James Baldwin — Timeline
Key moments in the life of James Baldwin.
1924
Born on August 2 in East Harlem, New York City
1942
Graduated from DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx
1948
Moved to Paris to escape American racism and begin writing career
1953
Published debut novel 'Go Tell It on the Mountain' to critical acclaim
1963
Published essay collection 'The Fire Next Time,' a landmark work on race in America
1964
Published novel 'Another Country,' exploring themes of race, sexuality, and identity
1968
Witnessed and spoke out following Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination
1974
Published 'If Beale Street Could Talk,' a novel about love and injustice
1985
Published essay collection 'The Price of the Ticket,' compiling decades of his work
1987
Died on December 1 in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France, from stomach cancer