There are many “Souths”. Since we are on the subject of James Baldwin, i would recommend his essay collection “Nobody Knows My Name”. The essay itself is insightful even today into the killing of Rayshard Brooks, the subsequent uprising, and the subsequent response of largely Black leadership in Atlanta. To quote (the essay was written in 1959):
“
On any night, in that other part of town, a policeman may beat up one Negro too many...And the island on which these Negroes have built their handsome houses will simply disappear“.
An anecdote that may complexify things a bit. My grandfather’s grandfather was a Black Civil War veteran who settled in Alabama near Opelika after the war. We believe one of son was lynched by the Klan. The founders of the Black Panther party grew up in the surrounding area. The South has many stories and perspectives.
“ On any night, in that other part of town, a policeman may beat up one Negro too many...And the island on which these Negroes have built their handsome houses will simply disappear“.
An anecdote that may complexify things a bit. My grandfather’s grandfather was a Black Civil War veteran who settled in Alabama near Opelika after the war. We believe one of son was lynched by the Klan. The founders of the Black Panther party grew up in the surrounding area. The South has many stories and perspectives.