Begin Again: James Baldwin’s America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own

Walt Whitman coined the term “after times” to describe transitional periods. Glaude uses the term to refer to periods that encompass the past and future—a dying moment and a moment in the process of being born. Baldwin was critical of his after times, which saw the country turn away from genuine change after the civil rights years. For Glaude, the 21st century marks another after times, as evidenced by the sequential election of Obama and Trump. One attests to the desire for change, while the other re-entrenches White supremacy. 

The term “elsewhere” refers to a physical or metaphorical place to recharge. Elsewhere allows space to breathe and live apart from smothering assumptions. Elsewhere also affords a different vantage point, allowing people to ready themselves to reenter the fight for racial justice. Istanbul functioned as Baldwin’s elsewhere, providing him with a deeper understanding of his past, language, and individuality, as well as allowing him to bear witness to the workings of American society. Glaude argues that reimagining the country demands an elsewhere—a physical or metaphorical place of rest and love to face the difficult task of ending racism.