Conclusion

The debate between Baldwin and Buckley sparked a national debate over whether African-American lives were neglected in order to fulfill the American Dream.

Relevant themes from the debate of Baldwin and Buckley still impact society today. In the past decades, the Black community and activists like Stacey Abrams have successfully pushed through resistance to pass voting rights acts, though voting suppression still ravages areas with large populations of minorities.  

A recent example of how Buckley's new vision of conservatism has shaped society is John McCain, a bipartisan willing to work across party lines to accomplish and defend democracy. It is in his memory and spirit that the new conservative movement will follow in his stead. Through diplomacy across party lines and civilized debate centered on policy rather than personal attacks, a more democratic society can be formed.

The debate and ensuing diplomacy of both Baldwin and Buckley have been quintessential in shaping history through the civil rights movement and the conservative movement, respectively. Baldwin’s literature raised global attention to the civil rights cause, while Buckley’s columns slowly shifted to the support of African-American rights, epitomizing the art of diplomacy in furthering the American dream.