James Baldwin - interview - pt. 1

[1awareness]

Our hero; James Baldwin; should be remember this month too.

[DTWrites1]

His short story "Sonny's Blues" is the best short story I've read to date, powerful!

[NewWorldRob]

I have a lot in common with him. This was incredibly intriguing and amazing to learn!. What a great interview. A highly intelligent and wonderful, peculiar personality he had. His mind was off-the-charts.

[vmfleming1]

I don't know who the interviewer is, but what a professional! She conducted that interview like interviews aren't conducted today.....with conscious and exchange. This is most likely the best interview I have ever seen. I'm in total love here! Wow! And "josephortizgarcia" I know exactly how you feel! I feel the same!

[Pirate7X]

@vmfleming1 Indeed, she shows that interviewing is an art itself. Thanks to her, the poster & Mr. Baldwin.

[1awareness]

this person is just wonderfully honest.

[xtrmsprts]

One of the wisest things you'll hear. He's so true about our certainties being illusions. Everything is impermanent ... He was a very realized man 

[stymie662]

America always has respect for black men to take it up the ass...

[khadijahanwar]

@stymie662 You are part of what keeps up sick as a human family

[2710Pocahontas]

@stymie662 I don't get it; please explain?

[strangestringsnyc]

@2710Pocahontas Please don't feed the troll. People like the troll who left that comment contribute nothing meaningful to the world. Let it go and let's celebrate the life and contributions of Mr. Baldwin. 

[MulattoSingsTheBlues]

I am all for Homosexuality and Homosexual Rights, but as a Heterosexual Woman... It would be nice to be with a man like that.

[Romello4u]

He was from Harlem,,, How did he come to talk like that?

[xMPCxx]

@Romello4u upbringing I guess...i mean he did grow up in NY so it's a big melting pot, but I always thought he sounded like he was from England too. lol Is it me also but does Hitchens tries to come off like Baldwin, but not on his level lol

[khadijahanwar]

@Romello4u He spent countless years in Paris....

[wwwTHENOIREFFECTcom]

@Romello4u He's very articulate, and being an intellectual and phrasing words properly brings about a certain dialect. Unlike others I do not hear a British accent. But we all see and hear what we want.

[clevawoman]

@Romello4u what? using correct english? lawd.

[AztlanPrincess]

Where did his fake British accent go?

[loki2stunt]

@AztlanPrincess He left the U.S. and lived in france and abroad for many years, i suppose u pick one up after a while without realizing it and he's gay too by the way so...... hope that helped

[veeseee128]

how come he and truman capote didnt hook up? capote was much more succseesful becaause he was white.

[821fanny]

I read "Sonny's Blues" today and cried. Thanks for making me feel Mr. Baldwin.

[posh1961]

i knew this man when i lived in the states!

[PrisonerNumber9653]

This is NOT a "British accent," it's the way people of education and sophistication spoke in those days. We've moved away (outside of professional actors and speakers) from this sort of enunciation, sort of like we've moved away from teaching better handwriting. I'd bet Mr. Baldwin had beautiful penmanship. It's was just part of being an educated, upper-class sort of person back then. My grandfather knew people like this, mostly but not entirely white, always very sophisticated and genteel.

[hlm18846]

@PrisonerNumber9653 Thank you for the lucid and accurate clarification of Mr Baldwin's diction. I am amazed that people respond that way to the erudite diction of a Black person. It is the equivalent of the kids on the school yard saying the child is "talking white"

[wwwTHENOIREFFECTcom]

@PrisonerNumber9653 Agree that it's about enunciation and phrasing.

[flamairzah]

What is most sad is that it does not appear that the current generation is aware or interested in his work. I guess Baldwin was right it will be the Fire next Time.

[Basra2020]

he died of aids related complication masked as 'stomach cancer'

[Tonithenightowl]

@Basra2020 Why would he bother to be openly gay, and then lie about this disease? BTW and I don't want this to shock you but straight people get aids too. Again you are not talking about him but yourself. Why assume his fear is your fear?

