Our Past Remains Ever Present
Since slavery in the United States ended in 1865, the promised freedom for Black Americans actually ended racial inequality and injustice, or is the past still present? In search of answers, I will examine the literary work: The Souls Of Black Folk written by W. E. B. Du Bois (1903) and The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin (1963). Both writers came from different time periods, but share similar thoughts on racial inequalities and injustices in America, many of which still resonate with us today. They viewed institutions such as the Freedmen’s Bureau, as well as religious institutions, as failures for not holding up to their promises. These institutions were supposed to represent social justice, racial equality, economic progress, and religious freedoms for a divided nation. In chapter IX titled, “Of the Sons of Master and Man,” Du Bois gives eyewitness accounts discussing the Reconstruction Era — leadership, religion, and the effects they had on freed Black Americans after the Civil War.
In his book, The Souls of Black Folk — Du Bois points out that one of the main problems in the twentieth century is that the “color line has not been broken”. Du Bois reveals areas where these obstacles occurred, such as “physical proximity, political and economic relations, intellectual contact and various forms of religious activities.” He further states how a “vast veil” is what makes opportunities “theirs not mine,” meaning that certain racial boundaries had never been lifted for the freedman living in the nineteenth century.
Turning to the essay entitled “My Dungeon Shook,” written by James Baldwin in The Fire Next Time, he opens the novel with this letter to his nephew on the one-hundredth anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. Baldwin’s message explains that racism still exists, and will continue to exist in the future. So in effect, the physical freedom offered a hundred years ago for Black Americans has yet to provide the mentality of freedom that should come with it.
The second essay, “Down at the Cross” by Baldwin, discusses how religion operates as a systemic form of control over Black Americans. Baldwin conveys his personal experience and disappointment with the institution of religion. He reasons that religious corruption occurs because of the desire for “power.” Perhaps Baldwin was reminded of past abuses committed by religious institutions in order to keep Black slaves in line, feeling the echo of this in his time. I think the opinions of both writers could be a sign that America's political, and religious institutions and social structure hide behind systemic rules that have lingered to the present day.
While freedom was granted to enslaved Blacks by the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, it was intended to eliminate racial inequality, and injustice, but it seemed to only divide the nation. At this point in America’s history, equality should not have been a threat to society. This should have been a time for reconstruction, regarding economic and social progress between Black and white people. Du Bois, forty years later, observes the downfall and difficulties ahead.
In chapter II, “Of the Dawn of Freedom,” Du Bois argues that freedom for ex-slaves in America seemed to “broaden and intensify the difficulties,” resulting in what he referred to as the “Negro Problem.” He states that in order for the nation to grapple with this problem, regarding race and social conditions after the Civil War, the “Freedmen’s Bureau” was established not only as an attempt to right the wrongs done by America, but also to improve living conditions for the ex-slave. This was needed because ex-slaves were uneducated, and had a poor quality of life. Additionally, they needed to learn how to survive in a system that once held them in bondage, but now reluctantly gave them their freedom. They were physically free — but psychologically they were not.
The “Freedmen’s Bureau” did have some benefits. It offered an “education system, “a beginning of peasant ownership for land, [and] secured the recognition of Black freedmen before courts of law’’ (31). Although the intention of the “Freedmen’s Bureau” was to benefit the ex-slave, it still left them with uncertainty. This uncertainty stemmed from the failures of the Freedmen’s Bureau in the areas where the law had been defied. Du Bois points out that the “civil courts tended to become solely institutions for “perpetuating the slavery of Blacks.” Almost every law and method, that ingenuity could devise, was employed by the legislatures to “ reduce the Negro to serfdom — to make them slaves of the state” (30). Du Bois gives us a clear picture of the corrupt laws and racist political practices of the past, and their evil intentions. Could this have been the beginning of “systemic racism” that has trickled down to future generations?
After the Civil war ended, America was supposed to be a nation that upheld the promise of freedom for future generations. This would mean reorganizing America — turning injustice into justice, and inequality into equality. What is in the past should not have been forgotten, instead of serving as a reminder of America’s tragic past. The Emancipation Proclamation should have evoked a time of societal reconstruction, where political and economic relations would lead to social integration between Black and white peoples. The newly established Freedmen’s Bureau was supposed to establish schools, protect religious freedom, provide food and housing, and offer legal help to all the poor whites and Blacks alike.
In chapter IX, “Of the Sons of Master and Man,” Du Bois discusses the biggest obstacle of the next generation in the twentieth century is that the “color line has not been broken.” This meant that even though freedom was granted, there would still be efforts made to prevent intermingling between races. When we look to Baldwin’s era, decades later, and witness the same division in neighborhoods, does this give evidence that the past is ever-present? Maybe, one of the reasons that Baldwin gives a warning to his nephew about “racism’’ is because of the inequalities and struggles that Baldwin knew would continue to remain the same.
The fact that the generation, forty years after emancipation, inherited freedom limited by laws lets us know that America had dismissed the true meaning of the Emancipation Proclamation.
It is evident that a dividing line has existed between Black and white communities, where slum-like areas appear right next to the more polished neighborhoods. Today, the dividing line that existed in the past can still be seen in modern zip codes and in the lower quality, or total lack of basic services in minority areas. Although the government has regulations for equal opportunities in living conditions, these neighborhoods lack social recognition and integration. Looking at this, you can see that the“color line” that existed in the previous generations has repeatedly continued down to the next.
Du Bois goes on to mention the importance of “economic relations.” He describes this as “the methods by which individuals cooperate for earning a living, for the mutual satisfaction of wants, for the production of wealth.” Du Bois draws attention to the problem for southern states after the Emancipation Proclamation was making “efficient workingmen.” These people were trained laborers as slaves and were now free, but were hindered without any economic organization, capital, or protection of the law. They were thrown into an economic system that demanded competition without “[grasping] the understanding of opportunities” or the proper training to improve their economic condition.
