50 days of James Baldwin

Hello!

Hello and welcome back! If this is your fist time here welcome to you too! Following my 50 days of Maya Angelou I went on to do 50 days of James Baldwin in my series. So let's dive in!

Discovering Baldwin

I came across James Baldwin earlier in the year year when there was a buzz around the movie 'If Beale Street Could Talk' based on his book of the same name. In true bookworm fashion I thought that if the movie looked good then the book would definitely be better. The library didn't have this particular book but, they did have some of his other books. So I started with 'I am Not Your Negro' a collection of his notes, essays and interviews and unfinished manuscript 'Remember This House' put together by Raoul Peck. This book really excited me because it was Baldwin's recollection of the lives of his friends Medger Evers, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. I went on to watch some of his interviews and speeches on YouTube and from then on I was hooked on Baldwin. As my 50 days of Maya Angelou came to an end the most obvious thing for me to do was to follow up with 50 days of James Baldwin.

"One can only face in others what one can face in oneself."

Mr.Baldwin

The most interesting thing to me about Mr.Baldwin is that even though he was in a position to be a leader in the civil rights movement in America he chose not to be one. Instead he chose to be an honest witness to the events of his time and to challenge leaders of the country and the civil rights movement and this choice is visible in his essays, books, lectures and debates. He was eloquent and spoke in a way that connected with people on a deeper level. His words, charisma and bluntness called something in me to attention. During the 50 days I realized that apart from being an incredible writer and speaker James Baldwin was cool, charismatic and a little swagger in the way he carried himself. He kept interesting company and debated and conversed with the likes of Maya Angelou, Nina Simone, Toni Morrison, Chinua Achebe, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr.

"All art is a kind of confession, more or less oblique. All artists if they are to survive, are forced at last, to tell the whole story; to vomit the anguish up."

Taking Notes from Baldwin

James Baldwin is a man I find myself constantly going back to even though the 50 days of Baldwin are over. It could be that I just like the sound of his voice or how I connect with his words. Whatever the reason what I know for sure is that he was a dedicated writer and was not afraid to live his truth and display it in his work. I hope that when it comes down to it my truth can be seen in my work and the way I live even when I'm gone , just like James Baldwin.

I hope you live your truth too.

Love and light always

Kombe.