Baldwin used various platforms—writing, speaking, and marching—to become a powerful voice in the Civil Rights Movement.

Baldwin preferred to be a behind-the-scenes figure in the Civil Rights Movement. He contributed to the causes of social justice and African American rights through his profound and powerful journalistic writings.

Throughout the 1960s, Baldwin marched, demonstrated, and spoke publicly both nationally and internationally.

Baldwin testified at legal proceedings in support of the violated, the unjustly accused, and the wrongfully convicted.