The Fire This Time edited by Jesmyn Ward is lauded for its powerful essays on race in America. Critics appreciate its contemporary relevance and diverse voices, though some feel the essays are uneven in impact. Overall, it is seen as a crucial and thought-provoking collection that continues the conversation started by James Baldwin.

A reader who would enjoy The Fire This Time by Jesmyn Ward is likely passionate about contemporary social justice issues, particularly around race in America. They may have appreciated Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates or The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin, seeking reflective, poignant essays on racial identity and history.

The Fire This Time, edited by Jesmyn Ward, is a contemporary anthology of writing and poetry responding to America's turbulent racial climate, inspired by James Baldwin's works. The book is divided into three parts: "Legacy," "Reckoning," and "Jubilee," covering themes of historical insight, contemporary challenges, and future aspirations. The collection includes 14 essays and four poems, addressing topics such as slavery, racial violence, personal reflection, and hopes for a better future. The anthology provides varied voices to illustrate the current moment and imagine a possible future. Sensitive topics addressed include racially motivated violence and racial profiling.

Emotional / Contemplative / Informative / Challenging / Hopeful

- The Fire This Time, edited by Jesmyn Ward, is inspired by James Baldwin's 1963 essay collection The Fire Next Time, offering a contemporary perspective on race in America.
- The anthology includes contributions from a variety of acclaimed writers such as Edwidge Danticat, Kiese Laymon, and Claudia Rankine, making it a diverse collection of literary voices.
- Jesmyn Ward was motivated to compile The Fire This Time after feeling the need for a new dialogue on race following the tragic events surrounding Hurricane Katrina and other racial injustices.

**Jericho Brown**  
A poet and associate professor at Emory University whose poem “The Tradition” connects fleeting nature with fallen black men and begins the anthology.

**Jesmyn Ward**  
A two-time National Book Award winner and MacArthur Genius Grant recipient who conceived and edited the anthology, inspired by sorrow over Trayvon Martin’s death.

**Kima Jones**  
A poet and fiction writer known for writing “Homegoing, AD,” a hybrid poem that blends genres to depict a family in the Southern swamp.

**Rachel Kaadzi Ghansah**  
Pulitzer Prize-winning writer who contributed the essay “The Weight,” reflecting on her personal connection with James Baldwin and lamenting the demolition of his former home.

**Wendy S. Walters**  
An associate professor at The New School who explores African American history and personal loneliness in her essay “Lonely in America.”

**Isabel Wilkerson**  
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist known for her essay “Where Do We Go From Here?” which analyzes historical trends and calls to action.

**Honorée Fanonne Jeffers**  
A full professor of English documenting her search for truth regarding poet Phillis Wheatley in “‘The Dear Pledges of Our Love’: A Defense of Phillis Wheatley’s Husband.”

**Carol Anderson**  
A historian and professor whose piece “White Rage” provides insight into systemic racism in the United States.

**Clint Smith**  
A poet and academic who contributed the poem “Queries of Unrest,” exploring his identity as a black poet.

**Kevin Young**  
A poet known for his lyrical essay “Blacker Than Thou,” which examines black identity through the lens of Rachel Dolezal’s actions.

**Kiese Laymon**  
A professor at the University of Mississippi who explores his Southern heritage in “Da Art of Storytellin’ (a Prequel),” finding inspiration in family and music.

**Garnette Cadogan**  
A researcher and writer whose essay “Black and Blue” highlights his development through his passion for nighttime walking and its perception in the U.S.

**Claudia Rankine**  
A poet who uses her essay “The Condition of Black Life Is One of Mourning” to affirm Black Lives Matter through personal and historical lenses.

**Emily Raboteau**  
An award-winning author who reflected on murals in New York City in “Know Your Rights!” as aids against police harassment threats.

**Mitchell S. Jackson**  
A novelist who offers character sketches of paternal figures in his life in the essay “Composite Pops.”

**Natasha Trethewey**  
Two-time U.S. Poet Laureate who wrote “Theories of Space and Time,” drawing from memories of the Mississippi coast.

**Daniel José Older**  
An author known for a letter-style essay reflecting on his reverence for Eqbal Ahmad and James Baldwin.

