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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 insp
...more
Paperback
,
(American Century Series)
,
212 pages
Published
March 1st 1991
by Hill and Wang
(first published 1912)
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Feb 04, 2013
Mike
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Anyone
Recommended to Mike by:
Howard Miller, Professor Emeritus, Department of Psychology, The University of Alabama
Shelves:
african-american-literature
,
james-weldon-johnson
,
race
,
race-relations
,
passing
,
18th-century
,
20th-century
The Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man: James Weldon Johnson's novel of race and identity
"You are young, gifted, and Black. We must begin to tell our young, There's a world waiting for you, Yours is the quest that's just begun.--James Weldon Johnson
James Weldon Johnson
Johnson lived an extraordinary life as a writer, musician,educator, lawyer, and diplomat. Born in Jacksonville, Florida,in 1871, the son of teacher Helen Dulett and James Johnson, the head waiter at St. James Hotel, one of the ...more
"You are young, gifted, and Black. We must begin to tell our young, There's a world waiting for you, Yours is the quest that's just begun.--James Weldon Johnson
James Weldon Johnson
Johnson lived an extraordinary life as a writer, musician,educator, lawyer, and diplomat. Born in Jacksonville, Florida,in 1871, the son of teacher Helen Dulett and James Johnson, the head waiter at St. James Hotel, one of the ...more
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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 grain of salt ...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 grain of salt ...more
3.5 stars
A story about an "Ex-Colored Man" who decides to pass as white after witnessing the lynching of a fellow black man. James Weldon Johnson details the unnamed Ex-Colored Man's coming of age, ranging from when he realizes his skin color matters, to when he plays ragtime music for a rich white gentleman, to when he decides to erase his race, a key component of himself. So sad to see how this story remains relevant in 2014 after the tragic deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner. Would recom ...more
A story about an "Ex-Colored Man" who decides to pass as white after witnessing the lynching of a fellow black man. James Weldon Johnson details the unnamed Ex-Colored Man's coming of age, ranging from when he realizes his skin color matters, to when he plays ragtime music for a rich white gentleman, to when he decides to erase his race, a key component of himself. So sad to see how this story remains relevant in 2014 after the tragic deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner. Would recom ...more
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.
Beautifully written but .........I may write a full review sometime.
I really liked reading
The 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 me to see how a perso ...more
This book and the issues and ideas raised in the story helped me to see how a perso ...more
What an extraordinary novel! It's difficult to believe such a short work can contain so much. First there is the story itself, which includes among other things a detailed and colorful explanation of the Cakewalk, the story of the rise of Ragtime, the beauty of the music of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, a rigorous defense of Gospel singing as culturally significant, an explanation of the inner workings of a cigar factory, a celebration of Uncle Remus stories before they were sullied by Walt Disney,
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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 touches me more than the l ...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 touches me more than the l ...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) becomes
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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...but this
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This short, yet mighty, thought provoking, (published in 1912), fictionalised account of a black man, who eventually passes for white, due to his light complexion and looks will stay with any reader. Loosely based on James Weldon Johnson's life, the 'Ex-Colored Man' gives us his heart, his thought and fears and exposes what it is his to be a black person in America.
With a woman being recently placed in detention while trying to remonstrate with authorities that she owned her car, this book still ...more
With a woman being recently placed in detention while trying to remonstrate with authorities that she owned her car, this book still ...more
I believe every child in the South should read this book as part of Southern history. We learned about the Civil War in school, and about Reconstruction. Depending upon the teacher you got, the middle of the nineteenth century was either required material, a glorious period in Southern history, or a terrible era of U.S. history. In either way, the symbolism of the period always seemed to overshadow its reality. What Johnson does so well is to make his main character real, while still presenting
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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
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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 sense
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Dec 31, 2013
Ferrell Foster
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
african-american
,
fiction
This is a superb book, written by one of our great African American writers. It is written as if it were a first-person, non-fiction autobiography, but it is a novel. It displays great story-telling judgment, not wasting time on details that do not help convey the story. It is a quick read but a powerful one. It deals with a reality that I didn't even know existed and in the process explains much about race relations in the United States.
As an Anglo American, I am astonished as to why more of th ...more
As an Anglo American, I am astonished as to why more of th ...more
From start to finish I was drawn to the storytelling which is not just great, but grand. The merits of ‘Ragtime’ music, and the cake-walk, were revealing. The differences described between London and Paris titillating. And on top of the plethora of ‘race’ discussions between the ex-colored man and aristocrats like himself, I was bowled over by the premise and the decision he faced... and ultimately made... and why!
The story encouraged me to look into books such as ‘Monte Cristo’, ‘The Three Guar ...more
The story encouraged me to look into books such as ‘Monte Cristo’, ‘The Three Guar ...more
So, so relevant to today's world. Don't look at the publication date, and you'll swear it was written in the last year. Race relations, a person's identity, how to live amongst other people of other races, what makes a meaningful life, all so wonderfully expressed. It tears at my heart that we haven't made more progress in American race relations.
Being that you can get this book for free as a kindle download, more people need to read this book; no excuses!
Being that you can get this book for free as a kindle download, more people need to read this book; no excuses!
