Rise to Success: Career Highlights of James Baldwin
Discover the career path of James Baldwin, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
James Baldwin was a prominent African-American writer and civil rights activist known for his insightful essays, novels, and plays. His works, such as *Go Tell It on the Mountain* and *Notes of a Native Son*, explored themes of race, sexuality, and identity in America. Baldwin's powerful voice and eloquent prose made him a significant figure in the Civil Rights Movement, advocating for human equality and challenging societal norms through his writing and public speaking.
1937: First Published Essay
In the autumn of 1937, James Baldwin's first published essay, "Harlem—Then and Now," appeared in the Douglass Pilot, the school newspaper of Frederick Douglass Junior High School, where Herman W. "Bill" Porter was the faculty advisor and a key influence.
1938: First Attempt at a Novel
In 1938, James Baldwin made his first attempt at writing a novel which later became Go Tell It on the Mountain.
1940: Wright's Novel Native Son Published
In 1940, Richard Wright published his novel "Native Son," which would later be alluded to in James Baldwin's essay "Notes of a Native Son."
1945: Starts 'The Generation' Magazine
In 1945, James Baldwin started a literary magazine called 'The Generation' with Claire Burch, marking his involvement in New York's literary scene.
1945: Meets Richard Wright
Near the end of 1945, James Baldwin met Richard Wright to discuss an early manuscript of "Go Tell It On The Mountain," then titled "Crying Holy."
1947: First Publication in The Nation
In 1947, Baldwin's first published work, a review of Maxim Gorky, appeared in The Nation.
October 1948: Publication of 'Previous Condition'
In October 1948, James Baldwin published his first work of fiction, a short story called "Previous Condition", in Commentary magazine, focusing on racial discrimination.
1948: Essays Published in Various Magazines
Starting in 1948 and through 1955, essays that would appear in Notes of a Native Son were published in Commentary, The New Leader, Partisan Review, The Reporter, and Harper's Magazine.
1949: Publication of "Everybody's Protest Novel"
In 1949, James Baldwin published "Everybody's Protest Novel," a scathing critique of Richard Wright's work. Baldwin criticized Wright's work for being protest literature which cages humanity.
1949: Baldwin critiques Wright's Native Son
In 1949, James Baldwin's essay "Everybody's Protest Novel" criticized Richard Wright's "Native Son," leading to a rift in their friendship.
1950: Publication of "Equal in Paris"
In 1950, Baldwin's essay "Equal in Paris" was published in Commentary. The essay discusses his surprise and bewilderment at how he was no longer a despised black man after he was arrested and jailed for receiving stolen goods, but instead, he was simply an American.
1951: Publication of "Many Thousands Gone"
In 1951, James Baldwin published "Many Thousands Gone," another critique of Richard Wright. Baldwin's essays articulated his view that white racism toward Black Americans was refracted through self-hatred and self-denial.
February 26, 1952: Manuscript Sent to Knopf
On February 26, 1952, James Baldwin sent the manuscript for Go Tell It on the Mountain from Paris to New York publishing house Alfred A. Knopf.
May 1953: Publication of Go Tell It on the Mountain
In May 1953, Go Tell It on the Mountain was published.
October 1953: Publication of "Stranger in the Village"
In October 1953, Baldwin's essay "Stranger in the Village" was published in Harper's Magazine. The essay describes mistreatment and offputting experiences at the hands of Swiss villagers and explored the bitter history shared by Black and white Americans and how it changed members of both races.
1953: Publication of Go Tell It on the Mountain
In 1953, James Baldwin published Go Tell It on the Mountain, a semi-autobiographical novel he started writing at 17.
May 1954: Supreme Court Orders School Desegregation
In May 1954, the United States Supreme Court mandated the desegregation of schools "with all deliberate speed," a landmark decision that Baldwin followed from Paris, marking a significant moment in the Civil Rights Movement.
1954: Fellowships and Publication of The Amen Corner
In 1954, James Baldwin accepted a fellowship at the MacDowell writer's colony, won a Guggenheim Fellowship, and published his three-act play The Amen Corner.
1955: Review of Carmen Jones
In 1955, James Baldwin wrote Carmen Jones: The Dark Is Light Enough, a review of Carmen Jones for Commentary. In the review, Baldwin extols the sight of an all-Black cast on the silver screen and laments the film's myths about Black sexuality.
1955: Publication of 'Notes of a Native Son'
In 1955, James Baldwin's essay collection 'Notes of a Native Son' was published, solidifying his reputation as an important voice for human equality.
July 1956: "The Crusade of Indignation" Published
In July 1956, Baldwin's project, "The Crusade of Indignation" was published. In it, Baldwin critiques "Uncle Tom's Cabin", suggesting that it has negatively influenced the perception of Black Americans by white society for a century.
1956: Publication of Giovanni's Room
In 1956, James Baldwin published Giovanni's Room, a novel that caused great controversy due to its homoerotic content.
1956: Giovanni's Room Accepted for Publication
In 1956, shortly after returning to Paris, James Baldwin got word from Dial Press that Giovanni's Room had been accepted for publication, and the book was published that autumn.
1961: Completion of Another Country in Istanbul
On December 10, 1961, Baldwin completed "Another Country" during his first stay in Istanbul. This marked the beginning of many stays in Istanbul throughout the 1960s.
1962: Publication of Another Country
In 1962, Baldwin published "Another Country," a novel exploring Black and white characters, as well as heterosexual, gay, and bisexual relationships.
1962: Baldwin Published Down at the Cross
In 1962, Baldwin published the essay that he called "Down at the Cross", and the New Yorker called "Letter from a Region of My Mind".
May 17, 1963: Baldwin on the Cover of Time Magazine
On May 17, 1963, Time magazine featured Baldwin on the cover, recognizing his incisive analysis of white racism and his eloquent descriptions of the Negro's pain and frustration.
August 28, 1963: Baldwin at March on Washington
On August 28, 1963, James Baldwin made a prominent appearance at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, accompanied by Harry Belafonte, Sidney Poitier, and Marlon Brando.
1963: CORE Lecture Tour
In 1963, Baldwin conducted a lecture tour of the South for CORE, lecturing on his racial ideology, an ideological position between the "muscular approach" of Malcolm X and the nonviolent program of Martin Luther King Jr.
1963: Publication of The Fire Next Time and Rise to Prominence
In 1963, Baldwin's essay "Down at the Cross," later known as "The Fire Next Time," was published. The essay landed Baldwin on the cover of Time magazine and established him as a prominent spokesperson for civil rights.
1964: Baldwin collaborates with Richard Avedon
In 1964, James Baldwin collaborated with childhood friend Richard Avedon on the book "Nothing Personal."
1964: Baldwin Discusses Civil Rights Revolution
In a 1964 interview with Robert Penn Warren, James Baldwin discussed the civil rights movement, calling it "a very peculiar revolution" aimed at radical shifts in American mores and the way of life.
March 1965: Baldwin Joins Selma to Montgomery Marches
In March 1965, James Baldwin joined marchers in the Selma to Montgomery Marches, walking 50 miles to the capitol in Montgomery under federal troop protection, advocating for civil rights.
1965: Debate with William F. Buckley
In 1965, Baldwin debated William F. Buckley at the Cambridge Union on whether the American dream had been achieved at the expense of African Americans, with the student body voting overwhelmingly in Baldwin's favor.
1968: Publication of Tell Me How Long the Train's Been Gone
In 1968, Baldwin published "Tell Me How Long the Train's Been Gone," a sprawling, experimental work dealing with Black and white characters, as well as with heterosexual, gay, and bisexual characters.
November 1970: "Open Letter to My Sister, Angela Y. Davis"
In November 1970, Baldwin wrote his famous "Open Letter to My Sister, Angela Y. Davis" from his home in Saint-Paul-de-Vence.
1972: Publication of No Name in the Street
In 1972, Baldwin published "No Name in the Street," an essay discussing his experiences in the context of the late 1960s, particularly the assassinations of his friends Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King Jr.
1974: Publication of If Beale Street Could Talk
In 1974, Baldwin published "If Beale Street Could Talk", a novel stressing the importance of Black American families.
1979: Publication of Just Above My Head
In 1979, Baldwin published "Just Above My Head", a novel that stressed the importance of Black American families.
1979: Baldwin Speaks at UC Berkeley
In 1979, James Baldwin spoke at UC Berkeley and referred to the civil rights movement as "the latest slave rebellion".
1983: Publication of Jimmy's Blues
In 1983, Baldwin published "Jimmy's Blues", a volume of poetry.
1985: Publication of The Evidence of Things Not Seen
In 1985, Baldwin published "The Evidence of Things Not Seen", an extended reflection on race inspired by the Atlanta murders of 1979–1981.
1987: Service on Editorial Board at Time of Death
At the time of his death in 1987, James Baldwin was serving on the editorial board for The Nation.
1987: Publication of Harlem Quartet
In 1987, Baldwin's last novel, "Harlem Quartet," was published.
2016: "I Am Not Your Negro" Released
In 2016, Raoul Peck released his documentary film "I Am Not Your Negro," based on James Baldwin's unfinished manuscript "Remember This House."
2016: Release of I Am Not Your Negro
In 2016, Raoul Peck's documentary film "I Am Not Your Negro" was released, based on Baldwin's unfinished manuscript, "Remember This House," a memoir of civil rights leaders.
2016: Release of 'I Am Not Your Negro' Documentary
In 2016, the documentary film 'I Am Not Your Negro', expanded and adapted from James Baldwin's unfinished manuscript 'Remember This House', was released and later won the BAFTA Award for Best Documentary.
2018: 'If Beale Street Could Talk' Film Adaptation
In 2018, the film adaptation of James Baldwin's 1974 novel 'If Beale Street Could Talk' was released, earning widespread praise.
