Dr. Frank Thomas set to honor the 100th birthday of James Baldwin at IAAM

Next author talk to focus on Baldwin’s legacy 

Charleston, S.C. – The International African American Museum (IAAM) invites guests to join Dr. Frank Thomas on February 29 for a conversation and salute to James Baldwin, an iconic American novelist, playwright, and essayist, who was a prominent and powerful voice in the civil rights movement. To commemorate and celebrate Baldwin’s 100^th birthday, Thomas will lead a conversation about how Baldwin’s spiritual roots informed his career as a writer and how his life, legacy, and literature is testimony to his faith, which has inspired others internationally.

The event will be held on February 29 from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. at IAAM’s Center for Family History, located at 14 Wharfside Street, Charleston, S.C. 29401. Guests can register here.

Baldwin’s work is deeply rooted in the complexities of identity and social injustice and continues to resonate with readers and activists everywhere. Baldwin’s involvement in the civil rights movement and his contributions to the discourse on race and equality have cemented his legacy as a pivotal figure in American history and Black culture.

Thomas is known as a creative, pioneering, and prominent thought leader of this generation. He holds a PhD in Communications (Rhetoric) from the University of Memphis and currently serves as the Nettie Sweeney and Hugh Th. Miller Professor of Homiletics and Director of the Academy of Preaching and Celebration at Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The program, which is part of the TD Bank Series, honors the gifts of knowledge, culture, and tradition passed down by African American ancestors, while inspiring others to preserve and fulfill those dreams and aspirations.

The International African American Museum (IAAM) explores the history, culture, and impact of the African American journey on Charleston, the nation, and the world, shining light and sharing stories of the diverse journeys, origin, and achievements of descendants of the African Diaspora. Across eleven galleries and a memorial garden with art, objects, artifacts, and multi-media interaction, IAAM is a champion of authentic, empathetic storytelling of American history. As a result, the museum will stand as one of the nation’s newest platforms for the disruption of institutionalized racism as it evolves today. The mission of IAAM is to honor the untold stories of the African American journey at the historically sacred site of Gadsden’s Wharf and beyond. For more information, please visit iaamuseum.org or call 843-872-5352.