Only 100 pages and part autobiographical ( it's not actually an autobiography). About an anonymous protagonist who is of mixed negro and white blood who grows up poor but turns into a bit of a poly math. It takes u through the journey of his life right up to the point of his marriage. There are some incredible scenes described in this book which almost bought me to years. - good and bad scenes. The protagonist is a trend setting ragtime player and learns multiple languages on his trip to Europe
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I found this a very troubling book. Initially published in 1912 by a highly respected black man (James Weldon Johnson is best known now, perhaps, for having written the words to "The Negro National Anthem," "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing") this piece of fiction appears to be based on the life of his friend and law partner, Judson Douglas Wetmore, who did indeed pass for white. I wouldn't presume to speak for people of color, but it made MY skin crawl to have the main character, a black man not immed
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Hey ya'll,
So when I read novels I have a tendency to pick up crime thrillers, mysteries, and sometimes romance stories. However, I enjoyed every minute of this novel though it was historical fiction. What really amazed me was how much I was able to connect with this character without him having a name. Johnson never put a name on the main character and I found it odd yet, enticing all at once because the mystery behind this bi-racial man had made me want to read on to see if (Spoiler) they would ...more
So when I read novels I have a tendency to pick up crime thrillers, mysteries, and sometimes romance stories. However, I enjoyed every minute of this novel though it was historical fiction. What really amazed me was how much I was able to connect with this character without him having a name. Johnson never put a name on the main character and I found it odd yet, enticing all at once because the mystery behind this bi-racial man had made me want to read on to see if (Spoiler) they would ...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 subjective suggestion of which the author/narrator nev ...more
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, there would be some serious
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I've always been a lover of the literature of the Harlem Renaissance. This book is now my favorite offering of that period. Well, technically, it was wriitten before the Harlem Renaissance but reissued during that period.
Uncannily, the story captures the essence of race in America. Relevant to our current issues as it was when originally written. Sadly though, it shows that the more thing change, the more yhey stay the same.
Uncannily, the story captures the essence of race in America. Relevant to our current issues as it was when originally written. Sadly though, it shows that the more thing change, the more yhey stay the same.
Jan 21, 2009
Andrea
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
All - paticularly interested in African American Studies
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 impression of the B ...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 impression of the B ...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 a condemning way, bu
...more
Absolutely fascinating and thought-provoking story with themes that are extremely relevant to our society today. I'm thinking of using is in my AP Language class next year.
I enjoyed this story even though it slowed down in the end. I believe he spent many years confused about his race. It saddened me that his mother did not explain to him who he really was. It was almost like he went through life figuring it out on his own
James Weldon Johnson's best-known novel is a troubling work, the fictional memoir of a black man who, since he can pass for white, renounces his race while only superficially aware of the self-loathing and self-annihilation that comes with such an act. There's a disturbing dissociation throughout the telling of this "autobiography" as the narrator thinks he's giving a colorblind view of society by excusing some forms of racism/classism and endorsing some nasty stereotypes. His eventual realizati
...more
Jul 09, 2015
Mike Williams
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
literature-fiction
Parts of it were really compelling, and parts of it were not. Really a fictional embodiment of DuBois's arguments in the "Souls of the Black Folk" about double consciousness -- was therefore not surprised to see the narrator reference that work in the course of the novella. One thing not immediately clear from reading: how much of the narrator is actually Johnson himself, and how much do they differ? This is especially pertinent because the narrator puts forth a lot of sociological arguments abo
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For the majority of this, I was confused about the title: how can you be an EX-colored man, in the early 1900s? I read this for class and it was full of powerful and racially important ideas that I do appreciate but I'm going to review this as a book read as a novel for someone not studying it.
The story was lively and interesting, following the changes in the narrator's life and carrying his voice even though he was looking back on things. I enjoyed the characters that he met and the circumstan ...more
The story was lively and interesting, following the changes in the narrator's life and carrying his voice even though he was looking back on things. I enjoyed the characters that he met and the circumstan ...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bright Young Things: September 2015- The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man by James Weldon Johnson | 105 | 18 | Sep 26, 2015 02:26PM | |
| Read the mixed reviews on Goodreads...Where do you stand on the book's quality? | 2 | 10 | Jan 12, 2015 04:06PM | |
| African-American ...: Book Blast: The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man | 9 | 11 | Oct 10, 2014 06:38AM | |
| African-American ...: The Autobiography of an Ex-colored man: September 15 -- October 15 | 37 | 22 | Oct 10, 2014 06:31AM |
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
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More about James Weldon Johnson...
“New York City is the most fatally fascinating thing in America. She sits like a great witch at the gate of the country, showing her alluring white face, and hiding her crooked hands and feet under the folds of her wide garments,--constantly enticing thousands from far within, and tempting those who come from across the seas to go no farther. And all these become the victims of her caprice. Some she at once crushes beneath her cruel feet; others she condemns to a fate like that of galley slaves; a few she favors and fondles, riding them high on the bubbles of fortune; then with a sudden breath she blows the bubbles out and laughs mockingly as she watches them fall.”
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“It is strange how in some things honest people can be dishonest without the slightest compunction.”
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