How creators and artists are commemorating James Baldwin in the internet age

This story was originally published on Passionfruit.

Analysis

Over the past few years, there has been a much-needed resurgence of writer James Baldwin’s significance in the cultural landscape of the U.S. This rise in his acclaim, in many ways, stemmed from the Black Lives Matter movement’s impact from 2014 onward and the rise of Baldwin-related popular media, like the 2016 documentary I Am Not Your Negro. 

In honor of Black History Month, Passionfruit spoke to multiple content creators working to highlight James Baldwin’s legacy and Black art today. It appears some of the obstacles facing Baldwin, like his work being undervalued in his lifetime, also face the creators honoring his legacy today.

Now in school districts around the U.S., books by queer, Black, trans, and indigenous authors are being challenged or banned, with some schools folding under debates about the necessity of Black History Month programming. In this age of censorship, the work of book advocates, BookTokers, and Bookstragrammers becomes even more important in combatting the erasure of Black writers like Baldwin. 

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