JIMMY! God's Black Revolutionary Mouth

Novelist, essayist, intellectual, and activist James Baldwin (1924–1987) is renowned as one of the world’s most influential and prophetic voices of our time. His death in 1987 sent waves of grief around the world. Amiri Baraka’s eulogy, titled “Jimmy!”, spoke of James "Jimmy" Baldwin as “not only a writer, international literary figure” but as a “man, spirit, voice”. Baraka called Baldwin “God’s black revolutionary mouth,” which speaks to Baldwin’s enduring legacy of radical truth-telling. 

The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture is home to Baldwin’s archive of personal papers. In celebration of his 100th birthday, on public display for the first time, we proudly present selections from the James Baldwin Papers that highlight his literary career and legacy from childhood to death, along with items from other research collections that illuminate the passion, brilliance, and courageous spirit of James “Jimmy” Baldwin.

Organized by Barrye Brown, Curator, Manuscripts, Archives, and Rare Books Division at the Schomburg Center.

Fri, Feb 28 | 6:30–9 PM

Join us to close out the JIMMY! exhibition with a special celebration. Get a last look at selections from the James Baldwin papers and items from our research collections that illuminate the passion, brilliance, and courageous spirit of James “Jimmy” Baldwin.

We'll be joined by interdisciplinary artist Sabrina Nelson, curator Ashara Ekundayo, composer Samora Pinderhughes, and writer Achille Tenkiang, and others. Regsiter to attend.

Discover highlights of the exhibition that map Baldwin’s writings from childhood to his death. Scholars Dr. Imani Perry and Dr. Rich Blint, award-winning poet Dante Micheaux, and Grammy Award–winning recording artist Meshell Ndegeocello discuss Baldwin’s early writing in Magpie: A literary-art publication, a letter to his dear friend and playwright Lorraine Hansberry, his novel Another Country, and more. 

Listen to the audio guide online or on Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app. Bloomberg Connects is a third-party mobile app not owned or operated by NYPL. See privacy notice below.

Accessible on site or from anywhere on your mobile device.

Watch Now: Yahdon Israel and Rhymefest in Conversation

Held on August 2, 2024—what would have been James Baldwin’s 100th birthday—the JIMMY! opening reception featured a conversation between Simon & Schuster senior editor Yahdon Israel and two-time Grammy Award-winning recording hip-hop artist and humanitarian, Che “Rhymefest” Smith. The two spoke about the critical voice of James Baldwin and the use of popular culture to further elevate important figures and ideas. Rhymefest's latest project, James & Nikki: A Conversation, is inspired by and includes clips from the historic 1971 conversation between literary icons Baldwin and Nikki Giovanni. Watch online.

Watch Now: How To Build A Fire

In October 2024, the Schomburg Center hosted a two-day convening entitled How To Build A Fire, in collaboration with the Institute for Research in African American Studies and Department of African and African Diaspora Studies at Columbia University. The convening gave attendees a space to gather in response to a world in turmoil, and to engage conversations about being ourselves, doing our work, and lighting our own fires this time/in our own time. How To Build A Fire lovingly and critically reflected on the blackprints James Baldwin wrote for his time, toward building and making our own interventions in the present. Baldwin’s fiction, essays, interviews, and activism remind us of the process of perfecting our craft, and the incalculable value of conversation. 

Watch online: Livestream Day 1 (Part 1) | Livestream Day 1 (Part 2) | Livestream Day 2

Join The New York Public Library to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of writer and activist James Baldwin with special exhibitions, free programs for all ages, book giveaways, and more. Learn more here.

The James Baldwin Papers were acquired through the generosity of the Ford Foundation, Katharine J. Rayner, James and Morag Anderson, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and New York Life. Support for processing has been provided by the Arcus Foundation.

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