The True Story of a White Boy Who Discovered He Was Black

Reaching goals and obtaining them when you get there can be very hard. It is one thing to say you're going to accomplish your dreams, but to do it is another thing also. Gregory had used hard times in his life growing up, as willpower in acheiving his goal as a lawyer. I felt that it goes to show that you don't have to let hard times stop you from reaching your dreams. From reading and getting a better understanding of the book I've learned the value of hard work and dedication. Gregory used all his extra hours of life, studying,and reading to keep his mind refreshed with new thoughts. He was also forced to become a man before his time which had made him become more responsible. This responsibilty was also put forth his education. I really recommend this book for anyone. Epescially someone who feels that their less capable of reaching a goal that seems to only be a figment of your imagination.

Recently, our class read Gregory Howard Williams autobiography Life on the Color Line. The book deals with Gregory Howard Williams, who until he was 10 years, believed that he was white, but he later learned that he was actually black. There are some sections of the book that appeal to me while there are some that don't. To begin with, I am not very thrilled with the use of foul language. Growing up I wasn't around people that spoke so much foul language, and at moments I was appalled. After I read this book, I learned what his point of using this foul language throughout the book was. It shows the environment where he was growing up. His father is abusive towards his mother and the children are exposed to violence, abusive behavior as well as racism. On the other hand, there was a positive influence that I got from the book and this is the relationship Billy had with his brother Mike. I often felt that they had such a closeness between them. One would always look out for the other one, and they would always help each other out. After reading this book, there was also a negative aspect to this book; it was the drinking of Tony Williams that slowly, after time, affected him and his children. When I say it affected him and his children, I mean, that he was almost about to die at different points in the book. One time it was a bar fight which was right in front of his kids' eyes. He did however always want good for his children. In his mind, if they were in trouble he would go and rescue them. Whenever the Dad would tell the kids to get a job, he would take up the money himself and not share it. From reading this book I got the impression that Billy was hardworking throughout his whole education. He would have to tell his brother to focus on his education because his life would continue to decline. I feel that Mary, the mother, did the right thing by leaving his husband since he was the one that was so abusive towards her. I felt that Tony should not have dumped the kids in Muncie and should have taken responsibility for his own children and since it his duty to raise them right. From reading this book I got a positive influence and that he actually does care for his children because he really did try to show up for Billy's high school graduation. A positive thing that I got from Tony's character is when he said that he should be put in jail so that his drinking would decrease. This is an example of someone who is trying to change himself into a good man. On the whole, I feel that I actually enjoyed reading Gregory's Howard Williams autobiography because I have learned much about what it feels like to have a double identity and what type of sturggles come with that. While they are some flaws in the book, the positive points clearly outweigh the negatives making Life On The Color Line a great book to read.

One of the most inspiring memoirs I have ever read. Williams grew up under unbelievable emotional and economic stress, alternately idolized and abused by his alcoholic father. It is also sad to see the father as an intelligent person of potential who was ultimately broken both by the racism of the time and his own addictions. Williams wrote, 'It was a constant challenge to forgive him." It is well-written and very moving.

Book: Life on the Color Line (285 pages)
Author: Gregory Howard Williams
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Publisher: Plume Publishing

Few books on the market can both tear at your heartstrings and rebuild them at the same time. I read Life of the Color Line as a sophomore college student at Cal State Channel Islands and felt that Gregory Williams' story will do to that to a reader. In his autobiography, Williams recounts the unspeakable circumstances he survived as a half black, half white young boy caught in the turmoil of racism in the 1950s. Williams was abandoned by the very mother whose responsibility was to comfort and protect him and was abused by a Father who could not defeat his own dependence on alcohol. He spent his life searching for acceptance in a cultural community which he fortunately found in a caregiver named Dora. She was the first person in his life that treated Williams with dignity and generosity. Life on the Color Line contains foul language, derogative terms, and topics such as rape and traumatic issues of abuse, which probably makes it inappropriate reading for those below the age of 14. An important strategy to use while reading this book for those that are easily offended by racism and neglect, is to read sections over a time horizon rather than in just one sitting. I found this to be crucial while engaging Life on the Color Line because at times, the disgusting discrimination against the Black race was emotionally overwhelming. It was sometimes too much to handle. Gregory Williams completes an impeccable and heart wrenching novel that will have you shaking your finger at humanity for unjustified racism and turning to yourself to reconsider how you judge races other than your own.

