James Baldwin
The African-American author and civil rights activist often highlighted the challenges of blacks, gays, and bisexual men. Many of his books, essays, and interviews were criticized because they openly discussed homosexuality and homophobia with so much passion. By the early 1960s, Baldwin had become a spokesperson for civil rights who was in favour of non-violence. One of the greatest writers of the 20th century, Baldwin received several awards and literary honours for his writings, including his best-selling essay, The Fire Next Time.
Audre Lorde
The American writer, feminist and civil rights activist became a leader in the feminist movement of the 1960s, advocating for the rights of women of colour, whose experiences were being neglected by the mainstream women’s movement. The self-described “black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet,” expressed outrage at civil and social injustices she observed throughout her life in her poems.
