James Baldwin's Essay: American Identity

What is an American identity to you? Some people say it is if your born an American. Others say you have to speak English and have American traditions. To be honest, their is no definite definition of having an American identity. Their are many different cultures and races that have an American identity.

I agree with James Baldwin’s argument, because like me, he sees sit in protest as something that shouldn’t be labeled passive, but something that should be seen as an act of bravery he explains this by saying: “I don’t agree that it is necessarily passive. I think it demands a tremendous amount of power, both in one’s personal life and in terms of political or polemical activity, sometimes to sit down and do nothing-or seem to do nothing” (Baldwin). The sit in movement as I see were black taking action and demanding what they want in a country that has oppressed them for hundreds of years. An example of the power of the sit in movement is The Greensboro Protest of 1960 when four students from black Agricultural and Technical College of North

He describes how his father became “ill a long time-in the mind” (Baldwin, 2004, p.42) and how this affected Baldwin’s feelings towards him. Baldwin later goes on and identifies, according to him the single conversation he ever had with

American Identity can be a plethora of things maybe the way you are exposed to the culture or how look or talk about. In Okita's poem " In Response to Executive Order 9066" and Cisneros's story "Mericans" they exemplify that cultural diversities and heritage do not determine what it means to be an American. Is being exposed to the American culture not American? When born in America but your nationality is somewhere exotic, are you American or Pilipino. If you have blue eyes does that state that you are not American but Dutch.

A famous figure from the Civil Rights Movement is James’s Baldwin. Baldwin had written various works talking about the struggles faced by African Americans. But before Baldwin had written those works there were events that shaped his identity. James Baldwin’s father's death and his experience with racism shaped his identity because through those experiences he finds out the meaning of his father's bitterness, show him the difference between color, and put fear into him. James Baldwin’s identity was shaped when he learned the true meaning of his father bitterness because it should him his father's point of view.

It was a place of transition and also one of ignorance and hatred. The laws of Jim Crow were in place and segregation and hatred were the reality of the African American. In Notes of a Native Son Baldwin writes about his experience being asked to leave a diner, and reacting volatile to the waitress (97). This racist and unaccepting state was formative in Baldwin’s writings and in his state of being. However his homosexuality also played a key role in his state of exile, much like the African Americans the homosexual of this time was an outsider and thrown into a state of less than personhood (Gaines 177).

The actual definition of American is relating to, or characteristic of the United States or its inhabitants. Being proud of who you are and the place you live. Americans have defined themselves not by their racial, religious, and ethnic identity but by their common values and belief in individual freedom. An American says the Pledge of Allegiance and understands that voting is important to Democracy, individually Americans value freedom and are proud citizens, and the freedom of human right.

The identity that each American has is idiosyncratic. One thing that remains the same is the freedom that they are granted with each

In James Baldwin’s essay titled “If Black English Isn’t a Language, Then Tell Me What Is?” Baldwin highlights his major argument by capitalizing the words in the title so that it can stand out to the readers. His main idea is that all languages are equal, and there is an inequality in society where one is judged by the way they speak. Baldwin wanted the readers to understand that all languages do serve a purpose no matter how a person articulates it. Baldwin also wanted to convey that there is racism that is placed upon a black person just because of the way they speak.

James Baldwin is an activist and writer that was born and raised in Harlem that stood for equality within the black community. Baldwin is the grandson of a former slave and was the oldest of nine children where he grew up in poverty. At the age of fourteen, he discovered his passion for writing and reading by his hobby was going to libraries. As year He published his first book in 1955 known as Notes of a Native Son. The novel Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin displays a collection of essays of where he critiques racism and examines the culture of Blacks in White America.

In the essay “Notes of a Native Son” by James Baldwin, he expresses feelings of hate and despair towards his father. His father died when James was 19 years old from tuberculosis; it just so happens that his funeral was on the day of the Harlem Riot of 1943. Baldwin explains that his father isn’t fond of white people due to the racist past. He recalls a time when a white teacher brought him to a theater and that caused nothing but upset with his father, even though it was a kind act. Many events happened to Baldwin as a result of segregation, including a time where a waitress refused to serve him due to his skin color and Baldwin threw a pitcher of water at her.

According to Wikipedia it states ]”The book was eagerly consumed by whites looking for answers to the question: What do blacks really want? Baldwin's essays never stopped articulating the anger and frustration felt by real-life black Americans with more clarity and style than any other writer of his generation. This indicates that through the works of James Baldwin he had reached out by expressing how many black Americans are feeling and give a viewpoint of a black American and how they were treated which let Americans question what do blacks want. Another contribution James Baldwin had

One will constantly face temporary conflict throughout life, but ultimately they can overcome through a will to on and pursue what makes oneself happy. Baldwin was able to create a picture in the reader's mind due to his personal relation to his characters, he was able to understand the harsh times for an African-American male. It also reflects on the care that siblings have for one another and how even though they have good intentions, they can't always help their loved one follow a positive

Americans are people from a sovereign country in the world. Also, American people are not just one race of people, but they are a mix of different races, and they also have similar lifestyles and characteristics. I found out that Americans have three characteristics. Being an American is more than being a legalized citizen of the country, but rather, recognizing the vision and ideas of a better society - the American Dream. The definition of "American” is a group of people who are full of life, recognize the importance of education, and they also love their country and fellow citizens.

National identity is, as the Oxford Dictionary states, the characteristics, feelings or beliefs that distinguish people from others (“National Identity”). America is currently not at war, therefore, regarding the crises it went through throughout history, one could say that there