James Baldwin

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Rodney Lawrence Hurst, Sr. Stamp Collection Rodney Lawrence Hurst, Sr. Papers

7-23-2004

American Commemorative Panels: James Baldwin

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Recommended Citation American Commemorative Panels: James Baldwin. 2004. Rodney Lawrence Hurst, Sr. Papers. University of North Florida. Thomas G. Carpenter Library. Special Collections and Archives. UNF Digital Commons. https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/hurst_stamps/71/

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James Baldwin

Baldwin's first novel, Go Tell It on the Mountain, was published in 1953. Partly autobiographical, this account of a young boy's struggle with personal and spiritual issues elicited praise for Baldwin's exceptional talent. His first essay collection, Notes of a Native Son, was published in 1955, enhanci ng his repu tation as a master of Ameri ca n prose. Baldwin's work eloquently articulated the complexities of race relations during the years when the civil rights movement was at its height. The Fire Next Time, published in 1963, solidified Baldwin's status; that same year, his success landed him on the cover of Time. Baldwin's second and third novels, Giovanni's Room and Another Country, surprised readers JAMES BALDWIN wasbornonAugust2,1924, with their matter-of-fact portrayals of in New York City. As a boy, he visited the library homosexual relationships. Just as he was a often and displayed exceptional intelligence. leading literary figure in the civil rights By the time he graduated from high school, he movement, Baldwin would eventually be had published articles, plays, fiction, and claimed as an inspiration by the gay rights poetry in his school literary maga movement. zine, and he knew he wanted to Baldwin published several other novels, be a writer. He counted Dickens, plays, short stories, and poems. James Baldwin Another Dostoevsky, and Harriet died on November 30, 1987, at his home in Beecher Stowe among the Saint-Paul de Vence, in France. Country authors who influenced his desire to write. Rodney Lawrence Hurst Sr. Papersanovel As a young man, Baldwin Thomas G Carpenter Library began publishing essays on James literature and other topics in Special Collections periodica ls such as The Natian. Baldwin In 1948, he made his first journey to France. For the rest of his life, he moved between Europe and America, later referring to himself as a "commuter" between the two continents.

background: Photograph Roy Hyrkin; left: Peter Turnley / CORBIS; top right: Photograph and Prints Division, Sch omburg Center for Research in Bla ck Culture, The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox, and Tilden Foundations; bottom right: Courtesy, Cal Poly Po mona University Libra ry Special Collections

UNITED STATES POSTALSERVICE AMERICAN COMMEMORATIVE CANCELLATIONS

Issue Date Colors James Baldwin July 23, 2004 Black, Cyan , Magenta, Yellow, Yellow (PMS 129) The work of writer James Baldwin brought him to the forefront of America's First Day City civil rights movement and made him a leading literary figure of the 20th New York, NY Image Area (w x h) century. Baldwin was born in poverty in 1924 in New York City, where he 1.4 X 0.84 (in.) Designer helped his mother care for his many brothers and sisters. He showed 35.56 x 21.336 (mm .) Phil Jordan exceptional intelligence early, and counted Dickens and Dostoevsky among Falls Church, VA Format the authors who influenced his desire to become a writer. Pane of 10 (1 design) Art Director Phil Jordan Plate Numbers As a young man, Baldwin began publishing essays in The Nation and other "P" followed by five (5) periodicals. In 1948, he made his first journey to France, where he befriend Typographer single digits ed a diverse group of artists and writers. Though he returned frequently to Phil Jordan Marginal Markings the United States, he would maintain a home in France for the rest of his Modeler © 2003 USPS, price, life. Joseph Sheeran plate numbers, plate Baldwin's first, largely autobiographical novel, Go Tell It on the Mountain, Manufacturing Process position diagram, biog Offset / Micropri nt raphical text on back of was published in 1953 and won wide acclaim from critics. Notes of a Native " USPS" stamp, barcodes Son appeared two years later, containing essays on various topics, among them literature and black life in America and abroad . Several other books Printer Ashton-Potter (USA) Ltd. followed, including fiction, essays, poems, and plays. (APU) With the publication of The Fire Next Time in 1963, Baldwin became internationally famous. In that book, he suggested hopefully that if Americans of different races joined together, they could "end the racial nightmare, and achieve our country, and change the history of the world."

