History of James Baldwin in Timeline
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.
1903: Emma Berdis Jones Born
In 1903, Emma Berdis Jones, James Baldwin's mother, was born on Deal Island, Maryland, eventually fleeing racial segregation and discrimination in the South during the Great Migration.
1919: David Baldwin Moves to Harlem
In 1919, David Baldwin, James Baldwin's stepfather, moved from the South to Harlem, New York.
August 2, 1924: James Baldwin Born
On August 2, 1924, James Arthur Baldwin, born James Arthur Jones, was born in Harlem, New York City, to Emma Berdis Jones. This marked the beginning of the life of a writer and civil rights activist.
1927: Emma Jones Marries David Baldwin
In 1927, Emma Jones married David Baldwin, a laborer and Baptist preacher, who became James Baldwin's stepfather.
1937: Joins Mount Calvary of the Pentecostal Faith Church
In 1937, James Baldwin, feeling uncomfortable with his attraction to men, joined Mount Calvary of the Pentecostal Faith Church on Lenox Avenue, seeking refuge in religion.
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: Graduation from Frederick Douglass Junior High
In 1938, James Baldwin graduated from Frederick Douglass Junior High, marking the end of his time at the school where he was influenced by Herman W. "Bill" Porter and Countee Cullen.
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.
1938: Enrollment at De Witt Clinton High School
In 1938, James Baldwin was accepted and enrolled at De Witt Clinton High School in the Bronx, a predominantly white and Jewish school.
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."
1941: Graduation from De Witt Clinton High School
In 1941, James Baldwin completed his high school diploma at De Witt Clinton, listing his career ambition as "novelist-playwright" in the yearbook.
1941: Final Sermon at Fireside Pentecostal
In 1941, James Baldwin delivered his final sermon at Fireside Pentecostal Assembly, marking the end of his time as "Brother Baldwin" and his growing disillusionment with the church.
1941: Leaves School to Support Family
In 1941, James Baldwin left school to help support his family, securing a job building a United States Army depot in New Jersey.
1942: Track-Laying Job in Belle Mead
In 1942, Emile Capouya helped James Baldwin get a job laying tracks for the military in Belle Mead, New Jersey, where Baldwin experienced prejudice and discrimination.
June 1943: Returns to Harlem and Takes Meat-Packing Job
In June 1943, James Baldwin returned to Harlem and took a meat-packing job after being fired from the track-laying job, marking a period of instability and financial struggle.
1943: David Baldwin's Death
In 1943, David Baldwin, James Baldwin's stepfather, died of tuberculosis after being committed to a mental asylum. His funeral coincided with James Baldwin's 19th birthday and the start of the Harlem riot.
1943: Lucien Carr Murders David Kammerer
In 1943, Lucien Carr, a Columbia University undergraduate, murdered David Kammerer near the Hudson River after Kammerer made sexual advances. Carr stabbed Kammerer and disposed of the body in the river, an event that later inspired the murder plot in Baldwin's novel.
1944: Meets Marlon Brando
In 1944, James Baldwin met Marlon Brando at a theater class at The New School, beginning a long-lasting friendship.
1944: Lucien Carr Murders David Kammerer
In 1944, Lucien Carr, a Columbia University undergraduate, was involved in the murder of David Kammerer near the Hudson River. This event served as inspiration for a murder within Baldwin's novel.
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."
1946: Eugene Worth's Suicide
In 1946, Eugene Worth, James Baldwin's love interest during his Village years, died by suicide after jumping from the George Washington Bridge.
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.
November 11, 1948: Moves to Paris
On November 11, 1948, James Baldwin moved to Paris, France, after receiving a Rosenwald Fellowship, seeking a more peaceful existence away from the racial discrimination in America.
1948: Reunion with Richard Wright in Paris
In 1948, James Baldwin reunited with Richard Wright in Paris, France, though their relationship soon deteriorated.
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.
December 1949: Arrested for Receiving Stolen Goods
In December 1949, James Baldwin was arrested and jailed in Paris for receiving stolen goods after an American friend brought him bedsheets taken from a hotel. The charges were dismissed, leading Baldwin to reflect on his identity as an American rather than a "despised black man" in his essay "Equal in Paris".
1949: Baldwin meets Lucien Happersberger
In 1949, James Baldwin met and fell in love with Lucien Happersberger, beginning a significant relationship in Baldwin's life.
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.
1950: Reading James Joyce in Paris
In 1950, James Baldwin read James Joyce's A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man in Paris, drawing parallels between Joyce's flight from Ireland and his own run from Harlem.
1951: First Trip to Loèches-les-Bains
Beginning in the winter of 1951, James Baldwin took several trips to Loèches-les-Bains in Switzerland with Lucien Happersberger. These visits served as inspiration for his essay, "Stranger in the Village."
