Damn Near White

An African American Family's Rise from Slavery to Bittersweet Success

Nonfiction, Social & Cultural Studies, Social Science, Cultural Studies, African-American Studies, History, Americas, United States
Cover of the book Damn Near White by Carolyn Marie Wilkins, University of Missouri Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Carolyn Marie Wilkins ISBN: 9780826272409
Publisher: University of Missouri Press Publication: October 10, 2010
Imprint: University of Missouri Language: English
Author: Carolyn Marie Wilkins
ISBN: 9780826272409
Publisher: University of Missouri Press
Publication: October 10, 2010
Imprint: University of Missouri
Language: English

Carolyn Wilkins grew up defending her racial identity. Because of her light complexion and wavy hair, she spent years struggling to convince others that she was black. Her family’s prominence set Carolyn’s experiences even further apart from those of the average African American. Her father and uncle were well-known lawyers who had graduated from Harvard Law School. Another uncle had been a child prodigy and protégé of Albert Einstein. And her grandfather had been America's first black assistant secretary of labor.

Carolyn's parents insisted she follow the color-conscious rituals of Chicago's elite black bourgeoisie—experiences Carolyn recalls as some of the most miserable of her entire life. Only in the company of her mischievous Aunt Marjory, a woman who refused to let the conventions of “proper” black society limit her, does Carolyn feel a true connection to her family's African American heritage.

When Aunt Marjory passes away, Carolyn inherits ten bulging scrapbooks filled with family history and memories. What she finds in these photo albums inspires her to discover the truth about her ancestors—a quest that will eventually involve years of research, thousands of miles of travel, and much soul-searching.

Carolyn learns that her great-grandfather John Bird Wilkins was born into slavery and went on to become a teacher, inventor, newspaperman, renegade Baptist minister, and a bigamist who abandoned five children. And when she discovers that her grandfather J. Ernest Wilkins may have been forced to resign from his labor department post by members of the Eisenhower administration, Carolyn must confront the bittersweet fruits of her family's generations-long quest for status and approval.

Damn Near White is an insider’s portrait of an unusual American family. Readers will be drawn into Carolyn’s journey as she struggles to redefine herself in light of the long-buried secrets she uncovers. Tackling issues of class, color, and caste, Wilkins reflects on the changes of African American life in U.S. history through her dedicated search to discover her family’s powerful story.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Carolyn Wilkins grew up defending her racial identity. Because of her light complexion and wavy hair, she spent years struggling to convince others that she was black. Her family’s prominence set Carolyn’s experiences even further apart from those of the average African American. Her father and uncle were well-known lawyers who had graduated from Harvard Law School. Another uncle had been a child prodigy and protégé of Albert Einstein. And her grandfather had been America's first black assistant secretary of labor.

Carolyn's parents insisted she follow the color-conscious rituals of Chicago's elite black bourgeoisie—experiences Carolyn recalls as some of the most miserable of her entire life. Only in the company of her mischievous Aunt Marjory, a woman who refused to let the conventions of “proper” black society limit her, does Carolyn feel a true connection to her family's African American heritage.

When Aunt Marjory passes away, Carolyn inherits ten bulging scrapbooks filled with family history and memories. What she finds in these photo albums inspires her to discover the truth about her ancestors—a quest that will eventually involve years of research, thousands of miles of travel, and much soul-searching.

Carolyn learns that her great-grandfather John Bird Wilkins was born into slavery and went on to become a teacher, inventor, newspaperman, renegade Baptist minister, and a bigamist who abandoned five children. And when she discovers that her grandfather J. Ernest Wilkins may have been forced to resign from his labor department post by members of the Eisenhower administration, Carolyn must confront the bittersweet fruits of her family's generations-long quest for status and approval.

Damn Near White is an insider’s portrait of an unusual American family. Readers will be drawn into Carolyn’s journey as she struggles to redefine herself in light of the long-buried secrets she uncovers. Tackling issues of class, color, and caste, Wilkins reflects on the changes of African American life in U.S. history through her dedicated search to discover her family’s powerful story.

More books from University of Missouri Press

Cover of the book A New Basis for Animal Ethics by Carolyn Marie Wilkins
Cover of the book The State Park Movement in America by Carolyn Marie Wilkins
Cover of the book Meeting Sophie by Carolyn Marie Wilkins
Cover of the book Shooting Polaris by Carolyn Marie Wilkins
Cover of the book America and the Political Philosophy of Common Sense by Carolyn Marie Wilkins
Cover of the book Breaking Babe Ruth by Carolyn Marie Wilkins
Cover of the book Sky Pilots by Carolyn Marie Wilkins
Cover of the book Few Returned by Carolyn Marie Wilkins
Cover of the book A Second Home by Carolyn Marie Wilkins
Cover of the book Private Aid, Political Activism by Carolyn Marie Wilkins
Cover of the book Unjustly Dishonored by Carolyn Marie Wilkins
Cover of the book Omar Nelson Bradley by Carolyn Marie Wilkins
Cover of the book Rethinking Rights by Carolyn Marie Wilkins
Cover of the book The First Infantry Division and the U.S. Army Transformed by Carolyn Marie Wilkins
Cover of the book The Original Rush Limbaugh by Carolyn Marie Wilkins
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy