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Examples Of Racism In Black Like Me

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In the novel Black Like Me, by John Howard Griffin, Griffin decides to conduct an experiment for a magazine article. In his experiment, he turns himself black and integrates himself into negro culture for about 6 weeks. A certain critic stated that even though he experienced racism, that he couldn’t truly empathize with them. I believe that this critic is wrong, and that Griffin spent enough time as a Negro to truly understand their struggle.

While on his journey through the Deep South, he encounters many instances of racism either directed at him, or at the Negro population in general. For example, Griffin has some very bad experiences with bus drivers, in one instance, he was not allowed off the bus to use the restroom like the rest of the whites were (Griffin 60). This is not only him, but it is also every Negro on the bus. In another instance, he was let off the bus 8 blocks past his stop, just because he was black (Griffin 44). Griffin also talks about the “hate stare” A look of hatred at the Negro population. …show more content…

For example, the cities of Atlanta and New Orleans were some of the most advanced in racial relations, and probably had some of the most determined Negro populations in the Deep South (Griffin 139,140). While Griffin were in these cities as a Negro, he was treated much differently than he was in worse cities, such as Hattiesburg, Mississippi. In Hattiesburg, it is total chaos. There are riots, people are homeless, and it isn’t safe. Griffin eventually calls someone to come pick him up and get him out of

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