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It Ain't All Good: Why Black Men Should Not Date White Women

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This book is not in any way a condemnation of interracial relationships. In fact, the author explicitly praises interracial unions that successfully navigate the turbulent waters of interracial romance. More than anything, this book attempts to illuminate some of the often overlooked issues concerning interracial dating, particularly those unions involving Black men and White women. For example, the Black sex ratio (number of men to women) is the worst in the country - 9 men for every 10 women - and there are nearly 3 million more Black women in the Black dating pool in this country compared to the number of Black men. Yet Black men intermarry at more than 2 times the rate of Black women. This book is mostly a collection of statistics relevant to the issue of interracial dating, provided for the sole purpose of inspiring people to think critically about their romantic relationship choices and the cultural factors that may be influencing those choices. People are free to date and marry whoever they choose. The author is simply trying to point out that the racism and sexism in the United States appears to be influencing romantic choices on some level and merits critical analysis. Otherwise how do you explain the fact that 94% of the 55 million marriages in this country are NOT interracial?

I read this book to understand the linear perspective of people against interracial dating involving a "black man" and was let down. The author Johnson builds his arguments based on very strong assumptions that stereotype the black community and simply don't apply to the majority of the community in American modern society. Some arguments are age old and others he attempts to pass off as novel and then looks to support these weak arguments with anecdotes and statistics. Probably most importantly he fails to address the evolution of the "black" community in America and how it has contributed to "black" woman feminism and how it affects interpersonal relationships within the "black" community.

The book is largely about romantic relationships yet Johnson fails to factor in the concept of love into most of his arguments and instead he weaves in the notion that lust is behind the majority of mixed couple relationships involving a "black" man and "non-black" woman. Again the book is a discussion of romantic relationships and yet Johnson reveals his real lack of interest in discussing the topic by neglecting to address the importance of commonalities between partners. Commonalities shaped by income class, family upbringing, and geography are tangentially touched upon but not directly addressed. The linear analysis also fails to answer questions concerning mixed couples where one partner is not from the U.S. or comes from a country where the U.S. idealogy of race does not exist. The book also fails to address the "black" woman's desired qualities in a mate or the import of "game", charisma, and social grace in the "black" community. Not once does the author delve into the poor mate selection criteria of many "black" women in the U.S. and it's effect on the rest of the "black" male population... the finger is always pointed in one direction.

In its simplicity, It Ain't All Good is a throwback to the more racist times in the U.S. when pseudo-scientific doctrine was used to attempt to prove the genetic inferiority of African descendants.

The problem with this book is that it is focused on African American men. Though at a lesser rate, African American women are also dating EuroAmerican men. Some claim that this is a reaction to African American men dating outside of their community, maybe, maybe not.
Regardless, I think women should acknowledge their role in this. I'm not blaming black women by any means but I want them to understand that they are not powerless against this.
In MY OPINION, when black women wear color contacts and straightened hair, especially blonde, it does not make black men more attracted to her, it reaffirms to the black male psyche that white women are most beautiful. When black mothers show preferences to "good hair" and "fair skin", this also affects black men. Im not blaming black women for this situation, most of it coming from whites and males; but I am telling them that they are not helping by contributing to negative images of black beauty by denying their natural hair, etc.

Most importantly, in my experience, black women under 30 are most interested in "thugs". Thus black men who are not thuggish may find quicker acceptance by others. True enough, many black women grow out of it, but by then the male has already developed his attraction to other women, feeling neglected by black women. This was JUST MY EXPERIENCE, I cannot speak for everyone.

Actually, at this time in Washington,DC it is down right
dangerous for white women to speak with,befriend men who
are brown,black or whatever.
The thug mentality has crossed over to some very young women of color whom just are merciless to everyone including themselves. Rage,hatred,jealousy, paranoia are not a values statement this current generation should embrace. They are self destructing, God only knows what the children of these thugs-ta Lolita's will turn out to become.
I fear for my brother whom is white and his wife identifies herself as Hispanic, but is dark brown.I told my sister in law if her baby has bad hair,full lips,and built then the mixed genes should be attributed to me. Because I am all those things.
Women need to cover each others backs like men do for each other.Meaning if a man is taken he is not a candidate to date.Out of respect for yourself and the other women.
Since my brothers 2 relationships,every friend of his mate's has hit on him hard. Don't give away yourself respect, get to know someone,and a respectful man will be interested in marrying you, as well as being engaged.
My own partner is propositioned by 18-23 year old girls @ his job weekly, and he is white and 55 years old.
Sad really.
When ever I take one of my neighbors to the doctor or store, I am given the white girl took a black man treatment. The world hear in the USA has lost its moral compass, and collective mind.
When I was mentored by the best minds of all colors
your ethics ruled. Now as a mentor,diversity trainer,and HR Manager it is appalling to deal with students,whom were not taught to respect them selves or others. A hater is a hater.

I am a white woman who has been married to a black man for 14 years, and who has two biracial children. I think it is sad and ridiculous that anyone would read a book like this, and honestly believe its premise that black men dating white women is destroying the black family. Black family structure in the U.S. is breaking down for a whole host of reasons entirely unrelated the TINY percentage of interracial marriages taking place in the U.S., such as the high percentage of black men in prison, high unemployment rates in the black community, terrible urban public education systems that don't adequately prepare black children/teens for jobs and college, etc. If anyone wants to know what the REAL causes of black family breakdown are, read "When Work Disappears" by William Julius Wilson. To blame interracial couples for such a complex problem is foolish and only serves to distract people from working on the real issues.

