Black Like Me

by John Howard Griffin

First published 1961

Journalist John Howard Griffin darkens his skin and travels through the Deep South, experiencing firsthand the harsh realities of life as a Black man in the late 1950s. Facing discrimination, violence, and the ever-present threat of danger, Griffin's audacious experiment forces him to confront his own preconceptions and the harsh truths of a nation divided by race. This searing work of nonfiction reveals the humanity at the heart of the civil rights struggle.

Genres: biography, african-american, non-fiction, american-history

Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking

Tropes: fish-out-of-water, social-commentary

Setting: Southern States, Texas, United States

Period: 1951-, To 1964

192 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Signet

Content warnings: racism, violence

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