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James Baldwin Debates William F. Buckley (1965)

The Riverbends Channel · lecture · Watch on YouTube

Social issues & cultureFree speech, censorship & civil libertiesUS politics & elections

What it is

The 1965 Cambridge Union debate between James Baldwin and William F. Buckley Jr. on whether the American Dream comes at the expense of the American Negro. It is a historic recording of the two speaking.

Why Hacker News recommends it

Recommended for Baldwin's riveting delivery and as an example of serious debate between opposing worldviews.

  • 5 people recommended it
  • 5 different months
  • 2 strong recommendations
  • first 2016, last 2024

What HN commenters said

  1. “I was watching James Baldwin's speech at Cambridge University the other day and was riveted the entire time”

    Baldwin is a natural public speaker, riveting throughout

    benbreen, 2017-03 · Strong recommendation · in “My adventures in digital history”

  2. “He is articulate in a way that seems to blend the cerebral with the emotive.”

    Baldwin's articulate blend of cerebral and emotive speaking

    padolsey, 2024-08 · Strong recommendation · in “The Private Life: On James Baldwin”

  3. “There's a really interesting debate between Baldwin and William Buckley up on youtube.”

    Baldwin and Buckley debate

    rtpg, 2016-05 · Recommendation · in “Why James Baldwin Still Matters”

  4. “it's interesting to watch old episodes of Firing Line on YouTube.”

    Calm rational discussion between opposing worldviews

    ceilingcorner, 2020-05 · Recommendation · in “The Ghetto and the Mansion”

  5. “Also watch Baldwin debate Buckley”

    Baldwin debating Buckley

    js2, 2020-12 · Recommendation · in “What the Church Meant for James Baldwin”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: james baldwin, william f. buckley, cambridge union, civil rights, oratory

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