Go Tell It on the Mountain Trivia

Disgusted with the racism of the US, James Baldwin finished writing Go Tell It On the Mountain in Paris, where he worked as a busboy in a café.  (Source) 

The character of John is modeled after Baldwin's own life, and Gabriel after Baldwin's stepfather, David. (Source) 

James Baldwin was a preacher when he was a teenager. (Source) 

In his high school yearbook, Baldwin declared he would become a novelist and playwright, because he wanted to be famous. (Source)