James Baldwin: Nobody Knows my Name Tickets
Presented by Poet in the City
About James Baldwin: Nobody Knows my Name
A night of live poetry and discussion in tribute to the multifaceted artist that was James Baldwin, exploring the failure of the media to recognise his life’s work beyond the singular narrative of the Black experience in America. A novelist, playwright, poet and essayist, James Baldwin was a writer of considerable talent. Baldwin broke new literary ground with his vivid and relentless explorations of racial and social issues, however he felt strongly that his work should not be exclusively defined by his identity. The implications of being viewed as a voice for a whole race weighed heavily on him and during his lifetime, he deliberately strove to position himself and his writing outside of the African-American bracket. Join us for a panel discussion featuring individuals deeply inspired by the poet and live readings of some of Baldwin’s most interesting poems and essays. Can failure be a good thing? Across 2020 Poet in the City’s programme will be contemplating the role of failure as a catalyst for change.