Biography of james baldwin
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Although he spent a great deal of his life abroad, James Baldwin always remained a quintessentially American writer.
Whether he was working in Paris or Istanbul, he never ceased to reflect on his experience as a black man in white America.
In numerous essays, novels, plays and public speeches, the eloquent voice of James Baldwin spoke of the pain and struggle of black Americans and the saving power of brotherhood.
James Baldwin — the grandson of a slave — was born in Harlem in 1924.
Biography of james baldwin
The oldest of nine children, he grew up in poverty, developing a troubled relationship with his strict, religious stepfather. As a child, he cast about for a way to escape his circumstances. As he recalls, “I knew I was black, of course, but I also knew I was smart.
I didn’t know how I would use my mind, or even if I could, but that was the only thing I had to use.” By the time he was fourteen, Baldwin was spending much of his time in libraries and had found his passion for writing.
During this early