James Baldwin
Full name: James Arthur Baldwin
Also known as: James Baldwin, Jimmy, Jimmy Baldwin
Born: August 2, 1924 in New York City, NY
Died: December 1, 1987 in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France
Occupation: author, writer
Notable works: Go Tell it on the Mountain (1953), Giovanni's Room (1956), Notes of a Native Son (1955), The Fire Next Time (1963), The Amen Corner (1954)
"Baldwin's novels and plays fictionalize fundamental personal questions and dilemmas amid complex social and psychological pressures thwarting the equitable integration of not only African Americans, but also gay and bisexual men, while depicting some internalized obstacles to such individuals' quests for acceptance."
Associations: Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), Malcolm X (loosely the Nation of Islam [NOI])
Honors and awards: included as one of the 100 Greatest African Americans by scholar Molefi Kete Asante (2002); first-class stamp dedication (2005); inducted into the Legacy Walk (2012); East 128th Street, between Fifth and Madison Avenues, was named "James Baldwin Place" (2014)