James Baldwin (1924-87) was a writer and civil rights activist who is best known for his semi-autobiographical novels and plays that center on race, politics and sexuality. His play, "The Amen Corner," was the very first play by a writer of color presented on the Firestone stage. Baldwin's works helped to raise public awareness of racial and sexual oppression. His honest portrayal of his personal experiences in a national context challenged America to uphold the values it promised on equality and justice. His novel, "Go Tell it On the Mountain," won him the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1953.
