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The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man
James Weldon Johnson's emotionally gripping novel is a landmark in black literary history and, more than eighty years after its original anonymous publication, a classic of American fiction. The first fictional memoir ever written by a black, The Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man influenced a generation of writers during the Harlem Renaissance and served as eloquent...more
Paperback, (American Century Series), 214 pages
Published
March 1st 1991
by Hill and Wang
(first published 1912)
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I really liked readingThe Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man. It's a book about a bi-racial man who struggles to choose between Black and White. Born from a black mother and a white father, his light skin enables him to pass as a Caucasian person, yet he still has his mother's blood in him. As a child, he referred to himself as a white boy and even grew up marrying a white woman. However, he never felt "complete".
This book and the issues and ideas raised in the story helped m...more
This book and the issues and ideas raised in the story helped m...more
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I loved the parts about his childhood, his mother, and his fascination with Shiny; his realizations about race--his races--are more powerful when he talks about how he understood (or didn't understand) them as a child.
I found this book in the hallway of my apartment building. I generally enjoy books about race by black people, because (being a white man) I only really have access to one set of experiences with race, the "winning" side. Anti-racists will tell you that no one wins in a racist society, and fundamentally that is true, but some people sure end up with a lot more stuff for the same amount of work. One could argue that having all that stuff makes one less free, which is also probably true....more
Brilliant author! And of course a brilliant book! It is a refreshing take to the issue about the colored men and women in America. He steps into the situation as if he is just an observer, witnessing all the struggles and hindrances a black person has to endure because of his/her color. James Weldon Johnson is truly to be praised for but I felt the book was to involved with himself. Well, of course, the book was his autobiography, but I was displeased with his air of arrogance that I can se...more
One of the most fascinating books I have ever read! This is the life and beliefs of a brilliant black man with white skin. It was written in the early 1900s and bespoke common sense and well thought-out theory. His mother tried to pass him as white the first several years of his life and he had no knowledge of being in any way different from his white companions. This gave him the advantage of seeing and overstanding both sides of the race issue. Having been born less than 10 years after the Civ...more
After discussing the difference between what is considered a “good” novel and what is considered an “interesting” novel*, I have made the decision that this one is most certainly interesting, but not very good. Johnson presents race issues ranging from double-consciousness to passing (crossing the color line) to the struggle for identity as his unnamed narrator explores the dark tunnels connecting whiteness and blackness during Reconstruction. In this novel the reader (and the narrator) become...more
I read this as part of an english class and really liked it. It chronicles the fictional life of a mixed race american man (black/white) who can pass for white and lives his life moving between both worlds. It was published in 1912. I thought it was an amazing read and short, perfect for a few days read. ***Spoiler*** In the end the concept of ex-black is that he ends up spending his later years "pretending" to be a white man, and those around him are none the wiser, but he laments t...more
I decided to take a break from all the fiction I've been reading and concentrate on something more serious/real. I've heard positive things about this book so I'm interested in seeing where he takes it.
This was a good book. The way I read it, it seemed to take on two tones - one where he was talking about the race problem in America, and another where he was talking about music, and in particular music in connection with the race problem in America. In my opinion, thats what differe...more
This was a good book. The way I read it, it seemed to take on two tones - one where he was talking about the race problem in America, and another where he was talking about music, and in particular music in connection with the race problem in America. In my opinion, thats what differe...more
James Weldon Johnson's The Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man
Wk.40; Bk.40
Something tells me that if I were to tell the author of this book that I didn't like it, his response would be that I didn't like it because I'm not black. In the words of the narrator, which I believe is merely Johnson himself [paraphrased:]:
An African-American knows what it's like to be white, but a white person could never know what it's like to be black.
An entirely subjec...more
This story is a very emotional recollection of a man who was both black and white. A fictional account from an autobiographical standpoint of what such a life would look like, James Weldon Johnson takes us on a journey full of sorrow, bad mistakes, a glimpse of happiness, and a life lived around the world. We see the narrator has he grows, as he discovers his heritage, as he loses himself to his desires, and as he finally realizes the course of his life.