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.
April 1952: Return to the United States
In April 1952, James Baldwin sailed back to the United States on the SS Île de France, where he had extensive conversations with Themistocles Hoetis and Dizzy Gillespie.
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: Beauford Delaney's Arrival in France
In 1953, Beauford Delaney's arrival in France marked "the most important personal event in Baldwin's life" that year. Around the same time, Baldwin's circle of friends shifted away from primarily white bohemians toward a coterie of Black American expatriates.
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.
August 1955: Murder of Emmett Till
In August 1955, the racist murder of Emmett Till in Mississippi, and the subsequent acquittal of his killers, deeply affected Baldwin and later influenced his writing, particularly "Blues for Mister Charlie."
October 1955: Return to Paris
In October 1955, James Baldwin returned to Paris.
December 1955: Rosa Parks Arrested
In December 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus, an event that galvanized the Civil Rights Movement and was followed by Baldwin from Paris.
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.
February 1956: Autherine Lucy Admitted and Expelled from University of Alabama
In February 1956, Autherine Lucy was admitted to the University of Alabama but was later expelled after white riots. Baldwin, witnessing these events from Paris, felt increasingly burdened by a sense of wasting time abroad.
March 1956: Faulkner's Comment on Desegregation
In March 1956, William Faulkner commented that he would side with white Mississippians in a war over desegregation, even if it meant shooting Black people. This inspired Baldwin to write the essay "William Faulkner and Desegregation,"
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.
September 1956: Attendance at Congress of Black Writers and Artists
In September 1956, James Baldwin attended the Congress of Black Writers and Artists, but found the conference disappointing.
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.
July 1957: Baldwin Sets Sail for New York
In July 1957, after a visit with Édith Piaf, Baldwin set sail for New York, leaving Beauford Delaney upset due to his deteriorating mental state. Baldwin decided to return to the United States sooner than initially planned.
1957: Decision to Return to the United States
In 1957, James Baldwin decided to return to the United States.
1960: FBI starts compiling Baldwin's file.
In 1960, the FBI began collecting information for James Baldwin's file, which eventually contained 1,884 pages, reflecting the surveillance of American writers during that era.
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.
1963: Baldwin blames violence on political figures.
In 1963, during the Birmingham riot, James Baldwin blamed the violence on the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover, Mississippi Senator James Eastland, and President Kennedy for their failure to use the prestige of the office as a moral forum.
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.
1967: Baldwin Fictionalized in Novel
In 1967, James Baldwin was fictionalized as the character Marion Dawes in John A. Williams' novel "The Man Who Cried I Am."
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.
1969: Angelou credits Baldwin
In 1969, Maya Angelou credited James Baldwin for "setting the stage" for her autobiography "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings."
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.
1970: Baldwin Settled in Saint-Paul-de-Vence
In 1970, Baldwin settled in Saint-Paul-de-Vence in the south of France, using it as a base for international travel and opening his home to friends like Beauford Delaney, Harry Belafonte, and Sidney Poitier.
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".
1981: Atlanta Murders
The Atlanta murders, a series of killings between 1979 and 1981, inspired Baldwin's book "The Evidence of Things Not Seen", published in 1985.
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.
1985: Baldwin Describes Beauford Delaney
In 1985, James Baldwin described the painter Beauford Delaney as a significant influence in "The Price of the Ticket."
1985: Baldwin visits C. L. R. James Library
In 1985, James Baldwin visited the C. L. R. James Library in the London Borough of Hackney.
1986: Baldwin Honored by France
In 1986, James Baldwin was made a Commandeur de la Légion d'Honneur by the French government.
December 1, 1987: Death of James Baldwin
On December 1, 1987, James Baldwin, the influential African-American writer and civil rights activist, passed away, marking the end of a life dedicated to literature and advocating for human rights.
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: Baldwin's Death
Baldwin spent 17 years in Saint-Paul-de-Vence until his death in 1987.
1987: Publication of Harlem Quartet
In 1987, Baldwin's last novel, "Harlem Quartet," was published.
1987: National James Baldwin Literary Society Founded
In 1987, Kevin Brown founded the National James Baldwin Literary Society to celebrate Baldwin's life and legacy.
1990: Lawsuit Against Baldwin's Estate Dropped
In 1990, McGraw-Hill dropped its lawsuit against Baldwin's estate to recover the $200,000 advance for his unfinished book, "Remember This House."
1992: James Baldwin Scholars Program Established
In 1992, Hampshire College established the James Baldwin Scholars program, an urban outreach initiative, in honor of Baldwin.
1996: Baldwin Referenced in Film
In 1996, Spike Lee's film "Get on the Bus" included a reference to James Baldwin through a character's dialogue.
