who is james baldwin?

James Arthur Baldwin was an established African-American writer born in 1924 in Harlem, New York.

Best known for his essays, which usually contained social commentary with a focus on race relation and queer rights, the writer also wrote many notable novels and other works; all of which are held in high regard by the world of literature today.

james baldwin's life

Baldwin's childhood was spent in Harlem, where he grew up in an impoverished household. From the ages of 14 to 17, he spent his spare time preaching in a church, following the footsteps of his Baptist stepfather. Spending his spare time at local libraries, Baldwin discovered his disposition for writing both poetry and prose.

At age 24, he moved across the pond to Paris, in order to escape any preconceived ideas on who he as a black man should be, or what his work should consist of or look like.

themes in baldwin's writing

Baldwin's exploration of sexuality, gender and the constructed ideas was unorthodox for his time, and so his views were perceived as rather revolutionary.

So much so that his novella titled Giovanni's Room was banned for its exploration of homosexuality and questioning of gender constructs.

'Giovanni's Room'

The novella follows the protagonist, David, in Paris, as he falls for a man named Giovanni while his soon-to-be fiancé is on vacation.

It contains white characters exclusively, which was the cause of much scrutiny for Baldwin. Black authors in this era were expected and encouraged to write solely from the black perspective, and about black characters only. Thus, Baldwin published this piece while living in Paris, having moved there from Harlem, New York in order to escape the American public's ideas on how he should write.

Giovanni's Room serves as a great example of Baldwin's progressive ideas throughout his life's work, and also of how societies in the past have ostracised important and powerful voices due to discrepancies between who they are and who society says they should be.

political activism

Not only was Baldwin notorious for his revolutionary writing, but also his activism and participation in the civil rights movement in the 50s and 60s, alongside famous faces such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Baldwin with MLK

Unfortunately and unjustly, the civil rights movement was rife with homophobia. Baldwin was one of a miniscule minority of gay people in the spotlight of the movement, and according to sources, MLK distanced himself from Baldwin due to his views on homosexuality. Of course this doesn't diminish the drastic and necessary changes that the Civil Rights Movement brought about, but it does shine a spotlight on the need for intersectionality in conversations around social freedoms and human rights.

Mr Baldwin's role in LGBTQ+ history is significant; he was open about his sexuality in a time when being gay was criminal, and tackled the issue of sexuality long before it was the norm through his writing and activism. In conversations about queer rights today, context is very important - and James Baldwin is a figure not to be forgotten.