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There are times when I wish Goodreads would hand out a limited number of very special extra six star reads. Rarely does a book deserve more than "It was awesome!". And, here is that rare breed of book - the beyond five-star read.
The awakening of this journey I am on, to discover new and old, the books that ask and contemplate the race question continues. Each new book is another layer, where I think it can't get any better.. and, then it does. I read another piece that touc...more
The awakening of this journey I am on, to discover new and old, the books that ask and contemplate the race question continues. Each new book is another layer, where I think it can't get any better.. and, then it does. I read another piece that touc...more
Great engaging writer. I can't go into everything I learned...however, I was hugely ammused by the following,
"I read a good portion of the Old Testament, all that part treating of wars and rumors of wars, and then started in on the New. I became interested in the life of Christ, but became impatient and disappointed when I found that, notwithstanding the great power he possessed, he did not make use of it when, in my judgement, he most needed to do so. And so my first general...more
"I read a good portion of the Old Testament, all that part treating of wars and rumors of wars, and then started in on the New. I became interested in the life of Christ, but became impatient and disappointed when I found that, notwithstanding the great power he possessed, he did not make use of it when, in my judgement, he most needed to do so. And so my first general...more
An amazing book, given that it was published in 1912, 100 years ago this year. I can't believe Johnson's bravery in describing aspects of African American life that are still considered taboo today. For instance, he must be one of the first to describe "the colored line," the fact that African Americans themselves tended to prejudicially favor lighter skinned members over darker skinned. And to actually go inside the mind of someone who has decided to "pass" as white, not in ...more
I'm such a dork, I was almost finished with this book when I realized it was a novel, and not actually an autobriography. To be honest, I'm still double checking-like-are you sure??? Anyway, I did enjoy this book. The only problem I had with this book is the language. I guess people wanted to sound as knowledgeable as possible back then, but I prefer a more simple writing. Even so, it is not unbearable. An impressive perspective on being a white black man. It's a definite must read-for the c...more
The class period talking about this book kind of ruined the ending. Not only did people talk about the themes of the ending, but the narrator's egotism became absurdly noticeable at the end. He often writes that, "Of course I picked this up quickly and performed astonishingly well." Or something to that effect. The last fifty pages didn't seem to add much that hadn't already been said, so it was disappointing. I really enjoyed the beginning, though. There was a good mix of narrative an...more
This book was a very reflective look at the post Civil War Negro situation. The main character doesn't classify himself as either (he can physically pass as white) and unravels an insightful, timelessly relatable tale of world travel and self perception.
I absolutely adored this short read and recommend it to those who are curious about how American's identity and self perception have (or have not) changed since the 19th century. The book is very well written and is neither confusin...more
I absolutely adored this short read and recommend it to those who are curious about how American's identity and self perception have (or have not) changed since the 19th century. The book is very well written and is neither confusin...more
OK, so maybe this isn't one of the great novels of the 20th century. The canon tells me that other books are, and because of that I'm starting to become less enamored of the canon and of those who insist on pushing it--because such a focus on the limited offerings of elite taste makers and academics causes gems like this to fall by the wayside.
I do pay attention to the canon and use it as a guide and as a benchmark for a standard, but like anything it's best to keep the proverbial grai...more
I do pay attention to the canon and use it as a guide and as a benchmark for a standard, but like anything it's best to keep the proverbial grai...more
Amethyst
added it
My first experience with James Weldon Johnson. Easy to read, but the name tells you the whole story in a sense. You're really only reading to see exactly how it happened for him. What the book really did is got me thinking about what "passing" looks like today. Does it still exist: "passing"? The notion of passing has since been transformed and exists in a different way. I mean it used to be something Black people who looked white did and if they were ever found out, th...more
A faux autobiography of a black man who could and did pass for white, Johnson's novel insists on blurring lines and calling categories into question. The narrator describes his life in detail, from his discovery as a child that he is black to his musical development, from his attempts to attend school in Atlanta to his life among the clubs and gambling dens of New York, from his travels in Europe with a wealthy white benefactor to his return to the South to embrace his blackness and become a mu...more
First published anonymously in 1912, this fictional autobiography of an unnamed, biracial man beautifully illustrates the reality confronting men of color in early-twentieth century America. As a story, it’s uneven – and the narrator suffers from unbelievable arrogance in places – but as a commentary on race relations, attitudes, and the inherent hypocrisy, it’s powerful. When focusing on racial issues, it’s also where Mr. Johnson is at his strongest as an author, infusing the text with an energ...more
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Read this during one of my college English classes. In this class we read popular American fiction, books that sold well but weren't necessary good. I would definitely say this fit in with this category. The book is interesting and gives a great view point of someone that goes back and forth between racial groups. However, I don't find this book to exceptionally good but its still memorable because of the racial divide that the protagonist eventually crosses.
