Baldwin in Spain

This article examines James Baldwin’s travels to Spain and his relationship with poet Jaime Gil de Biedma, the presence of Spain in his oeuvre, the writer’s views on Francisco Franco’s dictatorship (1939–75), the complex reception of his output under Franco’s regime (with particular attention to the censorship files devoted to his texts), and the response to his work during the democratic period. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s Baldwin’s novels were heavily censored for moral reasons; at the same time, his reflections on oppression, racism, equality, and freedom allowed for politically charged readings of his work that highlighted the government’s failures and shortcomings. The dictatorship’s demise in 1975 meant that Baldwin’s books could finally be published and discussed freely, yet his texts have continued to circulate in censored form to this day. This contribution investigates the multiple positions that Baldwin’s work occupies in Spanish culture, examining how his conceptualization of Spain allowed him to reflect on the role of the US during the Cold War. Offering the first comprehensive analysis of the author’s reception in Spain, the article draws on previously unknown and difficult to access sources which enhance our understanding of the writer’s significance in Europe.