Black Like Me?

Question

I take American Literature class and we have an independant reading assignment to do, and one of the books is Black Like Me by John Griffin. im the only black person in the class and i haven't read the book yet but I feel as though wearing black makeup for a week trying to see what its like to be black isn't the real thing and trying to explain to white people what its like to be black through a white man's eyes is not the real thing. Because you can't wear face paint to change your race for a while to see the other side....

idk...am i wrong for thinking this?
...should i read the book?

Answer 1

You should read it. I am not that familiar with the book either, but I think you may get something from reading the book. You are very articulate, and I think you could offer a very good viewpoint from a "real" black perspective and offer some good points or flaws in his study. And if you absolutely hate the book, you only lost a couple hours of your life.

Answer 2

This is the most amazing book that I have ever read. I thought the exact same thing, but once I read the book I had a totally different feeling about it. Yes, you should definitely read the book. I had never heard of the book before, but I took a Sociology class and the professor briefly mentioned the book and I thought now that's a bunch of crap. But once I started to read it I couldn't put it down. During the man's experiment if you can call it that, he experienced all the things that blacks experienced during that time and not only did he face the dangers of being a black man. If he had been found out he would face much more dangers. You have to read the book to understand. Trust me it will be very interesting and you will probably feel differently about it after you have read it.

Answer 3

LORD, WHY DID YOU MAKE ME BLACK?Lord, Lord,

Why did You make me Black? Why did You make me someone
the world wants to hold back?
Black is the color of dirty clothes; the color of grimy hands and feet.
Black is the color of darkness; the color of tire-beaten streets.
Why did you give me thick lips, a broad nose and kinky hair?
Why did You make me someone who receives the hatred stare?
Black is the color of a bruised eye when somebody gets hurt.
Black is the color of darkness. Black is the color of dirt.
How come my bone structure's so thick; my hips and cheeks are high?
How come my eyes are brown and not the color of the daylight sky?
Why do people think I'm useless? How come I feel so used?
Why do some people see my skin and think I should be abused?
Lord, I just don't understand; What is it about my skin?
Why do some people want to hate me and not know the person within?
Black is what people are "listed", when others want to keep them away.
Black is the color of shadows cast. Black is the end of the day.
Lord, You know, my own people mistreat me;
and I know this just isn't right. They don't like my hair or the way I look.
They say I'm too dark or too light.
Lord, Don't You think it's time for You to make a change?
Why don't You re-do creation and make everyone the same?

(God answered:)

Why did I make you black? Why did I make you black?
Get off your knees and look around. Tell Me, what do you see?
I didn't make you in the image of darkness. I made you in the Likeness of ME!
I made you the color of coal from which beautiful diamonds are formed.
I made you the color of oil, the black-gold that keeps people warm.
I made you from the rich, dark earth that can grow the food you need.
Your color's the same as the panther's, known for beauty and speed.
Your color's the same as the Black stallion, a majestic animal is he.
I didn't make you in the Image of darkness, I made you in the Likeness of ME!
All the colors of a Heavenly Rainbow can be found throughout every nation; And when all those colors were blended well,
YOU BECAME MY GREATEST CREATION.
Your hair is the texture of lamb's wool, such a humble, little creature is he.
I am the Shepherd who watches them. I am the One who will watch over thee.
You are the color of midnight-sky, I put the stars' glitter in your eyes.
There's a smile hidden behind your pain that's the reason your cheeks are high.
You are the color of dark clouds formed when I send My strongest weather.
I made your lips full so when you kiss the one you love they will remember.
Your stature is strong; your bone structure, thick to withstand the burdens of time.
The reflection you see in the mirror...
The Image looking back at you is MINE!

by RuNett Nia Ebo
NOW GO AND READ THE BOOK PROUDLY!!!!

Answer 4

If the book is required for your assignment, then read it. Don't play the "I'm so offended" to get out of it. Just do the work.

