Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin
“His effigy was strung up from the traffic light on Main Street. A cross
was burned on the lawn of the black church near his house. He received
death threats and was denounced as a traitor to the white race.”
11th American Literature
Summer Reading Packet
Black Like Me
The major premise of John Howard Griffin’s
research project was to determine what life
was truly like for the southern Negro simply by becoming one.
Essential Questions- (to consider before
and during reading)
1. Is it possible for someone to understand the
life and experiences of another simply as a
spectator or does one literally have to “walk in
ones shoes” to truly understand it.
2. What does it mean to be prejudice? Racist? Does culture sometimes
breed the feelings or beliefs associated with the two? Griffin quotes a
sociologist that defines culture as a prison. Do you think this has any
truth to it?
3. Are minorities part of a mass as opposed to being judged
individually? Are white Americans judged individually? Think of
Muslims living today in America or African Americans in the 1950s
and maybe even today.
4. What are some stereotypes of the black race?
5. “The most obscene figures are not the ignorant, ranting racists, but the
legal minds who front for them.” Who holds more fault, those that
may act out their feelings of racism, or the “masterminds” that keep
the ignorant minds thriving? Think about how this could be related to
media and Islam.
Vocabulary List
Black Like Me
*Task: Highlight the following terms in one color. You do not have to define them or
complete any separate assignment. Simply highlight them in the book.
1. Effigy
2. Sepia
3. Oblivion
4. Entrails
5. Ramifications
6. Feeble
7. Obscurity
8. Loath
9. Amble
10. Proprietors
11. Derelict
12. Connivance
13. Lament
14. Affluent
15. Decrepit
16. Rebuff
17. Incessant
18. Contrive
19. Harangue
20. Solicitude
21. Animosity
22. Accord
23. Blatant
24. Innocuous
25. Reprisal
26. Flagrant
27. Juxtaposition
28. Placate
29. Incredulous
30. Obtuse
John Howard Griffin - BIOGRAPHY
John Howard Griffin was born on June 16, 1920 in Dallas, Texas. He was the second son
of four children born to John Walter and Lena May (Young) Griffin. He went to R. L.
Paschal high school in Fort Worth, Texas and left at the age of fifteen to continue his
education in Europe. He attended the Lycée Descartes in Tours, France and then studied
French and literature at the University of Poitiers. He studied medicine at the École de
Médecine. His experience in France led to his discovering the great racial hatred in his
homeland. Blacks were not treated the same way in France, and this experience led to his
commitment to understand racism.
At the age of nineteen, he worked
in the underground French Resistance Army as a medic, as part of his service, he helped
evacuating Austrian Jews to ships at St. Nazaire to rescue them from the Nazis. He then
served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during the war in the South Pacific. He was decorated
for bravery and was wounded in WW II.
He was blind from 1946 - 1957 as a result of injuries he had sustained during the war. He
wrote five novels during this period, of which three remained unpublished. The Devil
Rides Outside and Nuni were published in 1952 and 1956 respectively. Remarkably, he
unexpectedly regained his eyesight in 1957 and resolved to use this vision to do
something good for racial injustice.
Griffin married a woman while he was in the Pacific during World War II but later
married Elizabeth Ann Holland in Texas. They had four children. Griffin died in Fort
Worth on September 9, 1980 from complications of diabetes.
Griffin's published books include:
The Devil Rides Outside (1952)
Nuni (1956)
Land of the High Sky (1959)
Black Like Me (1961)
The Church and the Black Man (1969)
A Time to be Human (1977)
Jacques Maritain: Homage in Words and Pictures (1974) Photography
Twelve Photographic Portraits (1973) Photography
A Hidden Wholeness (1970)
The Hermitage Journals (1981)
Follow the Ecstasy: Thomas Merton, the Hermitage Years, 1965-1968 (1983)
THEMES
*Task- Preview the following themes for the novel. Notate any quotations that
exemplify or illustrate any of the following themes. For example, one aspect of the
theme of Negro Strength focuses on African Americans interacting with other African
Americans who are complete strangers to them and yet they show warmth and
consideration for them. Highlight any text that illustrates this.
