James Baldwin

James Baldwin was a black American author known for works such as "Go Tell It on the Mountain," which Barbara Smith cites as a seminal work and incredibly important influence in her essay "Go Tell It." For Barbara, Baldwin's unapologetic representation of black families and black relationships -- both heterosexual and homosexual -- served to show her that black people could be successful as writers and as advocates for the black population. He was a contributor to the civil rights movement and went on television to speak out about oppression. Smith calls him a "genius" and says he was an inspiration in more ways than one: when she came out, she began to realize how important his explorations of black homosexuality were, and, knowing that he was gay, she condemns the artists who due to their own homophobia could not recognize this aspect of his life...