This event features a screening of JAMES BALDWIN’S BLUES FOR MR. CHARLIE, a restored and digitized abbreviated version of Baldwin's original Broadway production, unseen by the public since 1964. Also screening is THE NEGRO AND THE AMERICAN PROMISE, a rare 1963 public television special featuring Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin. The screening will be followed by a discussion with Restoration Director and Archivist Karen Thorsen.

James Baldwin's Blues For Mr. Charlie with Karen Thorsen (Restoration Director and Archivist)

In April 1964, 'Blues' opened on Broadway, with Baldwin ensuring minimal ticket prices for accessibility. Despite critical acclaim and support, the play closed in August 1964. An abbreviated version of the original Broadway production, adapted for CBS's 'Look Up & Live' series, was stored in Baldwin’s French farmhouse and remained largely unseen by the public since its broadcast.