Author bell hooks discussed the work and impact of James Baldwin at a symposium celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of Baldwin’s Go Tell It on the Mountain. During her presentation, Ms. hooks talked about reading Baldwin when she was a young girl and commented on the role his work played in transforming education in America during the 1960s. She also talked about racism in America, rap music, Whitney Houston, and the movies Monster’s Ball and Harry Potter. A question and answer session followed the talk.