Black Like Me

Black Like Me is an influential work of literature by John Howard Griffin, first published in 1961. The book details Griffin's experiences after he temporarily darkened his skin to pass as a black man in the segregated southern United States during 1959 and 1960. Through this experiment, he was able to gain insight into the racial discrimination and segregation that African Americans faced daily at the time.


Griffin conducted interviews with both blacks and whites during his journey across the South while disguised as a black man. He encountered numerous examples of racism, including being denied service at restaurants or hotels, verbal abuse from white people on public transportation, and even physical violence due to his race. This allowed him to experience firsthand how much more difficult life was for African Americans compared to their white counterparts simply because of their skin color.


The novel has become an important part of American literary history since its publication over half a century ago. It serves not only as evidence of what happened in America's past, but also acts as a reminder for readers today about why equality between all races should be strived for so hard today - something that, unfortunately, we are still striving towards achieving despite significant progress made throughout recent decades.