Living while Black: My Experience with "Everyday Racism"

by Beverly Harris Schenz

96 pages, Paperback

Published December 1, 2023

Reviews

[Sue]

This slim book can be read in a few hours. There are bound to be a few episodes that you simply won’t forget. The earliest stories will stick for me. The author’s parents gave her a model very early in life, not allowing people to simply get away with stereotyping based on race. The author’s personal stories from adulthood seem to be an outgrowth of her early lessons.

The chapter dealing with a shopping trip must surely have been an object lesson for the young girl who grew up to be the author of this book. That same young girl had an English teacher who simply could not believe that a black girl would be capable of making an A. She kept giving her low grades for good work. Her mother told her to keep doing that good work until the teacher could no longer ignore this A student. In time, that happened.

As a personal memoir, this book is different from many other books about American racism, a topic which has received thoughtful treatment in a number of notable books in the past couple of decades. Harris-Schenz does not purport to speak for broad movements but draws on her own life with episodes of “everyday racism,“ an apt subtitle.

There were a few elements which impress. One is that the author did not allow these events of everyday racism to slide by. She dealt with them with firmness, but courtesy. As a result, most of the people who had exhibited the stereotyping, probably went away having learned something. Most of them were embarrassed. You can rest assured that a certain textbook salesman will never again make the mistake of assuming a professor is the custodial help.

This is a fine model for anyone experiencing a bias imposed by race, handicap, gender, sexual preference or age. Full disclosure – I know the author, and she is genuinely forthright, bright and courteous.

The book was designed as a study book, suitable for small discussion groups. Each of the 15 anecdotes is followed by suggested discussion questions.

[Leslie Savisky]

Being a freelance journalist, I had the pleasure of meeting Beverly Harris-Schenz recently to interview her for a story. I was able to attend one of her interactive book readings, where she read a few essays from "Living while Black." Later, I read the rest of the book, which consists of fourteen vignettes describing microaggressions or inequalities Harris-Schenz experienced. Each essay ends with discussion questions, and for that reason it's an excellent book for group discussions. Some are about assumptions based on race, while others are about how it feels to be an African American in the U.S. While the stories can be sad, frustrating or anxiety-inducing, I also found them to be poignant. The stories are easy to read and could be read in one sitting.

[Jenelle]

The introduction was magnificently conveyed - loved the author’s voice. The vignettes were not surprising - racism is pervasive. I also enjoyed learning more about Dr. Harris-Schenz’s research and the outcomes of the sessions.

[Anna Herr]

I thought this book was insightful, but sadly, not surprising. I liked that she had discussion questions at the end of each story.