Set in the segregated South, Black Like Me documents one man’s journey to go above and beyond to “get the story”. John Howard Griffin was a privileged white journalist who wanted to discover what it was like to live in the deep south as an African American. Using medication to darken his skin, he set off to Louisiana to discover and experience the truth.
What he found and came in contact with was shocking. His raw descriptions and strong sense of justice brought out a powerful message that will surely move any reader. The things he witnessed and faced were remarkable and makes you dig really deep into the repulsion of man’s anger and hate. His writing style was vivid and intense, many times chilling to think about. Throughout the book, we discover and learn more about humanity and race and things that prevent others from even a simple act of kindness.
Although the book was describing hatred between blacks and whites in America, the documentary as a whole was explaining more about society in general. The book could've been set in another country; it wouldn’t have made a difference. Only the minor details would’ve been altered. It was about the hunted and the detested, about man’s ignorance and fight for what should be “theirs”.
After reading Black Like Me it moved and penetrated through to make me really think about a lot of my actions. It was a light penetrating to man’s fall but also shining through to the right path. This book is a definite essential to the better understanding of yourself and the world around us.