The unfair distribution of land and wealth after the Civil War may still impact the country we currently live in. Today, there remains a lack of education in real estate among some Blacks. Perhaps if the land had been evenly distributed, such redlining – a discriminatory practice that categorizes certain neighborhoods as unsafe for investment – would not exist.
Next, Du Bois discusses “political relations,” stating that “the greatest weapon in the modern world is “the power of the ballot” (140). I think this message still rings true today because it is the ballot that determines the direction of a nation, When we look at the political environment we can see the racial barriers, or where the “color line has not been broken” or been effective against Black Americans.
Consider where the “color line” was most effective in the South in the early part of the twentieth century. Du Bois states that “ the South was plagued with fraudulent activities, political scandals and trickery causing the abandonment of politics, “and men began to pride themselves on having nothing to do with their own governments.” This encouraged the “self-respecting Negroes to leave politics entirely alone.” Du Bois further explains that “The [B]lack vote…was not trained and educated,” and influenced to believe, that politics was a “method of private gain by disreputable means” (142). In fact, Du Bois points out “that in nearly every case the object of the disfranchising laws is the elimination of the [B]lack man from politics” (143). Today there is still a struggle, especially when we identify the terminology of the Black vote versus the white vote that continues to exist in the language of politics. Maybe, if Black and white Americans worked together to rid the ills of racial injustices and inequalities in our society.
Baldwin recalls growing up in a world where America was harsh and cruel. He clearly saw that despite the release of slaves, and on the anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, the spirit of racism still existed in the United States. Baldwin further explains to his nephew that this country's intention was to set “limits on your ambition [which] were, thus, expected to be set forever” (7). This calls to mind the racial limits and barriers expressed by Du Bois years earlier when he states that “the color line has not been broken.” Baldwin and W.E.B Du Bois both conclude that it is a “Negro Problem.”
Baldwin’s ongoing message to his nephew is that the struggles of discrimination would continue into his lifetime. He tells his nephew that there is a solution to how to handle discrimination, “There is no reason for you to try to become like white people… [but] you must accept them and accept them with love” (8). Baldwin advises his nephew, that we need harmony in order to flush out the problems of racial inequality.
Baldwin mentions that whites are “trapped in a history they do not understand,” and they have to understand it to be released from it” (8). I think Baldwin is explaining that since America “is trapped in something they do not understand,” the psychological ills of our society need to be closely examined if we are to heal.
The main theme in Baldwin’s essay is his personal experiences with religion and its big disappointments. Baldwin viewed Christianity as a “white religion,” which kept slaves chained to ideas that suffering and slavery would later be rewarded after death. Baldwin describes religion as “a mask of hatred and, self-hatred and despair” (39). Perhaps he is reflecting on the “veil” that Du Biois spoke about in “The Souls of Black Folk.” This veil is a metaphor for what separated Black and white populations.
Du Bois believed that the divide which existed among the races could temporarily be ignored, and later be replaced with hopes and faith through religion. In contrast, Baldwin saw the hypocrisy that existed in religion. Baldwin’s religious experience was a way of discovering that religion was not the answer to the problems of Black Americans, because of its false misconceptions, that were used to hold “[B]lacks in subjection.” When considering misconceptions taught in the Bible, Baldwin reasoned, “that love of the Lord should be because you love him, not because of being afraid of going to hell” (35). Baldwin would come to the same conclusion about the Muslim faith. As Baldwin explains, “time catches up with kingdoms and crushes them, gets its teeth into doctrines and rends them” and “eats at [their] foundations, and…destroys doctrines by proving them to be untrue” (51). Baldwin saw both teachings, Christianity and Islam, as not having any real path to liberation for Black Americans. Baldwin comes to the conclusion that all religions are manipulative institutions, rooted in racism that has been falsely presented to African Americans as hope.
Du Bois observed what freedom looked like forty years after the war, and Baldwin gave us what freedom looked like a hundred years after. Baldwin clearly expressed that on the anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, the spirit of racism, injustice, and inequality still exists in the United States. Baldwin uses his life’s experiences to warn his nephew that the intent is “to set limits on your ambition were thus expected to be set forever” and “make peace with mediocrity” (7). Here, I think Baldwin echoes Du Bois by calling to mind the racial limits and barriers, “the color line has not been broken.” If it had been the discussion about race would be very different today, no doubt.
Du Bois and Baldwin both convey that the spirit of racism, injustices, racial inequality, and the general struggle for African Americans has existed for well over a hundred years in our nation, and continues today. Our country has had many chances to learn from its past, but the lessons learned have not been enough to eliminate injustice and racial inequality. The Emancipation Proclamation granted freedom to Black Americans, but there are still obstacles preventing the ever-necessary objective to rid the “color line [that] has not been broken” and lift the “veil” that has divided our nation.
America needs to correct its mistakes by updating our laws to reflect equality for all, dismantling the injustices in the prison system, removing the racial barriers in our neighborhoods, and by balancing the economic and political power of all its citizens. If America is able to achieve the freedom outlined by the Emancipation Proclamation, we can accomplish the goal of racial equality and justice for our future.
So the question remains; is the past ever-present? I would have to answer yes, it is.
By Charise Williams
Illustrations were done in collaboration with the New Media Artspace at Baruch College. The New Media Artspace is a teaching exhibition space in the Department of Fine and Performing Arts at Baruch College, CUNY. Housed in the Newman Library, the New Media Artspace showcases curated experimental media and interdisciplinary artworks by international artists, students, alumni, and faculty. Special thanks to docent Bryan Campaña for creating artwork for this piece.
Check the New Media Artspace out at http://www.newmediartspace.info/