have too much faith in your own rationality. You should not have too much faith in the rationality of, you know, anybody else either. We all learn together about the way the world is, and I think it's a sort of antidote to wishful thinking of all kinds.
Abhijit BanerjeeRead