Black like me
The book begins as a diary of the white writer, John Howard Griffin. For years the author has been living in Texas and specializing in racial issues. For quite some time now, the author is haunted by a particular idea; what would it be like, if a white man became a Negro in the Deep South. As the book opens, he is deeply disturbed by a report about the rise in suicides among the Negroes. He wants to probe the cause for this and he realizes that he can only do so, if he himself becomes a Negro and personally experiences discrimination based on skin color. But at the same time, he also realizes that the whole idea is very mysterious and frightening. The author discusses his plan with an old friend, the owner of a Negro magazine, Sepia, who is a unique person.