James Baldwin. Der Zeuge

In the organizer's words:

Reading and discussion with René Aguigah

Moderation: Maimuna Sallah

As part of the exhibition Anys Reimann. Mirrorball

James Baldwin (1924-1987) is one of the most important writers of the 20th century. Even during his lifetime, his books Giovanni's Room and The Fire Next Time made him famous and landed him on the cover of Time magazine. But Baldwin was black and gay, and the society in which he lived was racist and homophobic. From this tension emerged a unique body of work that opened wide the gates through which generations of activists have passed after him.

About the author:

René Aguigah is a cultural journalist and head of the Literature, Philosophy, Religion department at Deutschlandfunk Kultur. In his elegantly written portrait James Baldwin. Der Zeuge (published by C.H.BECK), Baldwin expert Aguigah outlines Baldwin's life from his origins in poor circumstances in Harlem to his escape from everyday racism to Paris, his rapid rise to become a sought-after speaker and his relationships with Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. Above all, however, Aguigah's essayistic book sets out in search of what Baldwin still has to tell us today. It explores the relationship between his artistry and activism, the tension between literature and politics, his advocacy of minorities and his universalist beliefs. Baldwin, who knew hate so well, held on to love as hope in his novels and essays. Aguigah portrays him as a witness - to a time of violence and injustice that persists to this day.

About the presenter:

Maimuna Sallah is a transnational literary scholar (M.A.) with a special focus on diverse and multilingual reading promotion. Her interests and work focus on anti-discriminatory and literary pedagogical work with children and young people. Since January 2023, she has been the co-director of the Black Children's Library Bremen and is committed to increasing access to and visibility of diverse, empowering children's and youth literature.

"You gave me a language I can live in." Toni Morrison, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, about James Baldwin

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