To commemorate the centennial of the American writer and civil rights activist, Strathmore launches its James Baldwin series with a screening of James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket, followed by a conversation led by Katea Stitt. This series leads up to our October 5 performance of Meshell Ndegeocello’s No More Water / The Fire Next Time; The Gospel of James Baldwin in the Music Center at Strathmore.
About the Documentary: James Baldwin (1924–1987) was a prominent American author of the 20th century, a civil rights activist, and a prophetic voice urging both Black and white Americans to face their shared racial tragedies. James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket captures the passionate intellect and courageous writing of a man who was born Black, impoverished, gay, and gifted.
From American Masters on PBS, James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket uses striking archival footage to evoke the atmosphere of Baldwin's formative years—Harlem in the '30s, his father's fundamentalist church, and the émigré demimonde of postwar Paris. Newsreel clips from the '60s capture Baldwin's commentary on the drama of the Civil Rights Movement. The film also explores his quiet retreats in Paris, the South of France, Istanbul, and Switzerland—places where Baldwin could write away from America's racial tensions.
General admission. Seating is first-come, first-served.
Streaming is not available for this event. In-person only.
Meet the Speakers
Karen Thorsen
Award-winning writer/filmmaker Karen Thorsen finds inspiration at the intersection of art and social justice. Her heroes are game-changers: the artist/activists who shape history. Her films tell their stories without narration, weaving first-person narratives with archival treasures.
Thorsen began as a writer. After graduating from Vassar College, with a year at the Sorbonne in Paris, she was an editor for Simon & Schuster, a journalist for LIFE Magazine, and a foreign correspondent for TIME. Screenwriting followed, then directing.
Her first feature-length documentary was JAMES BALDWIN: THE PRICE OF THE TICKET. Working with the renowned Maysles Films, Thorsen wrote, produced, and directed BALDWIN (with Co-Producers Bill Miles & Douglas K. Dempsey, Executive Producers Susan Lacy & Albert Maysles). A co-production with PBS and American Masters, BALDWIN was honored at festivals in over two-dozen countries – including Sundance, London, Berlin and Tokyo. Now considered a documentary film classic, BALDWIN was described as “Splendid” by Variety, “A video page-turner” by The San Francisco Chronicle, and “A haunting, beautifully made biography” by The Los Angeles Times. “Stays with you after the program ends,” said The New York Times.
Moderator
Katea Stitt
Katea Stitt attended Georgetown University and began her career as a performing arts producer in 1987. In 1994, she launched her company, Anyanwu Management, to offer event, tour, and artist management services to individuals, ensembles, and organizations. For over 16 years, the company's clients included Ntozake Shange, Lester Bowie, Sweet Honey In The Rock, Dianne McIntyre, Judith Jackson, Sekou Sundiata, Defunkt, Washington Performing Arts Society, District Curators, and the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. Her tour management services have taken her to many parts of the world, including most cities in the United States, several countries in western and eastern Europe, the Caribbean, Africa, and several cities in Turkey and Pakistan.
From 1999 until 2004, Ms. Stitt directed the Smithsonian Institution's Jazz Oral History Program. Since 1991, she has hosted Beyond Borders, a weekly Jazz/World Music program, on DC Pacifica station WPFW. She has produced two radio documentaries on Morocco for the network: Inside the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music and the Essaouira Festival of Gnawan and World Music.
Ms. Stitt was Line Producer for Blink Your Eyes: Revisiting Sekou Sundiata, a celebration of the work of the late poet, held at various venues throughout the five boroughs of New York City, which ran from April to October 2013.
She is currently Program Director for Pacifica radio station WPFW in Washington, DC, and Tour Manager for singing ensemble Sweet Honey In The Rock.
About The Alan Cheuse International Writer's Center
The BALDWIN100 is a collaborative arts, scholarship, and cultural project managed by the Alan Cheuse International Writers Center encompassing a year-long series of initiatives designed to convene a wider Washington area audience to engage deeply with James Baldwin’s work. By celebrating Why Baldwin Matters, the Center highlights a global Baldwin, whose impact on American intellectual and cultural life holds promise for a just world.
Strathmore extends its gratitude to AARP for supporting our two-month series of events celebrating the legacy of James Baldwin.
