Perlman LTC/Mellon spring 2008
reading and discussion group for faculty and staff:
[Re]reading James Baldwin
James Baldwin (1924-87) is not generally thought of as a political theorist. Yet, some of
his greatest essays addressed the political, psychic, educational, and sexual-identity
implications of racial consciousness and the American experiment in democracy.
America has changed since a portrait of Baldwin's face appeared on the May 17, 1963,
issue of Time magazine. But how much and what kind of change has there been since the
civil rights era? Is racial injustice central to received understandings of U.S. history and
democracy? Do images of black victimhood undermine the critique of racial injustice?
Are their advantages to combining literary critical analysis with political theory? What is
the paradox of a liberal arts education? What is the role of language? Finally, is the
American idea of sexuality rooted in the American idea of masculinity? These
provocative questions and others will guide three meetings of the reading group.
The Bryn-Jones Distinguished Teaching Professorship Program Fund and the Perlman
Center for Learning and Teaching are co-sponsoring a spring term reading group to
discuss such questions and to take advantage of the visit to campus of Lawrie Balfour,
associate professor of politics, University of Virginia. Dr. Balfour will do an LTC session
on "Innocence in the Age of Apology: Why James Baldwin Now" Thursday, April 17th,
noon-1:30 p.m., in Gould Athenauem. Faculty and staff across disciplines are invited to
the LTC session and to all reading group discussions.
From Harry March 26, 2008: “It occurs to me that the Reading Group would like
‘Autobiographical Notes,’ the nine-page (four sheets) at the beginning of 'Notes of a
Native Son.’ It's Baldwin's self-history that is not fully presented in our readings. “
Thursday, April 10
"[Re]reading James Baldwin on Racial Images"
Readings: Balfour, "Blessed Are the Victims?"; Baldwin,"Notes of a Native Son," PP.
63-84
Facilitator: Harry McKinley Williams, Bryn-Jones Distinguished Teaching Professor of
History
Thursday, April 17
"[Re]reading and Discussing James Baldwin with Lawrie Balfour"
Readings: Balfour, "Presumptions of Innocence," Baldwin, "Fifth Avenue, Uptown"
Facilitators: Professor Lawrie Balfour, Harry McKinley Williams, Bryn-Jones
Distinguished Teaching Professor of History, Elizabeth Ciner, Associate Dean of the
College
Tuesday, April 29
"[Re]reading James Baldwin: On Education and Manhood"
Readings: Baldwin, "The Price of the Ticket,"; "A Talk to Teachers,"; "If Black English
Isn't a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is?"; and "Freaks and the American Ideal of
Manhood"
Facilitator: Harry McKinley Williams, Bryn-Jones Distinguished Teaching Professor of
History
All meetings 4:30-6:00 pm, Headley House 815 East Second Street
refreshments provided
Co-sponsors: Perlman LTC/Mellon Faculty Life Cycles grant and Bryn-Jones
Distinguished Teaching Professorship in the Humanities
Books: Lawrie Balfour, The Evidence of Things Not Said: James Baldwin and the
Promise of American Democracy (2001, Cornell University) and James Baldwin:
Collected Essays by James Baldwin (1998, Literary Classics of the United States)
Books are provided to participants through funds from the Mellon Faculty Life Cycles
grant. Join the group by contacting Jennifer Cox Johnson (jcoxjohn@carleton.edu or x
4192).