Begin Again

Welcome to a journey that explores how America’s story on race has lost its way. Inspired by the searing reflections of James Baldwin, we uncover the lies embedded in the nation’s foundation. These illusions, Baldwin argues, block any chance of healing or unity because they place white lives above all others.

We begin in Baldwin’s realm of personal and social critique, where the ghosts of slavery and segregation remain alive. Despite laws passed to correct injustices, many communities still suffer under a legacy of racism. For Baldwin, the real culprit isn’t just prejudice: it’s the nation’s refusal to confront the truth about its past.

In these pages, we’ll witness the hope of the civil rights era give way to despair, and see Baldwin’s attempts to voice the heartbreak of a betrayed generation. We’ll also discover his unwavering determination to cherish dignity, even when the world sows seeds of cruelty.

Baldwin contends that America rests on a persistent lie: that white people inherently matter more. This lie shows up in countless ways, from legalized discrimination to everyday assumptions built into institutions. Not just a historical accident, it has shaped the country’s moral and political identity for centuries.

This belief seeped into education, housing, and policing, forcing Black communities to prove their worth against cultural and legal structures that say otherwise. According to Baldwin, the roots go back to America’s founding creed, stained by slave labor yet cloaked in lofty ideals about freedom and individual rights.

Many white Americans, caught in the comfort of familiar stories, struggle to accept their part in this falsity. For Baldwin, salvation lies in honest self-reflection: only by seeing the lie for what it is can anyone, white or Black, truly claim freedom. Transparency, no matter how painful, is the key.