James Baldwin and NYPL

James Baldwin was born in Harlem on August 2, 1924, and was a patron of The New York Public Library from a young age. In the course of his groundbreaking career, his writing and activism propelled him to international prominence, and his novels and essays continue to be widely read today. His papers, manuscripts, and other historical materials are stewarded by the Library's Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and form the basis of our two celebratory exhibitions, which feature many materials that have never before been on public display.

  • James Baldwin: Mountain to Fire

    Now on View | Stephen A. Schwarzman Building

    Explore the extraordinary rise of James Baldwin at the Polonsky Exhibition of The New York Public Library's Treasures. Discover never-before-exhibited literary manuscripts from the early years of Baldwin’s writing career—including draft pages from Go Tell It on the Mountain, Giovanni’s Room, and The Fire Next Time—alongside other remarkable items from the collection of James Baldwin stewarded by the Schomburg Center.

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    Patrons looking at images, books, and writings by James Baldwin in a display case.

  • JIMMY! God’s Black Revolutionary Mouth

    Now on View | Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture

    In his eulogy for James Baldwin, Amiri Baraka referred to him as “God’s black revolutionary mouth,” invoking Baldwin's enduring legacy of radical truth-telling. On public display for the first time, the Schomburg Center proudly presents selections from Baldwin’s archive of personal papers that highlight his literary career and legacy from childhood to death. These items are presented along with other Schomburg materials that illuminate the passion, brilliance, and courageous spirit of James “Jimmy” Baldwin.

    Bloomberg Connects is a third-party mobile app not owned or operated by NYPL. See privacy notice below.

    Left: A black and white photo of James Baldwin in partial profile. He is wearing a hat and shearling coat. Right: James Baldwin is holding a newspaper. Medgar Evers, who seated behind him, is partially leaned over Baldwin’s shoulder to also read the newspaper.

James Baldwin Walking Tour

Trace the footsteps of John Grimes, the protagonist of James Baldwin’s semi-autobiographical novel Go Tell It on the Mountain, with a self-guided walking tour bringing you from the Schomburg Center in Harlem to the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building in Midtown Manhattan. Stops along the way include Harlem Hospital, Central Park, and James Baldwin’s residence on the Upper West Side. 

Baldwin walking tour flyer and map displayed on a brown background.

Free Events

Come to the Library for free events celebrating the work of James Baldwin! From book discussion groups to film screenings and writing workshops, there’s something for patrons of every age.

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Where to Start with James Baldwin

Baldwin was both a groundbreaking novelist, and an essayist and polemicist of great power. Discover his major works, starting with Go Tell It on the Mountain and encompassing titles including Giovanni's Room, If Beale Street Could Talk, Notes of a Native Son, The Fire Next Time, and more.

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Baldwin Book Giveaways

Visit select NYPL locations for free giveaways of James Baldwin titles, while supplies last! 

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  • Learn More About the Schomburg Center

    Founded in 1925 and named a National Historic Landmark in 2017, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture is one of the world’s leading cultural institutions devoted to the research, preservation, and exhibition of materials focused on African American, African Diaspora, and African experiences.

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  • Connect with the Library

    Get the latest NYPL events, programs, and more for all ages delivered straight to your inbox, now also available in Español (Spanish). Plus, sign up for Schomburg Connection to stay up to date with everything happening at the Schomburg Center.

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  • Get a Library Card!

    Sign up for a library card for free online today! Access everything the Library has to offer, from free one-on-one online tutoring to e-books, with your library card.

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  • Download the NYPL App

    Get the power of The New York Public Library, anytime, anywhere. With the NYPL app, you can access everything the Library has to offer from home or while you’re on the go.

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  • Borrow E-Books and Audiobooks

    Download SimplyE, the Library's free e-reader app, which makes it easy to borrow e-books and audiobooks from a catalog of more than 300,000 titles.

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  • Support the Schomburg Center

    Schomburg Society members receive discounts, invitations to exclusive events, and more!

    Support

Thank You

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.

Privacy Notice: Bloomberg Connects is a third-party mobile application (app) developed by Bloomberg Philanthropies. The app is not owned or operated by NYPL and therefore we encourage you to review the Bloomberg Connects privacy policy here. The policy can also be reviewed within the app on your mobile device. Once you have downloaded the app, we also encourage you to review the app’s specific privacy settings, found in the “Settings” menu on your mobile device.

For more information about NYPL’s third-party partners and vendors in general, please see Section 3 of NYPL's Privacy Policy describing “Third-Party Library Services Providers.”