Rodney Lawrence Hurst Sr. Papers Thomas G Carpenter Library Special Collections JAMES BALDWIN

FIRST DAY OF ISSUE

UNITED STATES first day of issue ceremony POSTAL SERVICE Rodney Lawrence Hurst Sr. Papers Thomas G Carpenter Library Special Collections UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE

PROCESSION MUSICAL SELECTION CHORAL SELECTION David L. Solomon Forces of Nature Jerry Dixon singing Some Days Boys Choir of Harlem Vice President, Area Operations Lyrics by Jomes Baldwin United States Postal Service HOST Music by Steve Marzullo STAMP DEDICATION New York Metro Area Avery Brooks Henry A. Pankey Theater Artist READING Vice President, Emergency Preparedness Vinnie Molloy Ossie Davis US Postal Service District Manager/ Postmaster NATIONAL ANTHEM/ Actor/Producer/Writer United States Postal Service LIFT EVERY VOICE & SING 80TH BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE New York District Boys Choir of Harlem MUSICAL SELECTION Mayo Angelou Odetta Poet/Writer/ Educator INVOCATION Singer Reverend Doctor Samuel Joubert CLOSING REMARKS Sr. Pastor Emeritus READING Howard Dodson Community Baptist Church, Bayside, New York Ruby Dee Actress/Writer HONORED GUESTS WELCOME Francia G. Smith Howard Dodson TRIBUTE Vice President and Consumer Advocate Chief Amiri Borako, United States Postal Service Schomburg Center For Research in Block Culture Writer Rodney Lawrence Hurst Sr. Papers Thomas G Carpenter Library Special Collections ' .. James Baldwin was born on August 2, 1924, in New York Cily's Harlem Hospital. As a boy, Above My Head" (1979). His ploys are "Blues for Mister Charlie" (1964) and "The Amen he visited the library often and displayed exceptional intelligence. During his adolescence, Corner" (1968). Acollection of short stories, "Going to Meet the Mon," was published in Baldwin planned a career as a minister and was active for a time as a young preacher. However, 1965. Other works include "Jimmy's Blues," a poetry collection published in 1985, and essays by the time he graduated from high school, he hod published articles, plays, fiction and poetry and nonfiction including "Nobody Knows My Nome" (1961 ); "No Nome in the Street" in his school literary magazine, and he knew he wonted to be a writer. He counted Dickens, (1972); "The Devil Finds Work" (197 6); "Evidence of Things Not Seen" (1985); a screen- Dostoevsky and Harriet Beecher Stowe among the authors who influenced his desire to write. ploy, "One Doy When IWas Lost" (1972); and "The Price of the Ticket," a collection of essays Traces of the preacher remain in the biblical rhythms and allusions in Baldwin's prose. printed in 1985.

Baldwin's first novel, "Go Tell It on the Mountain," published in 1953, was portly outobiogroph Jomes Baldwin received many awards during his lifetime, including France's highest civilian ical. This account of a young boy's struggle with personal and spiritual issues elicited praise for award, commander of the Legion of Honor, presented by President Francois Mitterrand in Baldwin's exceptional talent. His first essay collection, "Notes of a Native Son," published in 1986. He died at his home in Fronce on November 30, 1987, at the age of 63. 1955, enhanced his reputation os a master of American prose. Baldwin's work eloquently articulated the complexities of race relations during the years when Stomp artist Thomas Blackshear II based his portrait of Baldwin on a block-and-white photo the civil rights movement was at its height. "The Fire Next Time," published in 1963, solidi graph token around 1960, probably in New York. The stomp background is evocative of fied Baldwin's status; that some year, his success landed him on the cover of Time magazine. Baldwin's novel "Go Tell It on the Mountain," set in Harlem, and is based on o photograph by RodneyBerenice Lawrence Abbot token in Harlem Hurstin 1938. Sr. Papers Baldwin's novels include "Giovanni's Room" (1956); "Another Country" (1962); "Tell Me How Long the Troi n's Been Gone· (19 68); "If Beale StreeCould Tolk " ( 19 7); 4 ond "JustThomas G Carpenter Library Special Collections