This book deals with the idea of "passing" in the United States. This "autobiography" is written from the perspective of a man with mixed decent (white father and black mother), and his struggle to fit into either racial social circle. The narrator eventually succeeds in “passing” as a white male in the upper middle class of white America, and even marries a white woman but never feels satisfied in his role.
The novel was originally published with an anonymous au...more
The novel was originally published with an anonymous au...more
Although much of what Johnson says in this book has been said by others after him, and often said better, it's hard to ignore the foundational nature of this text. I read a little bit of scholarship about Ex-Colored Man for class, and I'm convinced there's more to this one than a single read-through could reveal. Johnson writes in a state somewhere between subtle sarcasm and serious sociological study. I hope I have some time to look further into Johnson's career and non-fictional writings.
I found this to be an extremely interesting book, well worth the read. It raises a lot of questions about racial identity and what defines that identity. I found that there are also many parallels between race and gender in the way the concepts can be applied. I can't stop thinking about this book now that I've read it. It's especially interesting to think of race as something that can be chosen, and isn't set in stone.
Interesting narrative of a biracial man who is able to pass as white. The best part is chapter X, where either the narrative is not the one speaking or he is the one speaking but is speaking rahter of ideas and life than of his own personal experiences; the issues raised in the chapter still apply today, nearly a century later. Read the book if for no other reason than that chapter alone.
So far its ok. Writing style is a little dry for me, even though its a very emotional issue. Also, and maybe this sounds bizarre/arrogant, its not adding anything (yet) to my knowledge of the area/issue.
Update......
I realized at the end I had been misconceptualizing the purpose/point of this book. The title says it all: by the end of the book, he is an ex-colored man, aka, he is living as a white man.
On the whole I don't feel like its a terribly interesting book, its fai...more
Update......
I realized at the end I had been misconceptualizing the purpose/point of this book. The title says it all: by the end of the book, he is an ex-colored man, aka, he is living as a white man.
On the whole I don't feel like its a terribly interesting book, its fai...more
I thought this book is based on the central conflict of someone being portrayed as someone else. Also how someone have double conscinceness of life.And how an African American man was light skinned and could pass for being a caucasion. This book explained the journey through the narrators life through deaths to success and what made him who he ws.
I don't remember much about this book. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't profound. It had references to W.E.B. Dubois' theory of Double-Consciousness, especially with the character being half white. The protagonist's conflict throughout was living between black and white worlds.
T.A.E.C.M. was a pretty good book. Its about James Weldon, a light skinned mulatto man, and his life. A lot of unexpected things happen (I won't spoil them). Enough said, pick this book up. Pretty interesting views on race and a pretty daring novel considering it was written when segregation still existed in the U.S.
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James Weldon Johnson was an American author, politician, diplomat, critic, journalist, poet, anthologist, educator, lawyer, songwriter, and early civil rights activist. Johnson is remembered best for his writing, which includes novels, poems, and collections of folklore. He was also one of the first African-American professors at New York University. Later in life he was a professor of creative li...more
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“I found cause to wonder upon what ground the English accuse Americans of corrupting the language by introducing slang words. I think I heard more and more different kinds of slang during my few weeks' stay in London than in my whole "tenderloin" life in New York. But I suppose the English feel that the language is theirs, and that they may do with it as they please without at the same time allowing that privilege to others.”
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