Black Baby White Hands: A View from the Crib [Paperback]

Jaiya John (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2002

WRITER'S DIGEST AWARD WINNER! July 15, 1968. It is only three months following the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., and the nation is burning. Black and White America are locked in the tense grip of massive change. Into this inferno steps an unsuspecting young White couple. Neither significantly knew even a single African American person while growing up. Now, a child will change all of that forever. In this fateful moment, a Black baby becomes perhaps the first in the history of New Mexico to be adopted by a White family. Here is a brazenly honest glimpse into the mind and heart of that child, a true story for the ages. Jaiya John has opened the floodgates on his own childhood. Black Baby White Hands, a waterfall of jazz splashing over the rocks of pain, love and the honoring of family. Magically, this book finds a way to sing as it cries, and to exude compassion even as it dispels well-entrenched myths. This classic is sure to find itself well worn, stained by tears, and brushed by laughter in the lap of parents, adolescents, educators, students and professionals. Here comes the rain and the sunshine, all at once.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"One of the few books to examine transracial adoption from a balanced perspective." -- Robert B. Hill, Ph.D., sociologist and author, March, 2002

"Our concept of civil rights and spiritual responsibility has been peeled back afresh and rendered deeper with this book." -- James M. Jones, Ph.D., author of Prejudice and Racism, February, 2002

"Penetrating. John’s is a truly fresh voice emergent from an insightful American childhood." -- Terrie Williams, author of The Personal Touch and Stay Strong: Simple Life Lessons for Teens. Founder, The Stay Strong Foundation, March, 2002

Powerful. This book is not only beautifully written, it also deserves a wide audience. -- Writer's Digest, April 2003

From the Author

No matter how many books I write, this one will stand alone as my most personally meaningful. Life has made me rich, for I have told my story. I make no claims that this sojourn represents THE authoritative voice on such childhood experiences. But in that my truth has now been told, it has the opportunity to wed itself to other testimonies, so that we might together creative a collective authoritative voice of those who have walked this certain path. Through honesty do we honor, therefore herein lies not a complaint but rather, by virtue of its honesty, a celebration of one child's life.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 378 pages
• Publisher: Soul Water (June 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0971330808
• ISBN-13: 978-0971330801
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,061,841 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thank you, Jaiya, for sharing your soul..., August 26, 2003

By 

"anarchy353" (Lansing, MI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black Baby White Hands: A View from the Crib (Paperback)

Black Baby White Hands: A View from the Crib by Dr. Jaiya John touched my soul. It is a journey into the world of a child who was a stranger surrounded by well meaning adoptive parents who were unable to reach the depth of his heart and soul. As you read his book, you move through the depth of a range of emotions and emerge with a hope that armed with sensitivity and knowledge, there is a future for the children caught up in the system. Prior to adopting my first child 25 years ago, I read a book about the account of an adoptee. That story enabled me to prepare myself for how my children might feel being adopted. Dr. John's book is the "Transracial Adoption Bible" sorely needed in this arena. As a transracial adoptive parent, adoption worker and trainer, "Black Baby" has become required reading for those families that I work with or train who desire to parent transracially. When I train prospective aodptive parents, all of them indicate that they want the best for their children. If we look at ourselves honestly, we realize we cannot be everything to our child. Jaiya's poignant life journey compels us to shed our color-blind ideas and recognize we live in a race conscious society that will see color and react according to preconceived notions. We cannot protect our children forever; we must give them the tools to survive in this society. For those who have or are considering adopting transracially, once you read "Black Baby", you will have walked in Jaiya's shoes and you cannot help but come away enlightened and armed with the knowledge you need to do right by the children you love so much. Thank you, Jaiya, for sharing your soul. We need you in this field "It takes a whole village to raise a child."

21 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Courageous words spoken for our children., August 13, 2003

By 

Diane Kendall, PhD (Gainesville, Florida United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black Baby White Hands: A View from the Crib (Paperback)

I am a single white mother of an adopted black daughter living in a small, predominately white, southern town. As Jaiya's life journey unfolded across the pages, I heard my daughter's voice speak to me from her crib. The words I heard were my fears that keep me awake at night. By sharing his life, Jaiya brings to light the responsibility that we (as adults who have chosen a transracial family) have to embrace, respect, love and consiously integrate the culture, origin of birth and race of our children. Thank you Jaiya for courageously speaking for our children. May their lives be blessed.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Engaging and Insightful, July 2, 2002

By 

Vivian (Ocala, FL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black Baby White Hands: A View from the Crib (Paperback)

Though sometimes challenging in the flow and chronology of events, Black Baby White Hands sheds light on the possible consequences of transracial adoptions to both parent and child. Even so, the redeeming factor that gives the narrative credence is the LOVE afforded the writer from his adoptive parents from the crib to the present(I think, if the relationship is ongoing). The adpotive parents taught the author how to love; hence, he could readily accept and envelope his biological family. Had he been denied unflinching love as a child, there might have been bitterness and resentment toward the biological parents for their absence in his life. The reader meets an emotional healthy person who successfully evolves from a darkness into the light of love. I better understand now why many object to transracial adoption as a viable option for African American children.