Afraid of the Dark: What Whites and Blacks Need to Know about Each Other [Hardcover]

Jim Myers (Author), Jesse Jackson (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2000

The definitive guide for anyone who has contact with people of another race—in companies, schools, neighborhoods, or other social situations—this book asserts that race is not the unfathomable mystery it is usually made out to be. In a revealing, accessible, and stimulating discussion based on little-known facts and innovative research, this book explains why many whites are uneasy about blacks and how blacks react to this, why numerous blacks suspect the worst from whites, why white explanations don't hold up, why myths about sex remain so prevalent, and what both races can do together to make their relations better.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this ambitious but frustrating book, Myers, formerly the chief writer of the USA Today series "Race and Sports," draws on his work and life experience as a white man married to a black woman, living in a mostly black Washington, D.C., neighborhood. He's at his best when attempting to serve as a cultural bridge, explaining, for example, why seemingly innocent words and perceptions may have racial implications--such as how the word "niggardly" might offend those from a more oral culture or how both blacks and whites he knows romanticize the poor. In addition, he makes some important basic points: given the 6.4-1 ratio of whites to blacks, contact between the races can never be equal, especially given that whites live in even more segregated worlds than blacks do. Yet while Myers calls for whites to avoid incorrect generalizations about blacks, some of his own generalizations deserve better explication: yes, whites may be more "cold" and logical than blacks, but that should be a springboard for anecdotal elucidation rather than broad conceptualization. While he reminds us that most people on welfare are not black, Myers neglects to acknowledge that blacks are disproportionately represented on the rolls and that therefore political analysis--rather than Myers's simple prescription of reeducation--should lead to a solution. While he states that the "two cultures" are surprisingly similar and complementary, others might analyze the subtleties of a more creolized American culture. Still, he helpfully advises that whites and blacks must build relationships before they can talk frankly, and he's brave enough to wade into some subterranean topics, including how myths about penis size threaten relations between white men and black men. (Apr.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

From a black perspective, the fact that Myers is a white man (married to a black woman) expounding on the subject of race arouses the usual skepticism, which would likely prove one of Myers' points--that black and white people have markedly different viewpoints and don't trust each other. Myers brings surprising insight and straightforwardness to one of the most compelling but least discussed topics in the U.S. He describes the different worlds inhabited by black and white Americans. Despite some progress on integration, blacks and whites generally don't live in the same neighborhoods, attend the same churches or schools, or even watch the same television shows. Myers cites statistics that belie the widespread fear of a surge in the black population and the trend among whites, abetted by technology, to move to areas with low minority populations. He also examines the stubborn persistence of myths about black and white intelligence and sexuality. Myers offers commonsense advice that he acknowledges is likely to be ignored, including more open and honest dialogue on race. Vanessa Bush

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 360 pages
• Publisher: Lawrence Hill Books (March 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556523424
• ISBN-13: 978-1556523427
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,737,141 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Blacks are from Saturn, Whites are from Pluto!, April 20, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Afraid of the Dark: What Whites and Blacks Need to Know about Each Other (Hardcover)

I am a black woman from the deep south dating a white man from the northeast. We wanted to read something together, so that we could learn more about each other's culture, background, experiences, etc., in a challenging but fun environment. The Myers book was very quick paced and engaging, something an interracial couple could read together on a Saturday morning, highlighting sections of interest and asking "Is this your experience?" or "Do you think this way?" or "What do you think can be done about this situation?" Sometimes the answer may lead to other questions and answers, so in this way the book is a great conversation starter as well as being a great learning opportunity. It is so easy to read, passionately evocative and controversial, that I think (a very liberal view, I admit) it should be taught at freshman seminar at every university in the country. In a society where glass ceilings, race-based killings, racial profiling, prejudice and discrimination still exhists, and where the Confederate flags still flies over Dixie, this book is a wonderful tool for learning about race relations in the United States that may be less academic, than say a Cornell West book, but can speak more directly to a broader range of people. If you liked the John Gray series on relationships between men and women, and if you are open-minded, then you'll like this book, too.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Fresh, Honest Approach, July 26, 2000

By 

Ellen Brown (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Afraid of the Dark: What Whites and Blacks Need to Know about Each Other (Hardcover)

Not since Andrew Hacker has a white author been as conversant and intuitive about both sides of the race issue in America. Jim Meyers presents both black and white 'world views' thoroughly and fairly and without rose colored glasses--a feat not often accomplished by privileged whites. In my experience, black authors write from a more reality-based position than do whites, but Meyers obviously walks the walk.

Meyers guides the reader through a variety of situations in which we all find ourselves. Of particular interest to me was his discussion of how a person of color might feel upon meeting a white stranger and vice-versa. How might each person be feeling, what might they be thinking, how are they conditioned to respond, which self-preservation behaviors kick in? Useful information for those of us who try, as best we can, to encourage cross racial and cross cultural friendships and understanding.

Icon charts incorporated throughout this book provide powerful, at-a-glance imagery of the ratios of blacks to whites in America and help illustrate why some blacks may be hesitant to speak their minds in certain social settings. Since much race-related literature speak in abstract terms, Mr. Meyers use of math and numbers is also a powerful learning tool.

Like the author, I am also a white person previously married to a black spouse who surrounds myself with friends of all ethnicities. I believe race relations is the single most important issue facing America today. I give Jim Meyers credit for presenting this topic in a fresh, conversational way that is easy to read and very enlightening.

I recommend this book to people of all races who want answers to questions that many may find too difficult to ask in the real world.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST for every library; a jewel of a book!, July 11, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Afraid of the Dark: What Whites and Blacks Need to Know about Each Other (Hardcover)

This fascinating book is brilliantly-written, fun to read, and one of the most IMPORTANT books you could read today.

If you are white (as I am) and you think you know everything you need to know about blacks, think again. This book will prove to you otherwise. I worked in an all-black environment for 15 months and I STILL didn't find out some of the things I learned from this book.

We all need to read this book. There are other books on this subject which have excellent information in them, but Jim Myers has beat them all for sheer readability, originality, and usefulness. Every library in America should absolutely have this book. It is THAT useful and important.