The author I will be writing about is James Baldwin. James Baldwin is known for his essays, playwrights and novels. He is also known as one of the greatest 20th century writers. His writing is great because he wrote about controversial topics which include racial and social issues. He is also known as a civil rights activist.
James Baldwin was born on August 2, 1924 at Harlem Hospital. Baldwin’s mother, Emma Jones, was a single mother at the time of his birth. She never revealed to James the name of his biological father. However, Emma later married a man by the David Baldwin. David was a Baptist minister. James soon followed in his stepfather’s footsteps to become a minister. James referred to David as his father, even though he didn’t have …show more content…
While in the essay Equal in Paris is about the time when he got arrested for stealing a bedsheet from a hotel, which explains was a misunderstanding. He was arrested during Christmas time and he explains how he was sent to jail, separated from his friend and lucky only spent 8 days in jail because a former prisoner contacted his lawyer for him. James lawyer was able to set him free. He explains his inability to cooperate with law enforcement authority is a direct reflection of the negative effect police had on him when he used to live in America, as is if it was a form of PTSD. In his last essay Stranger in the Village is about when James re-calls the time he lived in a village in Switzerland. He remembers when he first arrived that most people have never encountered a black man before and they were fascinated by his skin complexion. The village he lived in was completely isolated; it was surrounded by mountains and only housed about 600 villagers. Since it was a small village everyone knew who James was. He liked this place very much; he also recalls the children run after him yelling “Niger” but not in a derogatory matter but instead identifying him by the color of skin. The word Niger in their language means
James Baldwin was born on August 2, 1924 at Harlem Hospital. Baldwin’s mother, Emma Jones, was a single mother at the time of his birth. She never revealed to James the name of his biological father. However, Emma later married a man by the David Baldwin. David was a Baptist minister. James soon followed in his stepfather’s footsteps to become a minister. James referred to David as his father, even though he didn’t have …show more content…
While in the essay Equal in Paris is about the time when he got arrested for stealing a bedsheet from a hotel, which explains was a misunderstanding. He was arrested during Christmas time and he explains how he was sent to jail, separated from his friend and lucky only spent 8 days in jail because a former prisoner contacted his lawyer for him. James lawyer was able to set him free. He explains his inability to cooperate with law enforcement authority is a direct reflection of the negative effect police had on him when he used to live in America, as is if it was a form of PTSD. In his last essay Stranger in the Village is about when James re-calls the time he lived in a village in Switzerland. He remembers when he first arrived that most people have never encountered a black man before and they were fascinated by his skin complexion. The village he lived in was completely isolated; it was surrounded by mountains and only housed about 600 villagers. Since it was a small village everyone knew who James was. He liked this place very much; he also recalls the children run after him yelling “Niger” but not in a derogatory matter but instead identifying him by the color of skin. The word Niger in their language means