Book SummaryBlack Like Me, by John Howard Griffin

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of Black Like Me

If you could spend several weeks in the body of someone of a different race, would you? In 1959, one man tried to do this. John Howard Griffin, a white journalist from Texas, embarked on an experiment in which he darkened his skin tone to appear like a Black man, then traveled for six weeks throughout the segregated Deep South.

Griffin hypothesized that his disguise would subject him to racism, and he hoped this outcome would accomplish two main goals. First, he sought to better understand the nature of antiblack racism by experiencing it himself. Second, he hoped his discoveries about racism would convince white people that the US was not the racism-free country they believed it to be.

Following his journey through the Deep South, Griffin claims his hypothesis was correct: Black Southerners faced discrimination on the basis of skin color. He made only one change to his appearance—darkening his skin—and that one alteration both limited his opportunities and subjected him to people’s racism....

Black Like Me Summary Background on Griffin’s Experiment

The Question Behind Griffin’s Experiment

Griffin claims that one question drove his experiment: Was racism in the South more rampant than most white Americans typically acknowledged? He first formulated this question after reading a news report about the rising numbers of Black Southerners who wanted to commit suicide. According to Griffin, this report painted a picture of the South that contradicted the narrative most white Americans believed: that Southern race relations were harmonious. Furthermore, most white people denied that racism existed in the US. They associated racism with the heinous anti-Semitism of Nazi Germany—not with their own country.

Beliefs About Racism in Post-War America

In his book, Griffin focuses on describing white people’s perspectives on race relations in post-war America. Contrasting these perspectives with those of Black Americans reveals stark differences between how these two groups viewed their nation.

In the late 1950s, how widespread was the belief that the US was free of racism? A national poll conducted in 1956 reveals that [60% of white people believed Black Americans were treated...

Black Like Me Summary Theme 1: Black Southerners Faced Everyday Racism

Griffin discovered on his six-week journey that his hypothesis was true: Black Southerners faced racism in their daily lives. We’ll begin this section by explaining how racism limited Black Southerners’ access to public amenities and how this lack of access shaped their daily lives. Then, we’ll explore white Southerners’ racist treatment of Black Southerners. Finally, we’ll describe Black Southerners’ strategies for navigating everyday racism.

Insight 1: Black Southerners Lacked Access to Public Amenities

First, Griffin contends that due to racism, Black Southerners lacked access to public amenities such as parks, water fountains, bathrooms, and places to relax. This lack of access made it hard for Black Southerners to meet their basic needs. Griffin was struck by how much daily time he spent searching for Black-friendly bathrooms, resting spots, and places to eat and drink. Let’s explore two reasons behind Black Southerners’ lack of access to such amenities.

Reason 1: Legal Segregation

According to Griffin, Black Southerners lacked access to some public amenities due to racist laws. The Deep South’s segregation laws required that Black people only use...

Black Like Me Summary Theme 2: There Were Significant Challenges to Ending Systemic Racism

During his time in the Deep South, Griffin didn’t only witness these acts of individual racism and Black people’s responses to them. He argues that the racism Black people experienced was systemic: It was a network of racist policies that limited their rights and opportunities. He noticed examples of systemic racism in areas such as employment, politics, education, and justice. In this section, we’ll outline three main challenges that Griffin claims are barriers to ending systemic racism in the South.

(Shortform note: Although Griffin doesn’t use the term “systemic racism” in his book, we use it here because Griffin’s description of Southern racism aligns with definitions of this modern phrase. For instance, in So You Want to Talk About Race, Ijeoma Oluo describes systemic racism as power structures that reinforce racial prejudice. Like Griffin’s description of Southern networks of racist policies, Oluo’s definition emphasizes that systemic racism encompasses laws and rules that marginalize racial minorities.)

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Black Like Me Summary Theme 3: Racial Progress Is Possible

Although Griffin emphasizes the challenges that hinder racial progress, he also claims that racial progress is possible. His time in Atlanta, Georgia reassured him that there was hope for Black Southerners in other cities if they followed Atlanta’s example. In this section, we’ll explore four of Griffin’s insights about hope for racial progress in the South.

Insight 1: Black Unity Was Possible

First, Griffin’s conversations with Atlanta’s leaders and citizens led him to conclude that Black people could build economic power through collaboration. For instance, several Black leaders in Atlanta pooled the community’s funds so Black residents could take out loans to buy homes.

(Shortform note: Recent data reveals that Black Atlantans are still fighting to build economic power through homeownership. Today, Black Atlantans are underrepresented in the city’s mortgage market. In a list of US cities with the lowest rates of Black homeownership, Atlanta ranks number seven. According to experts, income inequality in Atlanta may explain this gap: Black residents’ median...

Shortform Exercise: Reflect on Your Takeaways From Black Like Me

Take some time to reflect on what you’ve learned about Southern racism in the 1950s and Griffin’s methods for exposing and confronting it.

Which of Griffin’s conclusions about antiblack racism in the South did you find most surprising, disturbing, or memorable? Explain why.

Shortform Exercise: Connect Black Like Me to Antiblack Racism Today

Take some time to connect Griffin’s insights to antiblack racism today and brainstorm ways you can confront this racism in your own life.

Which of Griffin’s observations or conclusions about antiblack racism feel like they’re no longer true today? Explain why.