Documentary Screening: The Price of the Ticket at AFI Silver Spring

About the Documentary: James Baldwin (1924–1987) was a prominent American author of the 20th century, a civil rights activist, and a prophetic voice urging both Black and white Americans to face their shared racial tragedies. James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket captures the passionate intellect and courageous writing of a man who was born Black, impoverished, gay, and gifted. 

From American Masters on PBS, James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket uses striking archival footage to evoke the atmosphere of Baldwin's formative years—Harlem in the '30s, his father's fundamentalist church, and the émigré demimonde of postwar Paris. Newsreel clips from the '60s capture Baldwin's commentary on the drama of the Civil Rights Movement. The film also explores his quiet retreats in Paris, the South of France, Istanbul, and Switzerland—places where Baldwin could write away from America's racial tensions. 

General admission. Seating is first-come, first-served.