Musings by Marissa

     James Baldwin once said, "American history is longer, larger, more various more beautiful, and more terrible than anything anyone has ever said about it." In his documentary,   I Am Not Your Negro , he discusses the systemic racism we continue to see today, as he talks about three monumental African American figures, all known for their different approaches to social justice and equality. Similar to the documentary,  13th , it paints a picture of the harsh realities that Blacks have endured for centuries. As images of Blacks being beaten and tortured are juxtaposed with images and scenes of Whites enjoying their freedom and everyday living, one can't help but wonder how things got this bad and why they really have not improved all that much by the year 2020. Baldwin does an extraordinary job articulating the gross inequities and conditions that Blacks were faced with (and continue to face today). As he discusses Martin Luther King, Medgar Evers, and Malcolm X, it bec