Less a biography and more of a historical novel that richly describes a tumultuous time in American history, this book is a page turner. A story is often told better through the eyes of those who have lived it, and that remains true with "Life on the Color Line". Gregory Howard Williams should continue to write as he has a gift for character development and a flow to his writing that keeps you enraptured throughout.
This is a fascinating tale of two young boys who truly lived on the color line. An unusual perspective, they can tell the joys and sorrows of living both a privileged white life and a persecuted black life. I hope to see more work from Mr. Williams. I was only disappointed in the end, when he stopped his enthralling story in his mid-college years and spent the last 3 pages wrapping up the rest of his life. With his gift for writing, I'm certain he could have written a sequel about the succeeding 30 years of his life with just as much fine detail, thoughtful emotion and keen insight as the first 20 years. This book is a must-read, especially for those affected by prejudice today as well as those with a heart for multiculturalism.

I love reading autobiographies and memoirs. I love seeing how the seemingly insignificant actions and moments all have a purpose in the end. The words of a stranger, the grand realizations in life all come together eventually. I loved reading about the author's life and just living through his eyes. All the slights and hurt he encountered, as well as benevolence along the way all lead him to become the inspiration that he is, at least to the readers of this book. Theres is no story of the "tragic mulatto" here, Just a biracial man finding his way in the world and overcoming tragedy.This book echoes one of my favorite novels, "Diary of an Ex-Colored man," but makes it better. I suggest you read both together to contrast the differing eras, and experiences of biracial men and their decisions to pass or not.

Imagine waking up one day and finding everything different. Everyone's perception of you has changed. The social and economic conditions around you have changed because of your race. A child born and reared as white discovers he is not. The author shares his experiences honestly- almost too honestly. There is deprivation, and repression contrasted with privilege, opportunity, and comfort. It is an extraordinary account of a man of two worlds, two heritages, mixed-race, who perseveres and triumphs over incredible odds. Taut, dramatic, well written.

For anyone who pretends to understand the issues of race, poverty, and family, this book is a must read. It lays bare the underbelly of American experience by shining a bright light on discrimination, segregation, the failure of the social systems and the consequences of alcoholism, as well as physical and emotional abuse on children. While the author's situation is understandably frightful while he was a young child, this is nevertheless no maudlin tale. It is recounted sincerely and without the unnecessary pulling of heartstrings. The reader's empathic response needs no teasing out when presented with the straightforward portrayal of the author's upbringing. The fact that this story unravels in Muncie, Indiana, rather than somewhere in the South might come as a surprise to those who believe that the black/white race issue is mostly a regional problem.

This author was able to rise above his difficult childhood, attend college, attend law school and eventually become the Dean of a law school. I have heard him speak in person and to hear him tell some of these same stories in his own voice is downright chilling. Riveting, gripping, and intensely human.

I highly recommend this book.

Gregory williams takes you on a front row tour of his life on the color line. This book realy makes you stop, and think about the racial issues of past and present. It begins with Gregory (billy) and brother mike, living with their father (a half white half black person passing for italian), and their white mother living in white northern Virginia. This lilly life went on for ten years untill the fathers' alcholism lost the family business, and drove the boys' mother away. After that the father and the boys move to Indiana, and life is changed forever.

Raw language and situations that make you cringe. Through it all people survive. Some for the better and some for the worse. We see how choices are forced upon many, but the strongest individuals overcome obstacles to reach their goals. You will always remember Buster Williams, father of two white skinned sons who lived in a white neighborhood till age 10 when they suddenly are uprooted and become black on a one way bus trip to their grandmothers shack in the worst part of Muncie.

I was a graduate student at Ball State University, and this book was a required reading for a course I was taking. For someone that did not grow up in Muncie, IN this book provided a solid perspective of the history of this area. What's even better is that I have been able to recommend it to friends and family on the East Coast that had virtually no knowledge of Muncie, IN--a city that was once part of the historical "Middletown" study. Gregory Williams provided a powerful account of the racial intolerance he faced and his struggle for an identity during his childhood years. The evolution of his relationship with his father is one you will want to follow to the end. Not only was his narrative a compelling one, but his style of writing kept me captivated throughout. There were few books that were required reading for me in college that I truly enjoyed, and felt had significant meaning. Whether you read it for class or pleasure, you will be amazed by the story of Gregory Williams. At the conclusion of this true story you will honestly want to know more!!

Many of us are met in life with challenges, which alter our views on life. These experiences often are minor, however, the ones that affect us most profoundly are those that force us to open our eyes to the real essence of humanity on a much broader scope than our individual existence. Such an experience is not felt unless a person endures a large degree of suffering, which is not easy to get through by a mere expression of emotion to another human being, but to reach out to the world to make some type of impact - as to add a drop of water to the ocean of humanity to cause a ripple effect that others can feel. In the book Life On The Color Line, an autobiography written by Gregory Howard Williams, the author adds his drop of water. He shares his experience of growing up white in the early 1950's only to find out he is black, and is able to communicate to readers what it is like to look white, in a racist society, and to have to endure poverty common place in the black community. One that the other side of the color line would not venture to look at. The situation he grew up in was enough for one to fail, and just goes to prove that human endurance can conquer many obstacles. If his experience is not a drop of water to touch another persons soul, then that person does not have one. I will pass this book on as another ripple in the ocean of humanity.

