James Mcbride's Memoir: The Color Of Water

James McBride, author of the memoir The Color of Water, grew up in a dangerous time period for people of his color. Throughout the early to mid-1900s people that were African American or mixed were not treated the same as they are now. Many lives were taken during that time purely for the reason that their skin was not white. Although some individuals had a lighter skin tone, despite being mixed, many were not bestowed that “blessing”, as it would have been deemed in that time. Those who were lacking the “blessing” were often thought less of by both races, and consequently faced a larger risk of peril. Lucky for McBride, he lived in an area where racism was not as poignant and was sheltered from some of the world’s cruelty in his younger years. As he grew older, he was beleaguered with events that changed his lighter view on the world. But regardless of the many trials he faced, he turned into a strong individual.

Before James could even recognize what a father was, his own was six feet under. As a result, James’ mother, Ruth, was left to raise James and his seven siblings on her own. Undeterred by this challenge, Ruth nurtured her children in the best way possible: she taught them how to be self-sufficient. The lessons they learned in the short time Ruth was a single mom would never be forgotten or regretted. It is possible that if Ruth had not remarried the children would have turned out far differently, however, that will never be known, because shortly after James and his sibling’s father’s death, she married another man and had for more children. This would be the man James would grow up to know as