1998: Toni Morrison edits Baldwin's work
In 1998, Toni Morrison edited the Library of America's first two volumes of James Baldwin's fiction and essays: "Early Novels & Stories" and "Collected Essays."
1999: Baldwin's Name in Le Tigre Song
In 1999, James Baldwin's name appeared in the lyrics of the Le Tigre song "Hot Topic".
2002: Baldwin on List of Greatest African Americans
In 2002, James Baldwin was included on Molefi Kete Asante's list of 100 Greatest African Americans.
2005: Baldwin Honored with Postage Stamp
In 2005, the United States Postal Service created a first-class postage stamp dedicated to James Baldwin.
August 21, 2010: Lucien Happersberger Death
On August 21, 2010, Lucien Happersberger, who had a significant relationship with James Baldwin, died in Switzerland.
2012: Baldwin Inducted into Legacy Walk
In 2012, James Baldwin was inducted into the Legacy Walk, celebrating LGBT history and people.
February 2013: Darryl Pinckney Speaks on Baldwin
In February 2013, Darryl Pinckney celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of The New York Review of Books with a talk on Baldwin, highlighting his literary style and influence.
2014: Street Named After Baldwin
In 2014, East 128th Street between Fifth and Madison Avenues was named "James Baldwin Place" in Harlem to celebrate the 90th anniversary of Baldwin's birth.
2014: Baldwin Honored in Rainbow Honor Walk
In 2014, James Baldwin was one of the inaugural honorees in the Rainbow Honor Walk in San Francisco's Castro neighborhood.
2015: Later Novels Volume Edited
In 2015, Darryl Pinckney edited the third volume of James Baldwin's works for The Library of America titled, "Later Novels."
February 2016: Le Monde Opinion Piece
In February 2016, Le Monde published an opinion piece by Thomas Chatterton Williams, spurring a group of activists to come together in Paris to try to save Baldwin's house.
June 2016: Shannon Cain Squats at Baldwin's House
In June 2016, American writer and activist Shannon Cain squatted at Baldwin's house for 10 days as an act of political and artistic protest.
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.
2017: Baldwin's Pop Culture Moment
In 2017, Scott Timberg noted James Baldwin's resurgence in pop culture, emphasizing the continued relevance of his work 30 years after his death.
2018: Publication of Me and My House: James Baldwin's Last Decade in France
In 2018, Magdalena J. Zaborowska's book, "Me and My House: James Baldwin's Last Decade in France", was published, using photographs of his home and collections to discuss themes of politics, race, queerness, and domesticity.
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.
June 2019: Baldwin Inducted on National LGBTQ Wall of Honor
In June 2019, James Baldwin was one of the inaugural inductees on the National LGBTQ Wall of Honor within the Stonewall National Monument.
June 2019: Baldwin's Residence Given Landmark Designation
In June 2019, James Baldwin's residence on the Upper West Side was given landmark designation by New York City's Landmarks Preservation Commission.
June 19, 2019: Paris to Honor James Baldwin
On June 19, 2019, the city of Paris confirmed its plan to honor James Baldwin with a dedicated place in the capital.
2019: Construction Completed on Apartment Complex
In 2019, construction was completed on the apartment complex that now stands where Chez Baldwin once stood, after attempts to conserve the property were dismissed.
2020: Project Confirmed for Baldwin Honor
In 2020, the project to honor James Baldwin with a place in Paris was officially confirmed.
2021: Baldwin's Name for Paris Media Library
In 2021, Paris City Hall announced that James Baldwin's name would be given to the first media library in the 19th arrondissement, scheduled to open in 2024.
February 1, 2024: Baldwin Character in Feud: Capote vs. The Swans
In 2024, James Baldwin appeared as a character in the television series "Feud: Capote vs. The Swans", played by Chris Chalk.
February 1, 2024: Google Celebrates James Baldwin with Doodle
On February 1, 2024, Google celebrated James Baldwin with a Google Doodle.
May 17, 2024: Blue Plaque Honors Baldwin
On May 17, 2024, a blue plaque was unveiled by Nubian Jak Community Trust/Black History Walks to honour Baldwin at the site where he visited the C. L. R. James Library in the London Borough of Hackney.
August 2, 2024: "JIMMY! God's Black Revolutionary Mouth" Opens
On August 2, 2024, The New York Public Library's Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture opened an exhibition, "JIMMY! God's Black Revolutionary Mouth" in honor of James Baldwin's centennial.
2024: Paris Media Library to Open
In 2024, the media library named after James Baldwin is scheduled to open in the 19th arrondissement of Paris.
February 28, 2025: "JIMMY! God's Black Revolutionary Mouth" Closes
On February 28, 2025, The New York Public Library's Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture closes the exhibition, "JIMMY! God's Black Revolutionary Mouth", which honored the centennial of Baldwin's birth.
