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The first fictional memoir ever written by an African-American, The Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man influenced a generation of writers during the Harlem Renaissance and served as eloquent inspiration for Zora Neale Hurston, Ralph Ellison, and Richard Wright. In the 1920s and since, it has also given white readers a startling new perspective on their own culture, revealing to many the double standard of racial identity imposed on black Americans. Told by a bi-racial man whose light skin allows him to "pass" for white, the novel describes a pilgrimage through America's color lines....

First published anonymously in 1912, The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man became one of James Weldon Johnson’s most famous works, and remains a testament to the lives and experiences of both Johnson and his peers. Although primarily a work of fiction, The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man offers many parallels with the life of Johnson himself. Set shortly after the Civil War, this powerful fictional memoir recounts the life of a biracial man, grappling with questions around identity, race and justice.

Dive into the provocative world of James Weldon Johnsons only novel, The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man. Originally published anonymously in 1912, this unique fictional narrative masquerades as a memoir, recounting the life of an unnamed biracial protagonist during the tumultuous Reconstruction and post-Reconstruction periods in the South. Experience the eye-opening revelations of a young boy who grew up assuming he was white, only to have his perception of race and identity upended in an instant. Discover how this pivotal moment shaped his view of himself and his world through the lens of...

It is in this environment that The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man is written. In this novel, the narrator describes his life as a Black child and young adult, working his way through the various social classes. He becomes a musician and travels the world as a free Black man for much of his life, but eventually makes the decision to live as a White man after witnessing a horrific lynching. The rest of his life is spent keeping a piece of himself hidden from everyone in an attempt at safety.

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-Colored Man influenced a generation of writers during the Harlem Renaissance and served as eloquent inspiration for Zora Neale Hurston, Ralph Ellison, and Richard Wright.

In this fictional confession, an unnamed narrator reveals the “great secret” of his life: he was born mixed race - and his ability to pass as white has provided him a unique perspective on America’s profound racial prejudice. As he recounts his experiences in the American South, the suburbs of the Northeast, New York City jazz clubs, and various European capitals, he also grapples with the emotional fallout of a life lived in constant fear of discovery - a life lived, in other words, in a culture unaccountably preoccupied with the shade of a person’s skin.

Originally published anonymously in 1912, The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man revealed as never before the color line dividing America, and the price it exacted on those souls who could traverse the two worlds. The book presents the fictional account of "an ex-colored man" - an African-American who could pass for white - as he attempts to choose which side of the line will better suit his life, and his psyche.

The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man, a 1912 novel by James Weldon Johnson, is a fictional autobiography which was originally published anonymously. It chronicles the intricacies of racial identity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries through the life of its biracial narrator. The book portrays his journey through America's color lines, from his attendance of a black college in Florida to an elite New York nightclub, from the rural South to the suburbs of the Northeast, and a visit to Europe. The author employs places, character, and incidents from his own life....

The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man by James Weldon Johnson is a novel that follows an unnamed biracial protagonist navigating race and identity in early 20th-century America. Born to a Black mother and a wealthy white father, he grows up privileged but later experiences racism, forcing him to confront his identity. A talented pianist, he explores Black culture through music and travels from the American South to Europe. Eventually, he chooses to "pass" as white, abandoning his heritage for social and economic security. The novel critiques racial hypocrisy and explores the cost of ...

Witness powerful stories about the effects and realities of living in a prejudiced society in this audio bundle of classic Black narratives. These selections are both fictional and nonfictional stories of living in a society that devalues and dehumanizes the lives of Black people. Though all four of these books were written more than a hundred years ago, the realities within are still important for modern audiences to understand.