A Letter to My Nephew by James Baldwin

The text is a letter entitled ‘A Letter to My Nephew’ by James Baldwin underscores the racial bias that Baldwin anticipates his nephew to face in the future, due to the existing stereotypes and prejudice around African Americans. Despite the stereotypes that hold negative temperance towards African Americans, James emphasizes the triumphs and successes of his own race as they consist of “sturdy peasant stock, men who picked cotton, dammed rivers, built railroads, and in the teeth of the most terrifying odds, achieved an unassailable and monumental dignity.” Hence, Baldwin brings to light the significance of his own ethnic race along with expressing apprehension towards his nephew’s future due to the terrible pre-existing racism in America that have consequences in various disastrous events.

He beings by asserting that he knows that his nephew, was “born where you[he] were[was] born and faced the future that you[he] faced because you[he] were black and for no other reason.” Hence, Baldwin implies that stereotypes and prejudice are automatically associated with certain races. Namely- African Americans, are associated with several racial biases that influence their day-to-day lives that alter the way individuals perceive certain races.

He further goes on to assert that “the limits to your[his nephew’s] ambition were thus expected to be settled”. Hence Baldwin highlights the limitations that an individual’s race may consequence in, further bolstering the notion that racial bias still exists in our modern society due to the existing stereotypes and prejudice formed by individuals. Stereotypes seem to be a reoccurring notion that exists in society since certain individuals are ” in fact still trapped in a history which they do not understand and until they understand it, they cannot be released from it.” Moreover, Baldwin goes on to assert that “You don’t be afraid. I said it was intended that you should perish, in the ghetto, perish by never being allowed to go beyond and behind the white man’s definition.”. By employing the term “white man’s definition” Baldwin draws a line between the two races as having distinctly different viewpoints towards certain individuals, further discriminating one race from the other and having one race to be seen as superior and the other as inferior.

In conclusion, Baldwin highlights the triumphs of his own race as well as the obstacles and challenges that are needed to be surmounted due to the stereotypes that exist in our society.