diff --git a/src/App.js b/src/App.js
index b477422..b109fd8 100644
--- a/src/App.js
+++ b/src/App.js
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import {
 import { updateProfile } from './controllers/profile'
 
 import {
+  Login,
   About,
   Tasks,
   UpdateTask,
@@ -33,7 +34,7 @@ console.log('Using API at ' + API)
 
 const defaultState = {
   loading: true,
-  user: { name: 'Scott' },
+  user: {},
   tasks: [],
   projects: [],
   component: 'projects',
@@ -52,6 +53,8 @@ class App extends React.Component {
     this.handleChange = this.handleChange.bind(this)
     this.handleSubmit = this.handleSubmit.bind(this)
 
+    this.login = this.login.bind(this)
+
     this.createTask = createTask.bind(this)
     this.updateTask = updateTask.bind(this)
     this.deleteTask = deleteTask.bind(this)
@@ -86,6 +89,19 @@ class App extends React.Component {
     }
   }
 
+  async login(userData) {
+    try {
+      const { data } = await axios.post(API + '/login', userData)
+      console.log('login retrieved data:', data)
+      if (data.name) {
+        this.setState({ user: data })
+        this.navigate('projects')
+      } else this.setState({ error: 'no user found.' })
+    } catch (err) {
+      console.log(err)
+    }
+  }
+
   async fetchData() {
     const tasks = await this.fetchTasks()
     const projects = await this.fetchProjects()
@@ -112,22 +128,26 @@ class App extends React.Component {
     return <div>Loading...</div>
   }
   renderError() {
-    if (this.state.error.message === 'Network Error') {
-      alert(`Failed to reach backend at\n${this.state.error.config.url}.`)
-    } else {
-      return (
-        <div>
-          There was an error: {this.state.error.message}
-          <ul>
-            {Object.keys(this.state.error.config).map(key => (
-              <li>
-                {key}: {JSON.stringify(this.state.error.config[key])}
-              </li>
-            ))}
-          </ul>
-        </div>
-      )
+    const { error } = this.state
+    if (error) {
+      if (this.state.error.message === 'Network Error') {
+        alert(`Failed to reach backend at\n${this.state.error.config.url}.`)
+      } else {
+        return (
+          <div>
+            There was an error: {this.state.error.message}
+            <ul>
+              {Object.keys(this.state.error.config).map(key => (
+                <li>
+                  {key}: {JSON.stringify(this.state.error.config[key])}
+                </li>
+              ))}
+            </ul>
+          </div>
+        )
+      }
     }
+    return <div>Uncaught error. You probably forgot to render something.</div>
   }
   renderProfile() {
     return (
@@ -170,6 +190,10 @@ class App extends React.Component {
   renderAbout() {
     return <About {...this.state} />
   }
+
+  renderLogin() {
+    return <Login login={this.login} {...this.state} />
+  }
   renderTasks(filtered, completed) {
     return (
       <Tasks
@@ -229,6 +253,8 @@ class App extends React.Component {
         ? this.renderProjects()
         : this.state.component === 'project'
         ? this.renderProject()
+        : this.state.component === 'login'
+        ? this.renderLogin()
         : this.renderError()
 
     return (
diff --git a/src/components/index.js b/src/components/index.js
index 789fd86..74ae869 100644
--- a/src/components/index.js
+++ b/src/components/index.js
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+export { default as Login } from './login'
 export { default as Navbar } from './navbar'
 export { default as About } from './about'
 export { default as Tasks } from './tasks'
diff --git a/src/components/login.js b/src/components/login.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9261112
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/login.js
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+import React from 'react'
+
+const initialState = { email: '', password: '' }
+
+class Login extends React.Component {
+  constructor() {
+    super()
+    this.state = initialState
+    this.handleChange = this.handleChange.bind(this)
+    this.handleSubmit = this.handleSubmit.bind(this)
+  }
+
+  handleChange(e) {
+    this.setState({ [e.target.name]: e.target.value })
+  }
+
+  handleSubmit(e) {
+    e.preventDefault()
+    this.setState(initialState)
+    const email = e.target.email.value
+    const password = e.target.password.value // hash dis b4 send on frontend
+    return this.props.login({ email, password })
+  }
+
+  render() {
+    return (
+      <form onSubmit={this.handleSubmit}>
+        <div className="form-group row">
+          <label htmlFor="email" className="col-sm-2 col-form-label">
+            Email
+          </label>
+          <div className="col-sm-10">
+            <input
+              type="email"
+              className="form-control"
+              id="email"
+              placeholder="Email"
+            />
+          </div>
+        </div>
+        <div className="form-group row">
+          <label htmlFor="password" className="col-sm-2 col-form-label">
+            Password
+          </label>
+          <div className="col-sm-10">
+            <input
+              type="password"
+              className="form-control"
+              id="password"
+              placeholder="Password"
+            />
+          </div>
+        </div>
+        <button type="submit" onSubmit={this.handleSubmit}>
+          Log In
+        </button>
+      </form>
+    )
+  }
+}
+
+export default Login
diff --git a/src/components/navbar.js b/src/components/navbar.js
index 794ea42..13d448f 100644
--- a/src/components/navbar.js
+++ b/src/components/navbar.js
@@ -3,13 +3,23 @@ import React from 'react'
 function Navbar(props) {
   return (
     <nav className="navbar navbar-expand-lg navbar-light bg-light">
-      <a
-        className="navbar-brand"
-        href="#profile"
-        onClick={() => props.navigate('profile')}
-      >
-        {`Hello, ${props.user.name}!`}
-      </a>
+      {props.user && props.user.name ? (
+        <a
+          className="navbar-brand"
+          href="#profile"
+          onClick={() => props.navigate('profile')}
+        >
+          {`Hello, ${props.user.name}!`}
+        </a>
+      ) : (
+        <a
+          className="navbar-brand"
+          href="#login"
+          onClick={() => props.navigate('login')}
+        >
+          Log in
+        </a>
+      )}
       <button
         className="navbar-toggler"
         type="button"
@@ -53,6 +63,19 @@ function Navbar(props) {
               About
             </a>
           </li>
+          {props.user && props.user.name ? (
+            <li className="nav-item" onClick={() => props.logout()}>
+              <a className="nav-link" href="#logout">
+                Logout
+              </a>
+            </li>
+          ) : (
+            <li className="nav-item" onClick={() => props.navigate('login')}>
+              <a className="nav-link" href="#login">
+                Login
+              </a>
+            </li>
+          )}
         </ul>
       </div>
     </nav>