Mrs. Maness
English – IV
19 Apr 2024
James Baldwin
James Baldwin was a black writer, playwright, and civil rights activist in the mid-1900s. In his book The Fire Next Time he wrote, “You were born where you were born and faced the future that you faced because you were Black and for no other reason. The limits of your ambition are, thus, expected to be set forever. You were born into a society that spelled out with brutal clarity, and in as many ways possible, that you were a worthless human being. You were not expected to aspire to excellence; you were expected to make peace with mediocrity.” James Baldwin was in no way mediocre. He pushed his talent to the limit to become a famous author. He befriended many celebrities, and he was even called on by the President of the United States to help with race relations. He was far from a worthless human being. …show more content…
He was born to a single mother named Emma Jones; his father was never mentioned. His mother went on to marry a Baptist preacher named David Baldwin when James was 3 years old. James served as a youth minister for a Pentecostal church in Harlem. Since James was young, he loved to read and was gifted at writing. While attending Dewitt Clinton High School he worked on the school's magazine, this is where he published his first poems and short stories, after graduation he put his college plans on hold because he had to support his 7 siblings by working laying railroad tracks for the U.S. Army. He faced great discrimination due to his race during this time