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 →Those 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.
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The reason people think it's important to be white is that they think it's important not to be black.
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The trick is to love somebody.... If you love one person, you see everybody else differently.
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Every legend, moreover, contains its residuum of truth, and the root function of language is to control the universe by describing it.
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