Frontline Prophet: James Baldwin, Works by Sabrina Nelson

Adelphi University is proud to present Frontline Prophet: James Baldwin, a traveling art exhibition by artist/activist Sabrina Nelson, as part of The Fire This Time: A James Baldwin Centennial Celebration. This exhibition, curated by Ashara Ekundayo and Jonathan Duff, highlights James Baldwin’s enduring legacy through Nelson’s compelling artwork.

The exhibition will be on view in the Swirbul Library Gallery from November 18, 2024 through December 19, 2024. It will also return in spring 2025, during Black History Month, to the Art Gallery in the Ruth S. Hartley University Center, running from January 27 to February 28, 2025. Both exhibitions are free and open to the public.

About the Exhibit

This special exhibition, which has traveled internationally–including a recent showing in Paris, France, in October– is a condensed version of Frontline Prophet: James Baldwin currently on display at the Charles H. Wright African American Museum in Detroit through February 28th. The fall edition at Adelphi University will focus exclusively on prints, while the 2025 spring iteration will feature a broader selection of artwork from Nelson’s collection. Both exhibitions will also feature two films on loop during gallery hours. “We are thrilled to showcase this powerful exhibition, which invites students to engage with the profound impact of James Baldwin’s life and work” said Dr. Patricia G. Lespinasse, Associate Professor of African American Literature and Director of the Center for African, Black and Caribbean Studies. “This exhibit not only honors Baldwin’s legacy but also sparks important conversations about identity, race and the ongoing relevance of his writing in today’s world.” Sabrina Nelson, inspired by Baldwin’s life and cultural impact, shares her personal connection to the project: “I baptized myself with images of James Baldwin so I could learn who he was and is in this World, and this is me Baldwinning. I needed to learn him in the best way I could which was through my Head, Heart and Hands. Drawing and painting is my language and how I hold space.”

For more information, please contact the Center for African, Black & Caribbean Studies at 516.877.4978 or Fabian Burrell, M.S. ’17 Coordinator for Programming and Community Engagement Center for African, Black & Caribbean Studies, fburrell@adelphi.edu

This exhibition is co-sponsored by the Center for African, Black, and Caribbean Studies and University Galleries.