I am also sick of hearing that every black man who dates/marries a white woman does so out of a desire to have the "forbidden fruit". My husband and I have a strong, loving relationship that has withstood many rough times, and that is NOT about race. Sure, we have cultural differences (different preferences in music, food, etc.), but the only time RACE comes into play in our relationship is when other people force it on us, and make it an issue (no, I am not naive, and think that racism doesn't exist). We married for the same reason same-race couples do - LOVE. I have plenty of other interracial couple friends (black women with white men, and white women with black men), and they too married for love, NOT because of the so-called "taboo" of interracial relationships.

Furthermore, I have nothing against black women. Most of my friends (including my best friend of 10 years) are black women. I didn't set out to "steal" a black man to spite black women. People need to get over their fears, ignorance, and predjudice about interracial relationships, and direct their energy towards the real issues that need to be addressed in U.S. society.

This book unblinds the serious problem that mass media socializes black males (like me), to see whiteness (and therefore white women) as the ulitmate reflection of what is beautiful. From the moment we are born we are shown millions of depictions of white women as both intelligent and beautiful (from old movies to the Barbie doll). At the same time we are fed a constant flow of images depicting women of color, especially darker-skinned black women, in negative and often unattractive roles. The abandonment of black women by black men, as pointed out by this writer, will likely lead to increased caos/ crime in the black community. Thank you for helping me to better understand this issue!

We may want to pretend that racism and sexism do not exist, but they do and they affect everyone involved in different ways. This author addresses the potentially negative effects of these relationships on the psyche of African American people. I found the information in the chapter on "Collateral Damage" enlightening. Also, his analysis of the differences between those who are "color-blind" and those who are "color struck" was very interesting. He managed to support his conclusions without bashing any one group. Recommended.

The white woman on the cover looks like a character from a Danielle Steele novel. Are all white women lascivious temptresses? This book is obviously targeting a black audience, but using the word "Ain't" in the title is a bit condescending. Apparently he wants to "open" people's eyes but does not want to use proper grammar to create any sort of legitimacy.

Although I don't deny the propagation of "white beauty" in America, discounting interracial relationships just because he was not smart enough to realize the farce of his own is narrow-minded. I am biracial (Asian and Caucasian) and my lovely husband is of Jamaican descent. We have both dated all races and we ended up together out of pure love. There are no problems on either side of our families because of our differing races. And honestly, if it was a problem with my family where I would have to make a choice my path would be clear: I would never want to be around people that didn't support my happiness or would have a problem with someone of another race. That includes family and friends.

The idea of "ethnic purity" in America is constantly fading. Chances are that someone with very dark skin has white ancestors and vice-versa. Whether that is because of terrible or normal circumstances, that is the truth. Can't we all just get along?

I've read this book back in 2005 and I must say that it was a huge waste of time. The author is, obviously, against interracial dating/marriage between black men and non-black women. The reason being is because he feels that this is a sign of self-hatred and a rejection of black women. The author rambles about the sex ratio of black men and black women, due to the statistics of the high number of black men who are either deceased or incarcarated in America. He also discusses how black women are exploited and victimized in Corporate America (some of which is a joke). I found this book to be very slow, dull and boring. Plus, aside from the author's ugly contempt of interracial dating/marriage (similar to that of Rajen Persaud, Spike Lee, Jewel Woods, etc...), nothing new is brought to the table about this subject. Regardless of how hard some people try to get black men to be more devoted to black women, a man is going to be a man and hold his preferences of women for whatever reason that may be. Did I mention that John Johnson (the author) is a horrible writer and writes as if he's in grade school?

While I didn't read the whole article or book- it looks like he's basically a poor man's Cornell West with an A+ in Toni Morrison 101. And judging by some of his topics, a good deal of Eldridge Cleaver in there too.
His thought process was already flashing many "Played Out Thinking" red flags as I read the teaser. The only thing I would agree with is his brief touch on the subject of the general treatment of Black women, however, I would further say that these unspoken negative sterotypes that affect how many Black women view themselves extends beyond Black and into Brown, Red, Yellow, and finally....even White.
When the movers and shakers of popular culture are comprised of hit songs written by cats grabbing their junk callin you (the female) a ho over a censored silence or bleep- how can you write a book aimed at the culpability of interracial paring in the demise of the sex ratio, and the crumbling of a culture?
How about a book aimed at why not only Black men, but Brown, Red, Yellow, and White men should stop glorifying that which destroys the family? Oops, I'm sorry...what I meant to say was Bad Rap Music. And how can a Phd (or future Phd) not see the errosion of the family unit within this context as a far greater alarm signal than that of miscegeny?
Cool, do your thing- that's why they call it "your thing"... but as for me, I'll go ahead and keep keeping it real. The reality is that while he may be valid, it's like prosecuting a parking ticket for a murderer before the murder goes to trial. Small issue in a large pond. And because of the obvious intelligence of this man, I HAVE to conclude that this brotha simply needed to get himself a date!