Major Themes
1. Theme of White Racism
The main theme of the book is the white author’s experience of white racism, when he
temporarily transforms himself into a Negro. The author describes this theme of white
racism as the story of men who destroy the souls and bodies of other men and in the
process destroy themselves. In other words, racism cruelly and completely corrupts the
heart, body and intelligence not only of the Negroes, the oppressed, but it dehumanizes
and brutalizes even the whites, their oppressors.
Minor Themes
2. Theme of Negro Strength
A minor theme of the book is the bittersweet simplicity and innocence of the Negroes
that is truly inspiring. In spite of their alienation and marginalization, because of the
policy of racial segregation and discrimination, they do not become mean or demeaning,
even to their white oppressor. While to their Negro brethren, they show deep warmth and
courtesy, even if total strangers.
3. Theme of White Sensitivity
Another minor theme of the book is that of white sensitivity and sensibility even amidst
all the white savagery. There are many whites, who do not aid or abet the racists, but
show sympathy and solidarity with the Negroes, even at the risk of their lives and
livelihood. Amidst all the barbarism, they are a great source of faith, hope and courage. P.
D. East is one such brilliant example.
LITERARY FOCUS
*Task- Notate any passages or lines that embody components of the
following mood. (This doesn’t have to be throughout the entire novel.
A couple of examples will suffice).
MOOD
The mood of the book is very startling and shocking. It is not an arid account filled with
generalizations and statistics on the Negro problem, or an abstract scientific research
study with careful compilation of data for analysis. Instead it is a stinging and scathing
indictment of white society. It is grim and vehement, blunt and bitter on the theme of
white racism. But it is also very inspiring and eloquent. It is an eye-opener on not only
how the Negroes suffer and sacrifice silently and stoically, but it also gives insights into
their support and solidarity towards one another, even to strangers. It is lively, yet
poignant, tragic, but even comic at times. The climax is stark and dark, hateful and
hopeless. But the final outcome is hopeful.
ANALYSIS
*Task- Notate passages or lines that focus on, support, or respond to the
ideas, concepts, or questions mentioned.
1. Griffin adjusts his behavior to become more Negro-like. Highlight some things
that he must now be aware of that he previously took for granted.
2. Sterling tells Griffin, “Yeah, when they [whites] want to sin, they’re very
democratic.” Griffin reflects that, “the idea [was] that we were people of such low
morality nothing could offend us.” Highlight any sections that reflect what
Sterling’s statement refers to. What does Griffin mean that nothing could offend
them? What do their statements say about the white man’s view of black
morality?
3. Griffin discusses economic justice with Mr. Gayle in the Y café. Highlight the
concept of the “vicious circle” that Negroes can never escape as well as any
examples of this cycle.
4. In Black Like Me, Griffin portrays the fact that blacks and whites behave
differently in one another's company than they do when they are amongst
themselves. Highlight examples that Griffin provides of this phenomenon.
5. Griffin mentions various devices, theories and mechanisms whites have used to
oppress blacks. Highlight at least three methods or strategies whites have used to
systematically keep African Americans suppressed and prevent them from rising
up in society.
***To summarize, there are four tasks that you must complete within the book itself
for a grade. You must highlight each category in a specific color highlighter in
order to distinguish between them. You will turn your book in on the day of the
assessment for the summer reading. It will be graded based on the completion of
the following tasks:




Vocabulary- Yellow
Themes- Blue (also label them 1,2, or 3)
Literary Focus- Pink
Analysis- Green
Dream Variations
by Langston Hughes
To fling my arms wide
In some place of the sun,
To whirl and to dance
Till the white day is done.
Then rest at cool evening
Beneath a tall tree
While night comes on gently,
Dark like meThat is my dream!
To fling my arms wide
In the face of the sun,
Dance! Whirl! Whirl!
Till the quick day is done.
Rest at pale evening...
A tall, slim tree...
Night coming tenderly
Black like me.
The following attached article is a similar study completed by a white woman that
focuses on racism. Read it and be able to discuss it in class. It’s pretty interesting
and relates well to the novel. Just imagine if we did a modern day study concerning
the treatment and prejudice towards Muslims in America. What would we find?
These are the findings of Peggy McIntosh concerning racism.