James Baldwin. African-American writer. Known for his work dedicated to exploring and denouncing discrimination problems based on race and sexuality in the United States , something he experienced first-hand due to his condition as a black and gay man .
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Born to a humble family, Baldwin began his literary career with the publication of Go Tell It on the Mountain ( 1953 ), a work of a marked autobiographical nature. The themes chosen by Baldwin, as well as his combative public stance regarding his sexual orientation, motivated his departure from the United States to settle in Paris in 1948 and, from 1960 , to spend several years between Turkey , the capital of France and short stays in America .
His next novel was Giovanni’s Room ( 1956 ). Notes from My Native Son (1955) and Nobody Knows My Name ( 1961 ) are books of essays and memoirs from his youth.
In his novel Another Country ( 1962 ), set in New York , he deals with the society of Harlem . This and other works, such as The Fire Next Time (1963) and No Name on the Street ( 1972 ), reflect his belief that African Americans symbolize universal conflicts and problems.
The novels Tell Me How Long the Train Has Been Left ( 1968 ) and Over My Head ( 1979 ) deal with the theme of black identity.
His plays include Amen Corner ( 1950 ) and Blues for Mister Charlie ( 1964 )