This book has been reviewed and previewed extensively, so I won't go into it further. I read this book twice - both times, aching for the shock GHW and his brother suffered and the struggle to adjust and find a corner of the world for themselves. My one arguement, however, is that the author damns the town for its' treatment of them. I always kept in mind the time frame and the reaction could have happened in any other town in the country - such was the prevailing attitude, in general, in the late 50's and early 60's. In an email to the author, after one or two had passed, I asked him if possibly he had damned a whole town as a racist, when it is entirely possible that he and his brother would have faced the same problems elsewhere. There was no response. I do live in Muncie and I have lived all over the country as well - it is not a perfect town. Racism exists - everywhere and on all sides. I am sorry for the life he and his brother had to endure in their boyhood years - he overcame more than I could handle, I think. That said, I don't believe the man was fair in how he views the time and events as pertains to the town...he could have been anywhere and this would have happened. It is an indictment of the era, not specific to just one place. I found that aspect to be flawed in his writing.

This is a heartfelt book, which helped me to understand how the American obsession with race perverts the characters of both so-called black and so-called white people. It tells us that these terms do not mean much, either. According to social scientists, 80% of black Americans have white ancestors, and 20% of white Americans have black ancestors. This book shows us how this happens. Gregory Howard Williams lets us feel the cynicism and rage of blacks in the 1950s and 1960s,long before whites became aware of it. It also is a stark description of the unfeeling, harsh behavior by both young and old, toward blacks of all ages. The book reminded me of THE SWEETER THE JUICE; A FAMILY MEMOIR IN BLACK AND WHITE, by Shirlee Taylor Haizlip. An eye opener!

This book should be required reading for students and teachers in high shcool and college. Besides being an engrossing story about racism, it also represents the ability of one individual raised in overwhelming circumstances to want to change his life and succeed. This book represents the triumph of the human spirit over adversity.

Greg and I were in the same class, graduating from Muncie (IN.)Central High School in 1962. He always seemed to be rather guarded....kind of a shy guy in many ways. But that is quite understandable. He had to be that way. Most likely, he was not ever sure what the agenda was of others who surrounded him. God knows, he was ostracized by people of both predominant races in Muncie at that time. That was apparent. Becoming a basketball legend changed that to some degree. Geezzzzz! I was even disowned by a female cousin of mine because I danced with a black girl at a 7th grade record hop back when it was acceptable for girls to dance with other girls! The girl remained a friend of mine throughout our school days (for Greg's knowledge, this was Sylvia M.). Moreover, I worked (in H.S.) with the mother of the white girl he eventually married. It is too bad that her family chose to disown her, but I am proud of her for standing up to them and following her heart. Yeah Sara!! Buy this book, and READ IT WITH YOUR HEART!! You'll be VERY glad you did!!

I read this book in two sittings. It was incredibly powerful, thought-provoking and touching. The moment when the author realized that he was the evil "mulatto" who ministers, educators and lawmakers inveighed against, stayed with me for days. What an eye-opener, and a powerful tool for opening the discussion on race.

I found this book to be very interesting, not many are able to recount their childhood experiences from a perspective similar to Williams'. Williams' story shows how unconditional a child's love is for their parents. Even after all his father put Greg and his brother through, they still loved him because he was all they had and he was their father. The children's love for their mother never vanished, even after her 10 year absence. I loved this book because it shows that faith will allow you to make it through. Greg Williams could have chosen a variety of life paths but he always kept his goals in mind and in the end that was all that mattered.

I read this back in highschool as an extra credit project. This is an amazing book! I am not going to go in detail of the book because you can see that on the description part. I will say this is one of those books I still pick up every couple of years and read again. You will not be let down!

this is such an amazing book that really flips the perceived norms of race. so many things happened to this boy as he was growing up that it is a miracle that he was sane enough to write a coherent memoir. there were so many times that literally moved me to tears. i emphatically recommend this book, you won't regret it.

An interesting story, but not as well written as such a story deserves to be. Maybe the author should have used the help of a ghost writer. If he did use a ghost writer, he ought to get his money back. On the whole, I was disappointed by this book.

This is an interesting book, as one would expect.

However, instead of "...a white boy who discovered he was black", this should be called, "a white boy who discovered he was mostly white and a little black".

He was at least 75% white, for God's sake. Probably more, because I bet, like most African Americans, his black grandfather probably had some non-African ancestry.

How is he black?

I find it strange and illogical how people who write such biographies always accept the US' insane colour categorizations.