From the magazine

Why does James Baldwin matter so much now?

The rise of Queer Studies and Black Lives Matter has led to renewed interest in Baldwin – who was exasperated in life with being categorised by colour or as ‘gay’

James Campbell
James Baldwin – a symbolic figure with special ubiquity in the imagination of Black Lives Matter.  Bridgeman Images
EXPLORE THE ISSUE 14 December 2024
issue 14 December 2024

James Baldwin matters. To veteran Baldwin admirers, his renewed prominence comes as a surprise after decades of indifference. This year, in the centenary of his birth in Harlem, Baldwin has seemed to matter more than at any time since his heyday, when he combined the roles of writer and civil rights spokesman.

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