James Baldwin, The Belvoir
James Baldwin
August 2, 1924 - December 1, 1987
The Belvoir, 470 West End Ave. Manhattan
One of the most prescient writers of the twentieth century, whose work addresses the complex plurality of human identity, James Baldwin lived here and in Paris from 1963 to 1966. Born and raised in Harlem, his literary gifts were noted by the age of 13; Baldwin's first article "Harlem — Then and Now" (1937) appeared in the Frederick Douglass Junior High School magazine; he was literary editor of the DeWitt Clinton High School magazine, as well. In 1948, already published in major literary magazines, Baldwin left the U.S. for France to escape racism and homophobia. While there, he wrote the powerful semi-autobiographical novel Go Tell It on the Mountain (1953). Baldwin returned to the U.S. in 1956. His book The Fire Next Time (1963) about Black experiences in the U.S. electrified the nation, even as he was marginalized by some in the civil rights movement because of his homosexuality. In 1986, Baldwin was made a Commander of the French Legion of Honor; he was also a recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship, and a Ford Foundation grant. In 1970, he moved to St. Paul-de-Vence in the south of France; where he lived until his death.
Historical Landmarks Preservation CenterText of plaque written by a lover of semi-colons.