Edited by Kadija George Sesay and Cheryl Robson

Celebrating the centenary of the birth of the trailblazing African American author, Encounters with James Baldwin is a wide-ranging volume of short essays, reflections, interviews and poetry. This moving collection demonstrates the significant legacy of the writer and activist who spoke truth to power during the era of the fight for Black civil liberties in the US, and after.

In this literary anthology, over 30 contributors reveal the influence of Baldwin’s thought, speech and writing to their personal journeys and their awareness of the need for social justice.

Contents:

Three Memories of Baldwin by Rashidah Ismaili AbuBakr

Blackspace by Victor Adebowale

Talking about Baldwin with Victor Adebowale

The World is White No Longer by Toyin Agbetu

Uncle Jimmy’s Calling by Rosanna Amaka

The Spirit of James Baldwin by Michelle Yaa Asantewa

Mea Culpa by Eugen Bacon

Meeting Jimmy Baldwin in Paris by Lindsay Barrett

Genius as Moral Courage by Gabriella Beckles-Raymond

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Phone Calls by Alan Bell

Never Make Peace with Mediocrity by Selina Brown

Searching for the Centennial Man by Michael Campbell

In a Photograph with James Baldwin by Fred D’Aguiar

Fires in Our Time by Thomas Glave

Can I get an Amen, Somebody? by Sonia Grant

What Kind of World is This? by Zita Holbourne

The Inspirational Blues by Paterson Joseph

Letter to My Daughter by Peter Kalu

James Baldwin Weeps with the Weight of Tiredness by Roy McFarlane

What’s Love Got to Do with It? by Ronnie McGrath

Revisiting James Baldwin by Michael McMillan

Six Degrees of James Baldwin by Tony Medina

Of James Baldwin and Futures Not Seen by Bill V. Mullen

The Fire is Now by Nducu wa Ngugi

If Sonny’s Blues were a Song… by Lola Oh

Fahrenheit 1492 by Ewaure X. Osayande

Passing by Nii Ayikwei Parkes

The Amen Corner by Anton Phillips

A Higher Calling by Ray Shell

For Jimmy by SuAndi

Wherefore, Nuncle? by Tade Thompson

Letter to My Brother by Patrick Vernon

James Baldwin and Black British Civil Rights by Tony Warner