And I agree with you, nobody can put on black face paint and hang out with blacks for a short period of time like the guy in the book did, and then think he knows the black community.

Rather, if a person wants to know what the black community is like, he or she should come and live in one for at least a year or more, like I have for the past ten years.

Whatever a person's color is, going into the black community to live for a long period of time is the only way to really learn what black communities are like and what blacks themselves make out of their lives in those communities. It ain't pretty.

Answer 5

I'm Natirah and I've expierenced the world through three races. When I was pale, I stayed with the white kids. When my skin was dark, I had black friends who were okay as long as they thought I was black. When they found out I was Natirah, I "wasn't black enough to be one of them" so they shunned me away. Black makeup is pretty convincing and usually it's done with molds and stuff to give black features so a white is perfectly capable of blending in with black people for a week and being accepted. If you'd like to pass your class, I suggest you read the book.

Answer 6

You convey your point exceptionally well and I agree completely with your assessment of wearing black makeup for a week to see what it's like to be black. That would be like dressing as a doctor for a week in an effort to understand medicine. Try as we may, we will never be able to walk in another's shoes. I would suggest reading the book in an effort to balance what you know as a black, vs what the author, as a white, thinks he knows.

Answer 7

YOU ARE ENTITLED TO HOW YOU FEEL. Period.
I think you should read it and I feel that your paper should express your feelings.

I personally feel like his experiment was an "attempt".

In orientation, a long time ago when I was going into college, we had a "game" we had to play. We were each given cards to pin to our shirts. Those cards had symbols on it that said who we were in society. White, black, male, female, and our background.

They had booths set up all around the room. One was for getting a job, one was for getting married, one was for getting a car, one was for completing an education. In order to get the job, you'd need an education. In order to get a car, you'd need a job. In order to get married, you'd need the job, too. AND you'd have to pick the right person to get married to.

We were to figure out the symbols (the code) using the experiences we had by going to these places.

We got started. I went to all the booths and people kept giving me these looks, some a little fearful, some heartless and angry. No one would give ME anything -- no diploma, no job, no car, no marriage. I was upset and, after 20 minutes, I gave up. I sat in the middle of the room.

"You can't give up, you have to keep trying" one of the Teacher's Aides came and told me.
"Whatever. I've tried, over and over and it's not making any sense. I quit; I don't want to play."

After 30 minutes, someone blew a whistle and everyone came and sat where I was.

The leader of all this pointed to someone behind me. "Did you figure yours out?"
"Yes, I was a white middle class man."
"Good." The leader pointed at me.
"Stand up."
I stood.
"What happened? Why'd you quit?"
I told him what I'd told the teacher's aide.
"So, you never got to figure out who you were? How'd you feel about that?"
"No," I said "I felt hopeless."
He looked at my card.
"You were a black male with a criminal record."

It was... eye opening. I WAS p!ssed -- I mean, WHY give ME that card lol. I want the middle class white male card, lol, because he got everything.
I got nothing.

I'm already black. I felt personally that a person of another color could have benefited from the lesson I received.

Answer 8

you should read it. I think in the book he did a little more than just put on make up. I think he actually had some kind of skin treatment (he died of skin cancer if I remember correctly).

But the author says in the book that his experience is not the real thing, because he gets to go back to being white whenever he chooses.

But make no mistake. He wrote bout what it was like to PRETEND to be black, not what it was like to BE black.

Answer 9

You should read the book before you make any judgments. I saw the movie and it was good. Believe me it does make a difference and you'll see what he went through and that was in the 60's in the south where segregation was a big deal. At least he cared enough to know what blacks were experiencing.

Answer 10

I think the book's premise is ridiculous because it's written from the sophomoric assumption that white people are racist because they haven't "walked a mile in a black man's shoes"...having said all that, you can always benefit by reading something, even if you don't agree with it, and you certainly should read it if it's a course requirement.