James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A documentary film with the title James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket. It consists of two (2) reels of color 16mm acetate film with optical sound (2017.55.23.1a and 2017.55.23.1b).

The documentary recounts the life and influence of author James Baldwin using a combination of archival footage of Baldwin and contemporary interviews with his surviving family and friends. The film was directed by Karen Thorsen in collaboration with the famous documentary production company Maysles Films.

The film includes footage of interviews and public speeches by Baldwin, scenes from Baldwin's funeral service, and explorations of Baldwin's homes in France, Switzerland, Turkey, and Harlem. Interviews with family and friends include his brother David; biographer David Leeming; writers Maya Angelou, Amiri Baraka, William Styron, Ishmael Reed and Yashar Kemal; painter Lucien Happersberger and entertainer Bobby Short.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1989
• Directed by: Karen Thorsen, American
• Subject of: James Baldwin, American, 1924 - 1987
• Subject of: Amiri Baraka, American, 1934 - 2014
• Subject of: Maya Angelou, American, 1928 - 2014
• Subject of: Bobby Short, American, 1924 - 2005
• Subject of: David Adams Leeming, American
• Subject of: William Styron, American, 1925 - 2006
• Subject of: Ishmael Reed, American, born 1938
• Type: sound films
• Type: color films (visual works)
• Type: feature films
• Type: 16mm (photographic film size)
• Medium: acetate film
• Dimensions: Duration (Reel 1): 50 Minutes
• Dimensions: Length (Film): 1800 Feet
• Dimensions: Duration (Reel 2): 24 Minutes
• Dimensions: Length (Film): 850 Feet
• Place depicted: Harlem, New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Place depicted: Istanbul, Turkey, Middle East, Asia
• Place depicted: Switzerland, Europe
• Place depicted: Paris, Île-de-France, France, Europe
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Activism
• Topic: Civil Rights
• Topic: Documentary films
• Topic: Film
• Topic: Gender
• Topic: LGBTQ
• Topic: Literature
• Object number: 2017.55.23.1ab
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Transferred from the DC Public Library
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: © Karen Thorsen (Nobody Knows Productions) Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.