I Am Not Your Negro

Although skirting over many details of James Baldwin's life, Raoul Peck's documentary serves up an engrossing intellectual biography of the great African-American writer that is set within a broader context of the black experience in America. The centerpiece is a highly personal prospectus that Baldwin wrote for a proposed book on Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King, Jr., who were all assassinated during the tumultuous 1960s. Excerpts read by Samuel L. Jackson detail Baldwin's personal connection to each man, but they also range widely, offering observations about the treatment that blacks endured from early slavery up through the ‘80s. Peck accompanies the words with beautifully-chosen collages of archival footage, as well as clips from movies, from King Kong to Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. He also periodically intercuts excerpts from the writer's appearances on TV talk shows, in which Baldwin challenges liberal voices that might appear supportive but come across as patronizing. Peck emphasizes the continuing relevance of Baldwin's stinging criticism concerning America's racial attitudes by adding visual references to Trayvon Martin and Ferguson, MO. I Am Not Your Negro makes it clear that Baldwin's brilliant critiques are not a thing of the past, but a continuing stain on the country's moral character. Passionate yet incisive, moving yet clear-sighted, this impressionistic documentary captures how Baldwin forced fellow Americans to confront racism in society, while also showing how deeply racism impacted his own personal experiences. Highly recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include an interview with director Raoul Peck (58 min.), Q&A sessions with Peck (15 min.) and voice actor Samuel L. Jackson (15 min.), and a video photo gallery (3 min.). Bottom line: a solid extras package for a powerful documentary.] (F. Swietek)