[Basra2020]

@Tonithenightowl i am a dr, specializing on aids research. this video was recorded in 1980, his physicaly appearance speaks of a patient who is suffering from early symptoms of aids, in the early years, rought 3 years. He would die 7 years later-- which is precisely the time (10 yrs)when a person without medicine dies of aids. :)

[Tonithenightowl]

@Basra2020 It doesn't matter to me if the man had aids or stomach cancer, what matters is the lack of compassion in your comment. Stick to research, you may not be cut out to deal with very ill people.

[dayofami]

i dont get it.. if he was born in NY how does he have a british accent??

[glasgowsteamboat]

what has this been taken from?

[KadooLovesYou]

I love listening to him talk , his choise of words are perfect , Genius !

[Kobe29261]

@KadooLovesYou Same here, I love his cadence, his enunciation, his command over the english tongue was unique. He speaks like a song!

[carmenlidia13]

Baldwin remained overseas much of the last fifteen years of his life, but he never gave up his American citizenship. The citizens of France came to consider Baldwin one of their own, and in 1986 he was given one of the country's highest honors when he was named Commander of the Legion of Honor. He died of stomach cancer on November 30, 1987, in Saint-Paul-de-Vance, France he was buried in Harlem. last works to see publication during his lifetime was a collection of essays the price of the ticket

[MustNotRead]

mmm, i'd like to eat that interviewer's pie. but besides that, baldwin is/was a great man!

[TheAfroQween]

@MustNotRead Only a caveman would say and use terms like pie- smh- no wonder no one wants to claim this country.

[17saturnino]

His work "Giovanni's Room" is a masterpiece.

[blackvitruvianman]

@17saturnino I SECOND THAT MOTION!!

[RobeeMan]

I love it when she's giggling and he asks her "what's the matter?" :-)

[loolabal]

In a world where youth and superficiality are glorified, is good to watch an interview like this. You can tell how wise and profound an artist can be as he/she gets older. Baldwin's mind was sharp and brilliant. His warmth and ethics are much more compelling though

[truthchecknow]

brilliant!

[808Lana]

wow, he's only 56 yrs. old in this (or so i thought I heard him say)? He looks about 79 though, don't you think?

[JohnAdamCulligan]

I agree. That could be partly attributable to being gay and black at a time when it was not advantageous to be either.

[808Lana]

@JohnAdamCulligan, yeah...or he's lying about his age!

[JohnAdamCulligan]

It's unlikely he's lying. He died as a 63 year-old in 1987. By the look of the film, this interview was conducted in the late 70s or early 80s. If he's telling the truth, it was done in either 1980 or '81.

[808Lana]

@JohnAdamCulligan, Yes, I guess you are right. Good deductive reasoning, Watson! Glad to see you on the case:)))

Thanks for the reply because I didn't know when he died- I know very little about him. But I'm learning:) Take care:))

[JohnAdamCulligan]

Any time :)

Since you're (as I am, in all honesty) new to Baldwin: If you're looking for a beautifully-written piece of his - well, there certainly are many, but - one in particular that got me interested appeared in Lapham's Quarterly. It's an excerpt from his "Stranger in a Village."

Have fun reading.

[808Lana]

I'll check that one out:-) Thanks

[Justmaiben]

Such a pure spirit...I love his gentleness.

[JazzMaestra]

I have studied for over 12 years. I know of no other scholar who has effected me as profoundly as this man. I love him and his loss was the loss of a brother!!!!

[sherreebee010]

haha!

the trick in knowing when one is fooling themselves into or out of this or that..

this could serve such peace of mind when understood.

[SweetTee77]

So profound.

[wonderland323]

god i love just hearing him he's so insightful, good vid!

[CR65]

One of my favorite writers. A literary icon. Timeless.

[alecp001]

everyone should read "the fire next time". baldwin was not only a genius, he was enlightened

[afrocentralcity]

@alecp001 i believe ti is his greatest book, wonderful!

[Sagefrakrobatik]

@alecp001 reading it now for class hence why i am watching this video

[Bentoppin]

I was blessed to have spend some time with James and David Baldwin in Europe. I must say that it changed my life. It opened my eyes and he explained us so many things in such a gracious way. truly an icon. I will never forget him

[josephortizgarcia]

I never had the pleasure of meeting you, Mr.Baldwin, but I wish that I had. Love you. Joe

[charlesislaw]

prue genius!!!!!