New York City|Local Event
This Month a Century Ago: James Baldwin Was Born - A Conversation w/ Gabrielle Bellot & Lana Turner
This event will take place *in person* at the 53rd Street Library. Join us in celebration of James Baldwin’s 100th birthday with an exclusive conversation between Gabrielle Bellot, staff writer for Literary Hub, and Harlem cultural historian Lana Turner. Together, they will unpack the author's historical importance and contemporary relevance arising from his profound contributions to literature, civil rights activism, and incisive social critiques. *The first 100 registered attendees will receive a FREE James Baldwin book for attending the program.*
Baldwin's influence on contemporary writers, artists, and thinkers is profound, inspiring new generations to explore themes of identity, justice, and humanity. Moreover, Baldwin's historical significance lies in his masterful storytelling, his courageous activism, and his searing social critique. His relevance today is underscored by the enduring nature of the issues he addressed and the inspiration he provides to those continuing the fight for justice and equality. You won't want to miss this inspiring conversation!
Doors will open 30 minutes before the program begins. For free events, we generally overbook to ensure a full house. Priority will be given to those who have registered in advance. All registered seats are released shortly before start time, and seats may become available at that time. A standby line will form shortly before the program.
About the Presenters:
Gabrielle Bellot is a staff writer for Literary Hub. Formerly, she worked as a Head Instructor and Contributing Editor at Catapult. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The Cut, The New York Review of Books, The Paris Review Daily, Shondaland, and many other outlets. Her essays have also appeared in many anthologies, including Body Language (2022), Indelible in the Hippocampus: Writings from the Me Too Movement (2019), and Can We All Be Feminists? (2018), and one of her pieces was a Notable Essay in Best American Essays 2021. She holds both an MFA and PhD in Creative Writing from Florida State University. In her other life, she is also a certified psychedelic integration coach and is the author of My Year of Psychedelics (Everand, 2024), which is a part of a series curated for Everand by Roxane Gay. Bellot grew up in the Commonwealth of Dominica and now lives with her wife in Queens.
Lana Turner, a native of New York’s Harlem, is a reader, writer, thinker and researcher with a keen interest in the elements of art and style in black culture and why this meditation matters. Ms. Turner works as a real estate professional, archivist, and produces chamber music salons and literary events. She is co-founder and chair of The Literary Society (1982), a New York City book discussion group based in Harlem. Read more about her in this New Yorker profile HERE.
