James Baldwin

Groundbreaking Author and Civil Rights Activist

Growing up African American in the middle part of the twentieth century, James Baldwin saw firsthand the ugly racism that scarred the United States. Further complicating his identity was the fact that he was openly gay at a time when homosexuality was a crime in almost all states. Baldwin turned his struggles into art, writing the semi-autobiographical novel Go Tell It on the Mountain; the essay collection Notes of a Native Son; and the controversial novel Giovanni’s Room, among many other works. He was an active participant in America’s civil rights movement, yet he often was kept at a distance by top leaders because of his sexuality. This volume captures the remarkable life of James Baldwin, an activist and writer who gave voice to so many, when they couldn’t speak for themselves.