Baldwin vs Buckley

In 1965, James Baldwin and William F. Buckley - thought leaders from dramatically different backgrounds - made plans to debate race relations and the meaning of the American Dream.
In this pivotal year at the height of the civil rights movement, students crowded into the debate hall at the University of Cambridge to hear arguments from opposing sides. What followed would go down in history.
In this episode of Black History in Two Minutes (or so) hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. - with additional commentary from Khalil Gibran Muhammad of Harvard University and Imani Perry of Princeton University - we witness a haunting performance from one of America’s great orators as he confronts head-on the horrors of our history.
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS
Robert Smith
Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Dyllan McGee
SERIES PRODUCER
Kelsi Lindus
PRODUCERS
Chelsea Adewunmi
Oluwaseun Babalola
Kevin Burke
Megan Graham
Vashni Korin
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Robert L. Yacyshyn
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Ashley Thomas
POST PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR
Veronica Leib
POST PRODUCTION MANAGER
Katherine Swiatek
WRITTEN BY
Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
ORIGINAL MUSIC COMPOSED BY
Matthew Head
ADDITIONAL WRITING
Kevin Burke
SERIES EDITOR
Reena Mangubat
EDITORS
Cierra Pacheco
Liza Renzulli
Anne Yao
ASSISTANT EDITORS
Ben Pakman
Patrice Bowman
Imani Dean
SUPERVISING PRODUCERS
Will Ventura
Sara Wolitzky
ARCHIVAL PRODUCERS
Megan Graham
Jade Edwards-Lovell
DIRECTORS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Seng Chen
Gregory Brutus
Nausheen Dadabhoy
Archival Materials Courtesy of:
Associated Press
Everett Collection, Inc.
Getty Images
Library of Congress
The New York Public Library
Additional Material:
American Archive of Public Broadcasting, Baldwin-Buckley Debate
American Museum of Natural History Research Library, Digital Special Collections
National Archives and Records Administration
University of Cambridge, Baldwin-Buckley Debate
Special Thanks
Jorge Felipe
Amy Gosdanian
Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham
Romilla Karnick
Imani Perry
Khalil Gibran Muhammad
John Thornton
Marial Iglesias Utset
Sara Wicht
Abby Wolf

[@Lovemylife65]

One was college educated, the other not, yet they spoke with the same eloquence. I love how Black people in the 50’s and 60’s spoke. It saddens me that we’ve lost that as a community in general. Hopefully we can get it back.

[@samanthajwright4839]

Stop. That was two people. Two. If you can't find two people in your circle of Black and white friends that speak eloquently, the problem is your circle. Do not wrap the entire black population in your limited reach.

[@anthonygordon9483]

Wasn't like America was handing out college degrees. They didn't want us in their schools. That was why we had to create black colleges. Slavery is a generational curse. When a single race of Americans had to face something better then slavery... Poverty. More and More black Americans continue to get their education each day. I am a grandson of a man who was given his freedom 160 years ago. That is 2 generations ago. Yet America to this day thinks poverty for blacks has and always been our problem. We aren't asking for a hand out, we are getting by fine without the support of the country, but the slow progress in the black community has to do with us relying on a system that worked against us within the last century. If we choose to ignore these things then go ahead and do so but don't try to complain why progress hasn't come in your lifetime if you refuse to do nothing.

[@anthonyward8133]

The black intelligence is separated from the black community now. It would be a hard sell to go back and help our beligered community when it doesn't want the help😢

[@mastersofchaosstudios5073]

love to learn about black history .....love these short videos

[@OsagieGuobadia]

Looks like Mr. James Baldwin wins the debate election against journalist William F. Buckley Jr. XD

[@countryboi]

Baldwin was such an amazing speaker, its a shame he didnt get to speak at the march on washington

[@Osiris064]

Why was Buckley touching himself?

[@user-ug9su9yf1y]

Maybe was he gay?

[@charlesyoung8600]

PREACH, BROTHER PREACH!!!!!!!

[@Drod6969]

one could make the argument that Buckley was himself gay