Growing up as a poor African American in New York City, James Baldwin finds himself isolated from Whites and blacks with questions about self identity. In 1948, disgusted with race relations in the United States, he moved to Paris where he lived, on and off, for the rest of his life. During his travels in Europe he discovers that the limitations that he was bounded by in America were no longer prevalent in European society.

Baldwin went to Europe to find out how his experience as a black American "could be made to connect [him] with other people instead of dividing [him] from them." (Baldwin 40). Baldwin saw a way of life that was very different from the way he lived in America. He didn’t want to been seen as a “negro writer,” but as a true writer representing every American. “I wanted to prevent myself from becoming merely a Negro; or, even merely a Negro writer.” (Baldwin 40) He was now in a society that valued his talent and allowed it to grow, by not judging him by his skin color but more on the content of his work. Comparing himself to other American writers in Europe, race no longer stood as a factor as the playing field was leveled.

As a writer, Baldwin learns how to use his experience living abroad to change his view and out look on race relations in America. “I was released from the illusion that I hated America.” (Baldwin 41) Through his experiences, he has found a new basis for his life in America. He learnt that his hatred for America was from his lack of knowledge of self worth, which he found in Europe. The most important thing that he gained was the knowledge that his own development was and will always be in his own hands.

Most statesmen will unlikely have the time to adventure into Europe and truly understand the old world policies that they are laying down as the law of the land. Without experiencing the full effect of both societies, a statesman is greatly at a disadvantage. To fully appreciate what you have, one must view it from an objective point of view. Politicians and statesmen support issues with a vested interest in the outcome. Most of them are confined to their states or residence, meaning an opportunity to leave the country will never rise. The roles of these men require their continued presence in these areas at all times. They are very reluctant to accept new ideas to solving old problems, believing that the current solution is sufficient enough.

s the writer, not the statesman, who is our strongest arm in the wedding the visions of the old world with the new world.” This is a comparison between his views on life when he was living in New York versus living in Paris. While Living in Ne

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