James Baldwin

Baldwin once wrote, "I want to be an honest man and a good writer." Here are some additional autobiographical notes by the author. (Free registration required.)

These are some excerpts from a tribute to Baldwin organized by the journal PEN. This page offers some interesting biographical and critical notes.

This page contains the liner notes Baldwin wrote for Maya Angelou's poetry record Black Pearls. Do you see any connections between Baldwin's writing and music?

This is the forward Baldwin wrote for A Lonely Rage: The Autobiography of Bobby Seale.

Here is a QuotationsPage.com page of quotes by Baldwin.

Here is an article by Baldwin about Black English. Does his argument persuade you? Is it still relevant today? (Free registration required.)

Baldwin left the U.S. for a time in the middle of his life. This essay explores various expatriate writers who lived in Paris, including Baldwin

Baldwin had an FBI file due to his political activism, including his participation in the voter drive in Selma, Alabama in the early 1960s. This summary from the radio show Late Night Live describes Baldwin's encounters with the FBI.

To put Baldwin's life and work in historical context, consult this hyperlinked timeline of the Civil Rights Movement.