**Edwidge Danticat**  
A prolific writer who recounts her migration experience from Haiti in “Message to My Daughters,” addressing racial violence and hope.

**James Baldwin**  
A revered 20th-century literary figure, whose impactful work influences many contributors of the anthology.

**Trayvon Martin**  
A 17-year-old whose death was among the pivotal events inspiring the anthology and the Black Lives Matter movement.

**Eric Garner**  
His 2014 death after being choked by police officers sparked support for Black Lives Matter, referenced through multiple works in the anthology.

**Michael Brown**  
An unarmed teen whose 2014 death by police catalyzed protest and reflection on police brutality within the text.

**Barack Obama**  
The first black U.S. President, whose election and implications are discussed as both progress and its limits by various writers.

**Dylann Storm Roof**  
Mentioned in several essays, this gunman’s 2015 attack on a Charleston church starkly illustrates racial violence in America.

**Rachel Dolezal**  
Her actions of attempting to pass as black are analyzed within the scope of black identity and historical context.

**Abner Louima**  
His 1997 police assault is referenced as an early instance of police brutality that influenced later narratives on racial violence.

Jesmyn Ward

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The Fire This Time Summary and Study Guide

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Chapter Summaries & Analyses

“The Tradition” by Jericho Brown

The Fire This Time “The Tradition” by Jericho Brown Summary & Analysis

Introduction by Jesmyn Ward 

The Fire This Time Introduction by Jesmyn Ward  Summary & Analysis

Part 1: “Legacy” 

“Homegoing, AD” by Kima Jones

The Fire This Time “Homegoing, AD” by Kima Jones Summary & Analysis

“The Weight” by Rachel Kaadzi Ghansah 

The Fire This Time “The Weight” by Rachel Kaadzi Ghansah  Summary & Analysis

“Lonely in America” by Wendy S. Walters 

The Fire This Time “Lonely in America” by Wendy S. Walters  Summary & Analysis

“Where Do We Go from Here?” by Isabel Wilkerson

The Fire This Time “Where Do We Go from Here?” by Isabel Wilkerson Summary & Analysis

“‘The Dear Pledges of Our Love’: A Defense of Phillis Wheatley’s Husband” by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers

The Fire This Time “‘The Dear Pledges of Our Love’: A Defense of Phillis Wheatley’s Husband” by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers Summary & Analysis

“White Rage” by Carol Anderson 

The Fire This Time “White Rage” by Carol Anderson  Summary & Analysis

“Cracking the Code” by Jesmyn Ward

The Fire This Time “Cracking the Code” by Jesmyn Ward Summary & Analysis

 Part 2: “Reckoning”

“Queries of Unrest” by Clint Smith

The Fire This Time “Queries of Unrest” by Clint Smith Summary & Analysis

“Blacker Than Thou” by Kevin Young

The Fire This Time “Blacker Than Thou” by Kevin Young Summary & Analysis

“Da Art of Storytellin’ (a Prequel)” by Kiese Laymon

The Fire This Time “Da Art of Storytellin’ (a Prequel)” by Kiese Laymon Summary & Analysis

“Black and Blue” by Garnette Cadogan

The Fire This Time “Black and Blue” by Garnette Cadogan Summary & Analysis

“The Condition of Black Life Is One of Mourning” by Claudia Rankine

The Fire This Time “The Condition of Black Life Is One of Mourning” by Claudia Rankine Summary & Analysis

“Know Your Rights!” by Emily Raboteau

The Fire This Time “Know Your Rights!” by Emily Raboteau Summary & Analysis

“Composite Pops” by Mitchell S. Jackson

The Fire This Time “Composite Pops” by Mitchell S. Jackson Summary & Analysis

Part 3: “Jubilee”

“Theories of Time and Space” by Natasha Trethewey

The Fire This Time “Theories of Time and Space” by Natasha Trethewey Summary & Analysis

“This Far: Notes on Love and Revolution” by Daniel José Older

The Fire This Time “This Far: Notes on Love and Revolution” by Daniel José Older Summary & Analysis

“Message to My Daughters” by Edwidge Danticat

The Fire This Time “Message to My Daughters” by Edwidge Danticat Summary & Analysis

The Fire This Time

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