James Baldwin Biography

James Baldwin was an American writer and social critic, best known for his debut novel, ‘Go Tell It on the Mountain’. A highly insightful writer, he explored themes like race, sexuality, spirituality, and humanity in his works. Born in Harlem, New York, U.S. as the eldest son of his mother, he never knew the identity of his biological father. His mother married again and even though his step-father adopted him, he never treated the young boy with love and care. Abused by his step-father and growing up in poverty, he spent much of his early years caring for his numerous younger siblings. His future looked bleak when he happened to meet the renowned artist Beauford Delaney who became his mentor and encouraged him to express himself creatively. Baldwin who already had an interest in writing started taking his passion seriously and soon wrote several short stories, essays, and book reviews. He had realized during his teenage that he was gay, and being a homosexual in mid-20th century America was very difficult and he was often subjected to discrimination and abuse. Disillusioned with his homeland, he moved to France and established himself as not just an influential African-American writer but also as an influential exile writer