Black like me book review. Black Like Me" Book Reviews 2022-10-20
Black like me book review
Rating:
5,4/10
1958
reviews
Black Like Me is a memoir written by John Howard Griffin, a white journalist who decided to undergo medical treatment to darken his skin and experience first-hand the racial discrimination faced by black people in the Deep South in the late 1950s.
Griffin's decision to transform himself into a black man was driven by his desire to understand and bring attention to the injustices faced by black people in the United States. His transformation allowed him to experience the daily realities of segregation and discrimination in a way that would have been impossible for him as a white man.
One of the most striking aspects of Black Like Me is the way Griffin describes the profound changes that occurred in his own perceptions and attitudes as a result of his transformation. Before undertaking his journey, Griffin admits to having held certain biases and prejudices against black people, despite his good intentions and desire for racial equality. However, through his experiences as a black man, he comes to see the world in a completely different way and becomes an advocate for social justice.
The book is also a poignant reminder of the deeply ingrained racism that existed in the United States at the time. Griffin's descriptions of the segregation and discrimination he faced are shocking and heartbreaking, and it is clear that he struggled to maintain his sense of dignity and self-worth in the face of such hatred and dehumanization.
Overall, Black Like Me is a powerful and thought-provoking read that offers a unique perspective on the experience of racial discrimination in the United States. It is a testament to the transformative power of empathy and a call to action for social justice. It is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of race and racism in America.
FREE Black Like Me PDF Book by John Howard Griffin (1960) Read Online or Free Downlaod
. Look them in the face. However, had he been raised as a Black person, he likely would have never chosen this travel option in the first place. . Griffin is an extraordinary character whose life could have been so exciting in no other century but his own.
Next
Black Like Me by Fred Wilson
Many have praised these three journalists for shining the spotlight on the brutality of racism. Throughout the book, he makes several dubious, dangerous, and uninformed assumptions, which he then passes off as fact rather than biased observations of his own. The author never explained why he felt he needed to leave Texas for this experience. The details have changed, but not the substance. The author in the best manner elucidates the obstacles and the hardships that a black man undergoes. He was often bullied and not a few times feared for his life.
Next
Black Like Me Book Review (John Howard Griffin)
He begins his journey in New Orleans and eventually moves down to Mississippi and Alabama which are notorious for their harsh treatment of African Americans. I can't say enough good things about this book. For those who nudged our country's course to better align with the arc of justice in the sixties, the decade was no smooth sailing, as we might imagine through hippies' rose-colored Ray-Bans. I started by asking, why? The whole premise of this book -- written and taught, I am sure, with good intentions -- is exactly that: the road paved with good intentions. This is why the book is quite simple.
Next
Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin
Wherever he found himself, he worked to break down the notion of The Other. The author was a bit of an academic and had apparently written other published material before this book. The submissions were originally articles for a newspaper. The only positive experience that Griffin has while living as a black man is the remarkable generosity he receives from blacks and the sense of unity among blacks that he gains. The experience not only changed him, but opened many white people's eyes to the true plight of black America. He believes that these men might be easily swayed towards the light of racial equality if only the way were shown to them. Go get your hands on it.
Next
Book review of Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin Essay
The irony of course is that the very segment of the American population Griffin tried to speak for, black America, could never pick up and move to a safer, more just life in another place. Verging on being a modern classic, penned in the year 1959, and first serialised in a magazine that year, Griffin's monumental tale of him, being a white man, pretending to be Black clever make-up , and living as a Black man in America in 1959. And he was also encouraging some to react and speak up. He even went to an extent of cutting off his hair and started to wearing black glasses to cover his eyes to hide his identity from American African and natives After everything is done Griffin sets his way to the black part of the town, where he started to freak out, since he had changed everything and he was subjected to a new environment with new group of people who were considered to have pre-civic rights. . But he was demolished by how much hate was shown to him in the White Stare. Ok now I am to tell you what I think of this book, Black Like Me.
Next
Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin
He starts to make friends with black people and one of his very first mates was a shoe shining man, Sterling Williams; living amongst black, the author starts to realize what these men in Atlanta have been through to come so far. It was quite courageous on John Ho. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the injustices associated with the treatment of African Americans during the Civil Rights era. All of the proof of prejudice is based on real life occurrences. Responding to violence is not violence. Black America could not wash its face, wait for its skin to lighten, and then capture the spotlight as a curiosity or social experiment and earn speaking fees or royalties; no, black America is still waiting for so much of white America—fifty-five years after Griffin said to himself, "The only way I could see to bridge the gap between us was to become a Negro"—to acknowledge that systemic racism is ground into our political and cultural institutions, that it can't be washed off like Griffin washed off the stain from his skin. He discusses the urban powder kegs that erupted into riots and the white efforts to blame problems on outsiders and communists.
Next
webapi.bu.edu: Customer reviews: Black Like Me
I felt deeply disgusted and ashamed that some human beings could and can still inflict such a treatment to other human beings. A white used to receive respect and courtesy from the whites only, whereas they were always formidable from the behavior of blacks, always suspicious of their actions; whereas, blacks were looked upon with animosity and hostility. Had you not known where John Howard Griffin was traveling, you might have thought he was deep within apartheid South Africa, or in a Joseph Conrad novel. What sort of Black Like Me might have been written if someone had conducted the same experiment in the North? In my opinion, I don't think Mr. John Howard Griffin taps into this movement by disguising himself and then reporting on his experiences in New Orleans and Mississippi during a period where the government can only be described as Fascist.
Next
Black Like Me Book Review
In loving memory, thank you for your contributions to society and being on the right side of history. He found that when he assumed a black identity he was discriminated against by whites. It is no wonder that a young Black teen on the street would come to expect violence and hostility seeing a white man approach him after a lifetime of violent experiences. He finally manages to recognize his new identity as a black, and he accepts the many difficulties and the fewer opportunities that his new identity will bring him. For instance, he could have followed the example of Anne Braden, a white Southern journalist.
Next
Black Like Me" Book Reviews
He basically wanted to get a firsthand perspective of the everyday life of the black minority. Griffin tell it, life as an African-American in 1959 was nothing but strife, indignity, and navigating around white people. But at night he never had trouble getting a ride with over a dozen white men. The racism that he encountered was so disturbing that he cut short the time that he had allotted for this very unique experiment, clearly demonstrating that no one would tolerate being treated as many blacks are, if he or she could possibly avoid it. Even the simple act of looking in a mirror proved to be tormenting because Griffin was looking at a black man with a white conscience.
Next