Ten Things You May Not Know About James Baldwin

"All art is a kind of confession.”
—James Baldwin

Hailing from Harlem, New York, James Baldwin (1924-1987) was one of the most influential writers of the 20th century. In 1948, at the age of 24 and nearly penniless, he moved to Paris, France, to escape the racism he experienced in the United States. While living in Paris, Baldwin published his first novel in 1953, Go Tell It on the Mountain, a semi-autobiographical tale about a Harlem teen in the 1930s grappling with complex family and church relationships.

Baldwin’s work spanned novels, essays, and plays that addressed issues of race, class, and sexuality, leading to a 1954 Guggenheim Fellowship for Creative Arts. Even if you’ve read all of his works, there are still aspects of Baldwin's life that might surprise you. As we celebrate Baldwin's centennial, his profound impact on literature and social thought remains more significant than ever. Below are ten facts that you may not know about Baldwin!

Did you know… Baldwin's mother, Emma Jones, never disclosed the identity of his biological father. Instead, he was brought up by his stepfather, David Baldwin, a Baptist minister, though their relationship was often tense. Despite their difficulties, they shared a common bond in their religious devotion, at least during Baldwin's early years. In his essay "Letter From a Region in My Mind," Baldwin reflected on a deep religious crisis he faced, describing how “I became, during my fourteenth year, for the first time in my life, afraid—afraid of the evil within me and afraid of the evil without.” From the ages of fourteen to seventeen, Baldwin served as a preacher at the Fireside Pentecostal Assembly. This brief yet significant stint in the church left a lasting influence on his rhetorical approach and deeply shaped the themes, symbols, and biblical references in his later writings.

Did you know… Baldwin’s debut in a national magazine wasn’t through fiction but a review of the Russian writer Maxim Gorky, titled “Maxim Gorki as Artist,” published in The Nation on April 12, 1947. In the literary journal Brick, Colm Tóibín describes Baldwin as “a reviewer with attitude, a writer with a high sense of aesthetic grandeur, an Edmund Wilson with real poison in his pen.”

Did you know… Despite owning a typewriter, Baldwin preferred to write longhand on a legal pad. As he explained to The Paris Review in 1984, “You achieve shorter declarative sentences.” Editing played a crucial role in his writing process as well. Baldwin revealed in the same interview that his initial drafts were often too verbose, and much of the rewriting involved refining and clarifying. His aim was to create sentences as precise and uncluttered as possible.

Did you know… In 1968, Baldwin moved to Los Angeles, California, after being hired by producer Marvin Worth to write a screenplay about Malcolm X. However, his initial draft was over 200 pages long, more like a novel than a screenplay and as Baldwin struggled with the script, writer Arnold Perl was brought in to assist. The studio was ultimately dissatisfied with the script, prompting Baldwin to abandon the project. Baldwin's script was eventually published in 1972 as One Day When I Was Lost. In 2017, the New York Public Library's Schomburg Center acquired a copy of Baldwin’s handwritten script, along with three of his solo manuscripts and the final screenplay.

Did you know… When Baldwin relocated to Paris, he had written four novels that were not yet published. Although Baldwin lost all of these manuscripts, he did not stew in this misfortune. In his interview with The Paris Review, he said “When I came over they were in a duffel bag, which I lost, and that’s that.”

Did you know… Baldwin would write at night until the wee hours of the morning. “I start working when everyone has gone to bed. I’ve had to do that ever since I was young—I had to wait until the kids were asleep. And then I was working at various jobs during the day. I’ve always had to write at night. But now that I’m established I do it because I’m alone at night,” he said.

Did you know… When Baldwin decided he wanted to meet Richard Wright, the author of Native Son, he took the straightforward approach of visiting his home and knocking on the door. While this isn’t advisable for everyone, it paid off for Baldwin. Wright's generosity and connections provided significant support for Baldwin’s budding career.

Did you know… Baldwin continued writing into his later years, but he also spent time teaching at the college level. He started at Hampshire College in 1983 and later taught at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst before returning to France in 1986. During his tenure, Baldwin became known for his late-night chats. He often stayed up long after his colleagues had gone to bed, leading to the creation of his own time zone, affectionately dubbed "Jimmy Time."

Did you know… Baldwin played a key role in getting Maya Angelou's first autobiography published. Following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a grieving Angelou was invited to dinner by Baldwin. Her captivating storytelling caught the attention of cartoonist Jules Feiffer and his wife Judy who then introduced her to Feiffer’s editor, Robert Loomis. With Baldwin’s encouragement and behind-the-scenes advice, Angelou agreed to write an autobiography, leading to the publication of her groundbreaking 1969 book, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.

Did you know… Before his death, Baldwin was working on an unfinished memoir titled Remember This House. This work recounted his personal experiences with prominent civil rights leaders, including his friends Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King Jr. This manuscript became the foundation for Raoul Peck's 2016 documentary I Am Not Your Negro, which won the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Award for Best Documentary and received a nomination for Best Documentary Feature at the 89th Academy Awards.