Topic > A review of the book Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin

The book titled Black Like Me was written by John Howard Griffin, who, in this case, plays the role of the author and the main character of the book. He was a white man living in Mansfield, Texas in 1959. He was against racism in the South and wanted to do a social experiment to expose to the country and the world how the black community was treated. For this, he would undergo a treatment to darken his skin color. For this he traveled to New Orleans where he had a contact in the black community who helped him undergo ultraviolet light and oral treatment. That's where his experience of life as a black man began. After his first experience in New Orleans, John travels through Alabama and Mississippi, where he proves the same thing again and again, the black community lives miserable and are treated as if they are not part of society and more as if they are slaves. Sometimes he stops taking his medicine and goes from black to white and back again, and concludes that conditions for blacks are appalling and that the black community seems to feel defeated. Except in Montgomery, where they had begun practicing passive resistance, a nonviolent form of refusing to abide by racist laws and rules. Finally, in Atlanta, he conducts a series of interviews with black leaders before returning to New Orleans to make photographic records of his time there. Having finished his social experiment, he regained his normal skin color and returned home where he would write his article, which he published in March 1960. Ultimately, although he received congratulations, his family was subjected to hateful reprisals and received treats, which they forced him to move with his family to Mexico. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Overall, I think this was a great book not only because of how well written it is, but also because it is in the first person, which makes it more interesting and reliable as it is a primary source of information and presents itself in its more original form. John Griffin's journey began in 1959, when the level of racism was incredibly high for the African American community. They were treated miserably in Griffin's experience: “When they paid me, it seemed like I was a stone or a post. They looked and saw nothing." They were seen as unworthy people: "Although not all, in any case, were so open about their purposes, they all showed us what they felt about Negroes, the idea that they were people of such low morality that nothing could offend us". One of the strengths of this book is that the plot is very engaging. There is injustice pretty much throughout the book, even as people search and attempt to find ways to finally treat everyone equally, regardless of race. Is there a part in the book where Griffin and Mr. Gayle, a New Orleans civic leader and bookstore owner, argue about what the cure for all this is? Mr Gayle responds: “Equal employment opportunity, that is the answer to much of the tragedy of our young people.” As for weaknesses, I can't find any. The book is solid, simple, easy to follow, interesting and very informative. You can learn so much by reading this book about what life was like for black people in the 1950s. For example, in the book, John talks to a boy who is a freshman at Dillard University; after a short conversation, the boy says “No, I've seen many get brilliant grades in college. And even when they graduate, it's a long and difficult task. Most take postal jobs or teaching jobs. Once again we see an example of.