Remembering James Baldwin, Born On This Day In 1924... Aug 2, 2018 10:01:38 GMT -5 Quote Select PostDeselect PostLink to PostMemberGive GiftBack to Top Post by Webster on Aug 2, 2018 10:01:38 GMT -5 (Twitter Moments) The essayist, novelist and playwright was born on August 2, 1924. Baldwin, who wrote about race, sexuality and class in America, was also an influential civil rights activist.