This is not the edition I read. So much that was stated in these 2 essays from the 1960's is still said today by people of color in the U.S. Baldwin's articulation of the problems is so pointed that the problems faced can not be denied. In his second piece regarding his meeting with Elijah Muhammed I fear that his emphasizing the love that should be shown by all people is overly optimistic. His Biblical references are beautifully stated, but also depressing, as we see that jealousy, suspicion, and power have always been with us. It was interesting to read after finishing Go Tell It on the Mountain, as he admits that his becoming a Christian did not provide the answers he sought. He also explains well the self doubt ingrained in people who know society does not value them. ( )

This is one of the classic books on race relations in the USA by one of the great intellectuals of the 20th century. Deeply personal, it describes the feelings of Blacks in post-war America. ( )

Rightly considered a classic, this short book was published in the year of the March on Washington and Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. We should have been able to read it nearly 60 years on and think, “times have changed — we have come a long way” but sadly that is not the case. At the very end of the book, Baldwin writes: “I know that what I am asking is impossible. But in our time, as in every time, the impossible is the least that one can demand …” That remains as true now as it was in 1963. ( )