Assimilation Blues

by Beverly Daniel Tatum

First published 1987

For the Black families of "Sun Beach," assimilation into a prosperous white community comes at a price. Dual incomes, religious faith, and strong family ties help them maintain stability, but the subtle "hidden racism" of their surroundings slowly erodes their sense of identity. As their children face racial microaggressions and invisibility, these parents must confront the complex questions of what it means to belong - and whether the price of paradise is too high.

Genres: family-life, american-fiction, african-american, contemporary

Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking

Tropes: cultural-assimilation, social-commentary

Setting: Sun Beach

Period: 20th-century

112 pages · Hardcover · Praeger

Content warnings: racism

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