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James Baldwin

James Baldwin was an iconic writer and activist who explored the complexities of race, identity, love, and class with searing insight. Baldwin’s legacy as a writer and civil rights activist has left an indelible mark on history, and his wisdom and courage continue to inspire generations. 

Baldwin Reading Essentials

James Baldwin offers brilliant guidance for a new generation. From coming-of-age novels and searching essays to powerful short stories about identity, love, ambition, and belonging.

Giovanni's Room (Deluxe Edition) by James Baldwin, Kevin Young

Giovanni's Room (Deluxe Edition)

James Baldwin, Kevin Young

Go Tell It on the Mountain (Deluxe Edition) by James Baldwin, Roxane Gay

Go Tell It on the Mountain (Deluxe Edition)

James Baldwin, Roxane Gay

The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin

The Fire Next Time

James Baldwin

Going to Meet the Man by James Baldwin

Going to Meet the Man

James Baldwin

Blues for Mister Charlie by James Baldwin

Blues for Mister Charlie

James Baldwin

Another Country by James Baldwin

Another Country

James Baldwin

No Name in the Street by James Baldwin

No Name in the Street

James Baldwin

Nobody Knows My Name by James Baldwin

Nobody Knows My Name

James Baldwin

If Beale Street Could Talk (Deluxe Edition) by James Baldwin, Brit Bennett

If Beale Street Could Talk (Deluxe Edition)

James Baldwin, Brit Bennett

Individual Deluxe Editions

Giovanni's Room (Deluxe Edition) by James Baldwin

Giovanni's Room (Deluxe Edition)

James Baldwin

Go Tell It on the Mountain (Deluxe Edition) by James Baldwin, Roxane Gay

Go Tell It on the Mountain (Deluxe Edition)

James Baldwin, Roxane Gay

If Beale Street Could Talk (Deluxe Edition) by James Baldwin, Brit Bennett

If Beale Street Could Talk (Deluxe Edition)

James Baldwin, Brit Bennett

Happy Birthday James Baldwin

Join us as we celebrate the iconic legacy of James Baldwin and his lasting impact on our world today.

Featured contributors: Nicola Yoon, author of "Everything, Everything;" "The Sun is Also a Star;" and "One of Our Kind” Karen Thorsen, Director of "James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket" Meshell Ndegeocello, Singer-Songwriter ("No More Water: The Gospel of James Baldwin") Randy Ribay’s, author of "Everything We Never Had" Jose Antonio Vargas, "Journalist, Filmmaker, and Immigration Rights Activist" Anna Malaika Tubbs, author of "The Three Mothers"

*James Baldwin Audio and video clips courtesy of the film, "James Baldwin: Price of the Ticket. Learn more at: https://jamesbaldwinproject.org/ Photo: Alfred A. Knopf Literary File Photography Collection, Harry Ransom Center, The University of Texas at Austin

Listen to The Baldwin 100 Podcast

Brought to you by Penguin Random House and the James Baldwin Family, this show examines the life and work of iconic author and Civil Rights activist James Baldwin, as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of his birth. Join host Cree Myles of the award-winning All Ways Black as she goes behind the scenes with Dr. Eddie S. Glaude Jr., Roxane Gay, Billy Dee Williams, Robert Jones Jr., and other luminaries to give the inside scoop on who James Baldwin was and why he and his works are more relevant than ever today.

Listen with Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you stream podcasts.

About the Author

James Baldwin
Photo: © The Granger Collection

James Baldwin

James Baldwin (1924–1987) was a novelist, essayist, playwright, poet, and social critic. His first novel, Go Tell It on the Mountain, appeared in 1953 to excellent reviews, and his essay collections Notes of a Native Son and The Fire Next Time were bestsellers that made him an influential figure in the growing civil rights movement. Baldwin spent much of his life in France, where he moved to escape the racism and homophobia of the United States. He died in France in 1987, a year after being made a Commander of the French Legion of Honor.

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