Who is James Baldwin? Google Doodle celebrates author and civil rights activist for US Black History Month

Google honours the literary figure in celebration of US Black History Month
American novelist, writer, playwright, p
James Baldwin at his home in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, southern France, on November 6, 1979
Ralph Gatti / AFP via Getty Images
Ayan Omar1 February 2024

Google Doodle is celebrating James Arthur Baldwin, the renowned American writer and activist

People across the US will be celebrating the start of American Black History Month, which kicks off today (Thursday, February 1), as Google recognises Baldwin’s legacy to mark the start of the month-long occasion. 

Baldwin’s niece, Darlene Burnett, said she was “grateful” for the commemoration of her uncle “in celebration of Black History Month and the centennial anniversary of his life".

She added: “Decades after his death, it is clear that Jimmy’s extensive body of work holds its impact of eternally breathing into spaces that will be stirred by the gravity of his intellect and acquaint the power of his words for generations to come.”

Who was James Baldwin? 

Born on August 2, 1924, in New York, Baldwin was a writer, playwright, and civil rights activist, whose work on the subject of race made him one of the most important figures in 20th century American literature. He was one of the first Black writers to include queer themes in his work, most notably Giovanni’s Room, in 1956, which attracted many critics. 

Baldwin grew up in the neighbourhood of Harlem, where he nurtured his passion for writing while in high school. After graduating, he began working odd jobs to support his family of nine siblings, while he studied for a literary apprenticeship in Greenwich Village, the bohemian quarter of New York. 

In 1944, he met author Richard Wright, who helped him secure a writing fellowship, while he worked on his first novel, Go Tell It on the Mountain, in 1953. The semi-autobiographical  novel drew inspiration from his life and took him 12 years to complete. 

During this time, Baldwin published his work in periodicals, one his most recognised pieces being The Harlem Ghetto, a commentary on the socioeconomic conditions of his neighbourhood. 

In 1948, he moved to Paris, France, where he stayed for eight years and penned his famous collection of essays, Notes of a Native Son

Baldwin returned to the US in 1957 and became a key figure in the civil rights movement, befriending leaders such as Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. His work during this time, which included The Fire Next Time, in 1963, and Blues for Mister Charlie, in 1964, centred on issues of race and the oppression African Americans faced.  

Throughout 1963, he was deeply involved in the movement. He met with the US Attorney General at that time, Robert F Kennedy, with a group of activists to discuss race relations in the country, but the meeting ended in disappointment. Baldwin also led a march in Paris in support of the movement, and took part in the historic march in Washington on August 28. 

In the 1970s, Baldwin went on to lecture in several universities, including Berkeley and the University of California. He was the recipient of many awards, such as the George Polk Memorial Award and the highest French order of merit, the Commandeur de la Légion d'honneur. 

Several of his works were adapted into film and TV, like his book If Beale Street Could Talk, which received numerous awards and nominations. 

Baldwin died on December 1, 1987, at his home in St Paul de Vence, France, from stomach cancer.

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in