Celebrities and elected officials took to social media Friday to honor and celebrate the life of James Baldwin on what would have been his 95th birthday.
Baldwin, a globally influential writer, playwright and essayist whose works have had a powerful impact on views of race relations and identity in the U.S., was born in Harlem, New York, on Aug. 2, 1924. He spent much of his adult life in France and he died of cancer there on Dec. 1, 1987.
His famed works include “Notes of a Native Son” and “The Fire Next Time” ― both collections of essays ― and the novels “Go Tell It on the Mountain” and “Another Country.”
His 1974 novel “If Beale Street Could Talk” was adapted for a 2018 film of the same name that won accolades. The movie starred KiKi Layne, Stephan James and Regina King, ― who won an Oscar and a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress ― and was directed by Barry Jenkins.
Many of those lauding Baldwin on Friday shared excerpts of his works.
Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.), honoring what she termed Baldwin’s “incredible legacy,” tweeted one of his popular quotes: “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”
Actors and politicians were among the many others who commemorated Baldwin’s life: