What would celebrated novelist and playwright James Baldwin say about race in the United States today?
“In our current political moment, the climate around race relations has reached a boiling point,” said Charles Stephens, executive director of the Counter Narrative Project, an Atlanta-based nonprofit that seeks to amplify the voices of black gay men and their allies.
Baldwin would have turned 92 today.
The Counter Narrative Project will host a program, "Why James Baldwin Matters Now!," from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, 100 Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd. N.W. The event is free and open to the public.
Organizers say registration is full, but people can still attend if space allows.
Baldwin tackled such divisive topics as race, sexuality and spirituality in such classics as "The Fire Next Time", "Another Country" and "Giovanni's Room."
“The public dialogue around race, coupled with both emerging and sustained movements resisting racial violence, echo the legacy of iconic writer and activist James Baldwin,” Stephens said. ” Baldwin’s eloquent rage spoke to a generation of black writers and activists. We believe that his words remain relevant and seek to unpack his legacy by commemorating his impact.”
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