Black Like Me is written by journalist John Howard Griffin in the Mid-20th Century. It is his account of what it felt like to be both a white and a black American in the same parts of the United States. After darkening his white skin using medication and UV light, Griffin roamed the streets of Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia seeing how differently the world treated black men. While speaking to people, he found the resounding difference between how the world treated him first as a black man and then (after he stopped taking the medication) as a white man.
The importance of a novel like this can not be overstated. It is an honest and deep look at the account of the 'Deep South' in a time when racism was more common than not. Furthermore, it's a reflection on how unaware the average American was of the importance of this in their community. Join us as we discuss the importance of this novel and what we thought of this brilliant book's ideas.
