Notes of a Native Son as a Literature of African-American History Essay

African-American rights were not easily given but rather earned throughout decades of protests. Struggles for line of achievement equality in America take up gone peaceful and violent. There are numerous African-Americans (b leave outs) leaders and personalities who stood up to proclaim the world their stories and sentiments. Some of them tried to enter the politics, some excelled in academics and some abandoned their time in propagandizing through their literary works. throng Baldwin is one of the remarkable black writers whose renders have respectable imp prompt on the civil rights struggle.This essay aims to provide insight on James Baldwins Notes of a Native male child essay through searching for facts and patterns of African-American history. To begin with establishing the essay let us take a short review about the writers biography. James Baldwin was born on Harlem, New York City in August 2, 1924 and an illegitimate son of a domestic worker. He espouse his surname from his step preceptor and was raised in great poverty. He began full-time writing on 1943 and produced various novels and essays the likes of Go Tell It on the Mountain and Notes of a Native Son, respectively.The book Notes of a Native Son (1955) is a collection of his Baldwins personal essays about the social environment of America during the era of civilian Rights Movement. One chapter of the book is entitled Notes of a Native Son which commenced with the events of August 3, 1943 which is the day we now hunch forward as the Harlem Race Riots. The essay Notes of a Native Son was themed and patterned later on the life of James Baldwin especi each(prenominal)y his descent with his parents. Baldwin has mixed emotions towards his father and he tried to explain the complexity of their relationship in his works.He provided a creative link of his experiences with his parents with the ongoing public and private happenings in his era. The story was hard-pressed in the historical Harlem Ra ce Riots of 1943, a city-wide riot following the famous Detroit Riot. The Detroit Riot is one of the well-nigh violent riots in America which lasted for almost two full days and took out about 34 lives and done casualties of injuries and property damages. What is the cause of such riot? Similar to what Harlem Riot has, the causes are not specific.Generally, it was considered to be caused by culmination of petite situations such as gossips, hot tempers and neighbour riots. Whites and blacks were pointing their fingers to each other as to who started or provoked the fights (Hughes, et al. 104). Similar to Baldwins personal life as metaphorically illustrated in his essay, his relationship with his parents was chaotic and at that place were several personal issues and causes that triggered every persona to act the way they were in the story.Baldwin showed his insights into the lives of African-Americans after the World War II. The essay mainly discussed the white versus black riots th us it is crucial to understand the essay using the history and facts. The story employed the history of Harlem Race Riot, a commotion exploded in New York City exactly at the date of his fathers death and days in the first bum Baldwins nineteenth birthday. It is not far that Harlem became a place of riots because since the turn of twentieth century the place has been a home to many ethnic groups including whites and blacks.With the diverse people converging in the place, arts and tillage has become diverse as well. However, having diverse cultures cause difficulties aside from the beauty diversity has brought unto them. Difficulties such as racism emerge which are expressed n theatre, fiction, music, literature and other art forms (Harlem History). Harlem riots have two periods, one in 1935 and one in 1943. Both periods started with a confrontation between blacks and the police. In 1943, the riot began with a clash in a hotel between black soldier Robert Bandy and a policeman.The story was distorted and versions like Bandy was killed by the police came out in gossips. With the confusion and bursting emotions of the blacks, fires bust out and glasses were shattered while police struggled to maintain control (Gilje 157). If we are to look close, there is a pattern between the riots in Detroit and Harlem. The emotions of Detroit blacks might be shared by Harlem blacks thus make Harlem riot of 1943 more dramatic than the original. The one in Harlem was more physical and emotional than the one in Detroit because of the use of guns.In relation with the essay Notes of a Native Son, parents of Baldwin and the people at Harlem were treated as parallels. This is the reason why the essay was considered to be an autobiographical piece of Baldwins life. Baldwin loved and despised his father at the same time because his father gave him essential lessons in life but demonstrated lack of hope when it comes in blacks struggling for civil rights. Being a wide reader and s ocially witting person, Baldwin did not share the same emotions with his father and became a civil rights advocate.With his wide knowledge on the undergoing of blacks during his time, he came out with insights reflecting the sentiments of blacks, especially Harlem people. Baldwins father can be compared with majority of the blacks during his time. Just like the motionless blacks, Baldwins father needed an event that could awaken and trigger him to stand up against black oppression. For Baldwin, it is not enough to just see what the existing things but rather it is much important for people to act upon calling.There was already a need for a change in American society and Baldwin was seek to provoke the hearts of blacks to unite through his powerful fiction. The fiction is not actually fiction as it served as a mirror of Harlem society at his time. The public share sentiment but there was a need to unite them because without oneness, the protests will not be seriously taken and the riots will not promote change. The diverse culture gave Harlem problems but Baldwin used its product (powerful literature) as the tool which can table service them solve the problem.Without the literature Baldwin and other black essayists wrote, the public black will not be more vigilant with their surroundings. The blacks will continue resorting with riots which is not the only effective key to cry out for change. Baldwin was productive in showing that his insights were not only due to his personal experiences. His sentiments and insights were product of the root problems of the society. He has the take up picture of the reasons why blacks need change. His personal experiences may be not so similar with all other blacks but the message he wanted them to realize was acceptable.Although there is no definite or exact truth about the root of Harlem race riots, Baldwin still brought to the public the summary of their problems. With this, aside from the literary expertise he showed, h e can be coined as one of the strongest black personalities during his time. He elysian many other writers like Toni Morrison and photo-journalist Kevin Brown who founded the National James Baldwin Literary Society. With the number of existing essayists acknowledging Baldwin, his bequest continues and the struggle of blacks for full civil rights remain alive.