James Arthur Baldwin was an African-American writer and civil rights activist known for his essays, novels, plays, and poems. His acclaimed 1953 novel Go Tell It on the Mountain was ranked by Time magazine as one of the top 100 English-language novels. Baldwin's 1955 essay collection Notes of a Native Son established his reputation as a voice for human equality.

Baldwin was an influential public figure and orator, particularly during the civil rights movement in the United States. His fiction explored complex social and psychological pressures, addressing themes of masculinity, sexuality, race, and class. His protagonists, often African-American, gay, and bisexual men, face internal and external challenges in their quest for self- and social acceptance.

Baldwin's work continues to inspire artists and writers. His unfinished manuscript Remember This House was adapted into the 2016 documentary film I Am Not Your Negro, which won the BAFTA Award for Best Documentary. His 1974 novel If Beale Street Could Talk was adapted into a 2018 film, receiving widespread praise.