Back Reading James Baldwin Now: Farah Jasmine Griffin on “Sonny’s Blues”

LOA Live

JUNE 25, 2020 — The prophetic power of James Baldwin’s explorations of race and America’s unfulfilled promise has never been more illuminating or more necessary. Farah Jasmine Griffin, chair of Columbia University’s Department of African American and African Diaspora Studies, offers a close reading of Baldwin’s unforgettable story of a jazz pianist’s struggles with his art and his addiction.

Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

LOA LIVE programs are made possible by contributions from friends like you, and we encourage you to consider making a donation to support future presentations. Visit loa.org/loalive to donate.

Presented in partnership with the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research, the University of Houston, the Association of Literary Scholars, Critics & Writers (ALSCW), and the American Writers Museum.

Library of America
CURATOR

A champion of America’s great writers and timeless works, Library of America guides readers in finding and exploring the exceptional writing that reflects the nation’s history and culture.

Learn More
PUBLISHER

From poetry, novels, and memoirs to journalism, crime writing, and science fiction, the more than 300 volumes published by Library of America are widely recognized as America’s literary canon.

Browse our books Subscribe
NON-PROFIT

With contributions from donors, Library of America preserves and celebrates a vital part of our cultural heritage for generations to come.

Support our mission