The world is not in black and white. Which is exactly what is presented to us by ‘I Am Not Your Negro’ .
Haitian filmmaker Raoul Peck documents an encyclopaedic review of the history of racism within America through producing this 2016 American Oscar-Nominated documentary on the basis of the unfinished 30 page manuscript by James Baldwin, ‘Remember This House’, and combining his work with the narration of African-American actor, Samuel L. Jackson, and images and footage from a variety of sources, such as interviews, films, advertisements, etc. The feature spans over decades, focusing especially around the civil rights movement, whilst still showing the racism still experienced within our contemporary society, such as the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement commencing in 2013- making us as an audience question how much as equality been met in society?
James Baldwin was an American novelist, as well as a social critic and activist, providing his voice in the time of the civil rights movement, against oppression of race and sexuality. The motion picture reflects upon Baldwin’s own personal contemplation, as well as his remembrance and association with the civil rights leaders: Martin Luther King Jr, Malcom X and Medgar Evers. As well as showcasing renowned activists, I personally valued the education I gained from the feature, learning about Baldwin and other social critics and activists whom are not discussed enough or as abundant as the famed Martin Luther King Jr or Malcom X. I was particularly pleased to see an inclusion of female playwright, Lorraine Hansberry, whom I was familiar with due to her play, ‘A Raisin in the Sun’. As well as activists, it focuses attention to black people within the media in American society: actors and activists Sidney Poitier and Harry Belafonte, and how they have been placed due to the oppression within the society they live: how they are misused within pop culture, presented as possessing abundant sexuality, being sex symbols, but as Baldwin states “though no one dares admit that”.
Samuel L. Jackson’s voice animates Baldwin’s words, not merely replicating them but providing a fresh take of life and performance within it, and it was not until after the picture I realised this narrative voice was of Samuel L. Jackson, it was not highly significant- what was significant was the message the voice carried.
The film’s powerful combination of images and Baldwin’s texts, with Baldwin articulating the urgency of the issue of race in America, intertwining the personal and political, providing a cinematic piece in which a story is told: not just one but many. This is not merely voicing the issues of race for black people in America, but rather the voice of identity- the story of America itself.
At the screening on 7th April 2017 at the Picturehouse Central cinema in Piccadilly Circus, I received a free copy of the book to accompany the documentary, featuring the transcript of the film as well as accompanying images- fantastic food for thought-plus, who doesn’t love a freebie!
The importance of this feature is the rumination of the development of society in regards to race, and although Baldwin is no longer with us his evaluations are still relevant today, with Peck being able to combine discussion of the future of a black president in the 1960’s with Barack Obama in our generation. The most prominent questions raised within through the motion picture is the existence of the ‘negro’ within society, as we feel we need to have one, and therefore it remains. This documentary is a momentous didactic piece which enables us to reflect upon how we value race within society and what we need to consider to continue to move forward- which is why I feel it is important for this feature to be seen.
Patryce Richter, St Philomena’s Catholic High School for Girls
