Baldwin’s text is split into two essays, both written in the form of a letter. The first essay is entitled “My Dungeon Shook: Letter to My Nephew on the One Hundredth Anniversary of the Emancipation.” The second essay, “Down at the Cross: Letter from a Region in My Mind” is much longer than the first, and addresses itself to a broader audience. In his first letter, Baldwin directly addresses his teenaged nephew, James. Baldwin begins on a more personal note, by noting that James reminds him of his brother and father, who shared a similarly strong temperament. But he goes on to warn James against following in their footsteps, since they ultimately found themselves downtrodden and overcome by their mistreatment at the hands of their white countrymen. Baldwin primarily counsels James to avoid adopting a defeated or vengeful attitude toward white men. Instead, he advises him to take a loving approach to these people, who remain willfully ignorant of their misdeeds. He also tells James that he has a duty to persevere despite the difficulties he will face as a black man in America, because his parents chose to raise him with love despite the fears they harbored. It is his duty to honor and pass on this strong love.
In his second essay, “Down at the Cross: Letter from a Region in My Mind,” Baldwin reflects on religion in three parts. He begins by describing his own conversion to Christianity. When he turned fourteen, Baldwin felt overwhelmed by the crime and misery he saw around him in his Harlem community. He sensed that his only options were to leave his neighborhood through a special skill such as athleticism or music, to join a life of crime, or to join the church. He and his peers were limited in their possibilities and aspirations by the oppressive environment around them. He ended up turning to the Christian church for fulfillment, following in the footsteps of his religious father. At first, this provided him with the sense of purpose he had been looking for. He even went on to preach at his church. Over time, however, Baldwin became disillusioned with Christianity. He realized that it assumes the existence of a white God, to whom black people are inferior. If the concept of God cannot bring people greater freedom and expand their lives, then it should be rejected.
In the second part of this essay, Baldwin addresses the Nation of Islam Movement. This was a religious and political group led by Elijah Muhammad, which aimed to improve the situation of African Americans. Elijah Muhammad and his followers believed that black people used to be most powerful, but were overthrown by the white “devils.” Their time would soon be over, however, and black people would once again regain their superior position. Baldwin describes a dinner he had with Elijah Muhammad and some of his followers. Although he had an initially favorable impression of Elijah, who struck him as a kind and genuine man, he disagreed with most of his politics. Baldwin explains that Elijah had a black and white view of the world, in which all white people were evil. He also believed that it would be best for African Americans to split apart from the United States and form their own country. Baldwin himself has a more nuanced view of the United States, in which he accepts that white people are misguided and willfully ignorant, but must be lovingly guided to an understanding of their complicity and acceptance of their responsibility.
In the final part of this letter, Baldwin analyzes the place of movements such as the Nation of Islam. He comes to more general conclusions about where certain social attitudes come from, and how America can best proceed to a brighter future. More specifically, Baldwin notes that the real issue is white people’s ignorance; they live in denial of the hurt they cause, both domestically and abroad. He ties this ignorance to a general denial of mortality. If one does not face the reality of death, one cannot face any of the important realities of life. For Baldwin, the best solution is for black people to recognize the beauty in their painful past. It is best to face death, and attempt to live the best life possible in preparation for death, and similarly best to accept that there is beauty in struggle. White people need to listen and learn from African Americans, who can share this beauty and teach them how to recognize the reality of their country. Otherwise, the only available path will be a cycle of vengeance and violence.
