Black Like Me

Mr. John Howard Griffin, author of the book Black Like Me, had questioned the experience of the Negro in the Deep South in America. There was lip service from the white America that the relationship with the Negro was one of harmony. Mr. Griffin felt this not to be a statement of truth and with this questioning decided that he would find first hand by transforming himself with dye, ultraviolet light, and medication to take on the characteristics of a Negro man. He immersed himself into the Negro culture and experienced racism at its finest in New Orleans, Louisiana. His book was a diary form account of his life as a Negro from October to August in 1959 and 1960. Mr. Griffin became interested in class effects and racism as he studied in France and experienced the treatment of Jews. He had long studied and written of the Negro experience, however could not truly experience the discrimination until he carried out his experience. He secured finances from a friend who published a magazine for blacks. The agreement was made with the magazine publisher to have rights to publish Mr. Griffin’s research in a story for his magazine. During his transformation with medication to obtain his blackness, there were concerns for his wellbeing and health. He was apprised of the danger in his treatment and also of the outcome that he would encounter as a black man. His family supported him in his experiment, however feared his dangerous circumstance that he was near entering. The transformation was completed and he started his research on November 7, 1959. He, as a black man, could no longer function under white guidelines and had to adapt with the laws that Negros had to abide by in the time setting in the deep south of Louisiana. He had to step back and allow whites to enter the bus first and then be seated in the back of the bus away from whites.