Examines the major divisions in criticism of this major African American
writer, paying particular attention to the way each critical period
defines Baldwin and his work for its own purposes.
James Baldwin is a widely taught and anthologized author. His short
story "Sonny's Blues" remains a perennial favorite in literature
anthologies, and all of his essay collections and novels are still in
print. His first essay collection, Notes of a Native Son, is a seminal
work that led a new generation of African American writers from beneath
the shadow of Richard Wright. The Fire Next Time is widely held as one
of the most profound and accurate articulations of black consciousness
during the Civil Rights movement. It is difficult to imagine teaching a
survey of African American literature or considering the development of
black intellectual thought in the twentiethcentury without mentioning
Baldwin.
For more than half a century, readers and critics alike have agreed that
Baldwin is a major African American writer. What they do not agree on is
why. Because of his artistic and intellectual complexity, his work
resists easy categorization, and Baldwin scholarship, consequently,
spans the critical horizon. Conseula Francis's book examines the major
divisions in Baldwin criticism, paying particular attention to theway
each critical period defines Baldwin and his work for its own purposes.
Conseula Francis is Professor of English and Associate Provost for
Curriculum and Institutional Resources at the College of Charleston.