James Baldwin Cause Of Death,Obituary, Funeral

Publish date: 2024-05-09
James Baldwin Net Worth

Discover comprehensive information regarding the cause of death, obituary, and funeral arrangements of James Baldwin in this comprehensive report. Despite his passing in 1981, there has been a resurgence of curiosity surrounding the circumstances of his demise, and we are pleased to provide you with all the pertinent details right at your fingertips.

Who is James Baldwin?

James Baldwin was an American writer and civil rights activist. He garnered acclaim for his work across several forms, including essays, novels, plays, and poems.

James Baldwin bio

Baldwin’s birth name was James Arthur Jones, born to Emma Berdis Jones on August 2, 1924, at Harlem Hospital in New York City.

He was born out of wedlock, and his biological father was never revealed to him by Jones. Rumours circulated about his father, suggesting drug addiction or death, but regardless, Jones took on the responsibility of raising him as a single mother.

Emma Jones, originally from Deal Island, Maryland, was born in 1903 and migrated to Harlem at the age of 19 to escape racial segregation in the South.

In 1927, Jones married David Baldwin, a labourer and Baptist preacher. David Baldwin, originally from Bunkie, Louisiana, had moved to Harlem in 1919 after preaching in New Orleans.

The circumstances of how David and Emma met remain uncertain, but in James Baldwin’s semi-autobiographical novel, “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” the characters based on them are introduced through the man’s sister, who is a friend of the woman.

Emma Baldwin went on to have eight children with her husband, including James, who took on his stepfather’s last name. James rarely discussed his mother, but when he did, he expressed his admiration and love for her, often mentioning her warm smile.

During his early life, Baldwin moved multiple times within Harlem, as it was still a racially diverse area during the early days of the Great Migration.

The urban landscape of Harlem was characterized by tenements and poverty. David Baldwin was significantly older than Emma, possibly born before Emancipation in 1863, although James was unsure of his stepfather’s exact age. David’s mother, Barbara, had been born into slavery and lived with the Baldwins in New York before.

James Baldwin cause of death and funeral

Baldwin passed away on December 1, 1987, due to stomach cancer in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France. He was laid to rest at the Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, near New York City.

During his final days, Baldwin was cared for by Fred Nall Hollis, who had been a close friend since the early 1970s. Baldwin would often treat Nall to drinks at the Café de Flore. Nall vividly remembered discussing the issue of racism in Alabama with Baldwin shortly before his demise.

At the time of his passing, Baldwin was working on an unfinished manuscript titled Remember This House. This memoir recounts his memories of influential civil rights leaders such as Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King Jr.

Following Baldwin’s death, the publishing company McGraw-Hill took the extraordinary step of suing his estate in an attempt to reclaim the $200,000 advance they had paid him for the book. However, the lawsuit was eventually dropped in 1990. Remarkably, Raoul Peck’s 2016 documentary film, I Am Not Your Negro, is based on this very manuscript.

James Baldwin obituary

The passing of James Baldwin was widely reported in newspapers upon his demise. Given his prominent status, the news came as a profound shock, leading to an overwhelming display of sorrow and heartfelt tributes in his honour.

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