Commemoration of his 85th birth anniversary

By Sr. Correspondent,  Antoine Craigwell

(New York, NY) - The quote from James Baldwin, "Those who say it can't be done are usually interrupted by others doing it," was repeated, for effect and as a testament of accomplishment, by George Faison, co-founder and artistic director of the Faison Firehouse Theater, in his introduction and welcome at the celebration commemoration of Baldwin's 85th birth anniversary on Aug 2.


 

Helen Baldwin, wife of the late Will Baldwin, sister-in-law of James Baldwin. Photo by Antoine Craigwell

Organized by Faison and Tad Schnugg, co-founder of the Theater, with guest and press coordination handled by Richard Pelzer, III, Mega Management, Inc., the celebration at the Theater was standing room only as each of the house's 120 seats were taken. Making presentations, including tributes in song, excerpts from Baldwin's work and reminiscences of him, a panel of personalities included poet and playwright Amiri Baraka; writer, playwright and poetess Sonia Sanchez; Andre Leon Talley, editor-at-large, Vogue Magazine; James Baldwin's immediate relatives, his sister-in-law Helen Baldwin, wife of Will Baldwin, and nephew, Trevor Baldwin; Alexa Birdsong, who had studied under Baldwin; Herb Boyd, writer; Prof. Eleanor Traylor, chair, English Department, Howard University; and Genovis Albright, singer and musician.

George Faison  Photo by Antoine Craigwell
According to published biographies, James Arthur Baldwin was born on Aug 2, 1924 and died of suspected stomach cancer on Dec 1, 1987. At the time of his death he had seen much, written much and had become a leaven in the discourse on African-American issues.

He was among many accomplishments a novelist, an essayist, a playwright, scriptwriter, director, poet, filmmaker, college professor, and a lecturer, His works include Go Tell It On The Mountain (1953), Giovanni's Room (1956), Another Country (1962), Fire Next Time (1962), and Just Above My Head (1979); his plays include Blues for Mister Charlie (1964) and Evidence of Things Not Seen (1986).

Trevor Baldwin-James Baldwin's nephew. Photo by Antoine Craigwell

 The evening's program also included piano accompaniment by Deval Crawford and performances by several young people, who Faison referred to as his protégés and of the Theater, and who did both spoken word and song presentations.

Highlights of the evening were the occasions when Sanchez, Baraka, and Traylor shared with the audience their memories of Baldwin, and read from works they had previously written that paid tribute to the work, the passion and the activism, as they understood him and as he perceived he was understood by the Black community.

Baldwin's sister-in-law said that while she and her son Trevor were the only two representing the family at the celebration, she apologized for the absence of Baldwin's brother George, who was hospitalized, and for two of his sisters, Barbara and Ruth, who were ministering to him.

Trevor Baldwin reminisced about when as a 13-years-old boy he was overwhelmed by swirling feelings and emotions as a lead chorister chosen to sing at the funeral of his uncle at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in Dec 1987. Prof. Traylor, also spoke about the time when as a young girl she met James Baldwin for the first time, she burst into tears, overcome with emotion at the enormity of the experience of meeting him. At the time, as a young girl, Traylor said, Baldwin invited her to sit beside him on a sofa and said to her, "It is very important to me that you stay alive; I undertake you as my personal responsibility in that enterprise, I am asking you to do your part - just stay alive."

Prof. Eleanor Traylor Photo by Antoine Craigwell

 "That is how my conversation with Mr. Baldwin began. It has never ended and the grave has proven no deterrent. On that day with him, my life touched serious purpose. At that time the word being said or written about James Baldwin were words like 'protest,' 'angry,' 'spokesman,' 'homosexual,' if not 'faggot,' 'queer,' either 'race-man' or 'panderer to white people.' At that time, no one, no where, had spoken of James Baldwin as cultural historian; social-political-economic analyst; theorist; liberational moralist; American philosopher.
It would await my own students to establish his place at the dawn of the third millennium as pioneering author of 21st century thought. They paid close attention to his most revealing statement that "I was, in a peculiar truth, a very lucky boy…all of the American categories of male and female, straight or not, black or white, were shattered, thank heaven, very early in my life. Not without anguish, certainly; but once you have discerned the meaning of a label, it may seem to define you for others, but it does not have the power to define you to yourself…""said Traylor.



Darryl Crawford singing Missisippi Goddam Photo By Antoine Craigwell

 She also quoted from a passage from "Stranger in the Village" excerpted from Notes of A Native Son (Beacon Press, 1955) by written by Baldwin about his experience in a village in the mountains of Switzerland.
Birdsong said that after observing on many occasions how Baldwin would interact with those around him, as if he was personally responsible for each person; he taught her now to take care of others. She then read text which described the time when Baldwin was arrested and spent eight days in a French prison on allegations of stealing a bed sheet.

JB-Comm-Sonia Sanchez Phot by Antoine Craigwell

 But as is common in family gatherings, which is what the celebration seemed to be, Darryl Crawford apologized and said that he wasn't sure he knew all the words of Nina Simone's 1963 hit "Mississippi Goddam," then began to sing. As he belted out the lyrics, those in the audience who knew the ballad joined in and helped him with the words; there was no sense of embarrassment, there was an air of collaboration..

During the entire program, scenes from Baldwin's life and images of him at different times were projected on a screen which formed the backdrop for the stage.
Sharing his thoughts, Talley read an excerpt from one of Baldwin's essays, which was provided courtesy of the Avedon Foundation.

In her presentation, Sanchez also remembered her experience of Baldwin, recalling that when she learned of his death, she was teaching in Trinidad and Tobago. In elocution form, she launched into a dramatization of a poem she wrote about him, with foot stomping and arms flailing, at its beginning and conclusion she enunciated in long, often varying vocal tones from high to low, from a throaty growl to a high-pitched screech, as if in agony, a familiar of Baldwin, expressing differing emotional states: "Jimmyeeee!"

JB-Commem-Sonia Sanchez, Amiri Baraka Photo by Antoine Craigwell
Capping the evening's tribute, Baraka presented a poem which he called "Metaphor As Vacation," and from the eulogy he had read at Baldwin's funeral, which he has shared with Toni Morrison and Maya Angelou.

While the audience sang the soulful version of "Happy Birthday" two young people associated with the Theater brought on stage two large white platter sized caked with candles; one cake sported the rainbow colors with script, "Happy Birthday Jimmy."