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Reviews
of The Color of Water Include:
"Complex
and moving... suffused with issues of race, religion and
identity. Yet those issues, so much a part of their lives
and stories, are not central. The triumph of the book—and
of their lives—is that race and religion are transcended
in these interwoven histories by family love, the sheer
force of a mother's will and her unshakable insistence that
only two things really mattered: school and church... The
two stories, son's and mother's, beautifully juxtaposed,
strike a graceful note at a time of racial polarization."
New York Times Book Review
"This
moving and unforgettable memoir needs to be read by people
of all colors and faiths." Publishers Weekly
"Fascinating...Superbly
written." Boston Globe
"Told
with humor and clear-eyed grace...a terrific story...The
sheer strength of spirit, pain and humor of McBride and
his mother as they wrestled with different aspects of race
and identity is vividly told...I laughed and thrilled to
her brood of twelve kids." The Nation
"As
lively as a novel, a well-written, thoughtful contribution
to the literature on race." Washington Post Book
World
"Poignant...a
uniquely American coming of age...Ruth McBride Jordan's
anecdotes are richly detailed, her voice clear and engaging.
And she has a story worth telling." Miami Herald
Please
note, if you have not yet read The Color of Water, the reading
group discussion guide below might include some spoilers.
Reading
Group Discussion Guide:
1.
Discuss Ruth McBride's refusal to reveal her past and how
that influenced her children's sense of themselves and their
place in the world. How has your knowledge—or lack thereof—about
your family background shaped your own self-image?
2.
The McBride children's struggle with their identities led
each to his or her own "revolution." Is it also possible
that that same struggle led them to define themselves through
professional achievement?
3.
Several of the McBride children became involved in the civil
rights movement. Do you think that this was a result of
the times in which they lived, their need to belong to a
group that lent them a solid identity, or a combination
of these factors?
4.
"Our house was a combination three-ring circus and zoo,
complete with ongoing action, daring feats, music, and animals."
Does Helen leave to escape her chaotic homelife or to
escape the mother whose very appearance confuses her about
who she is?
5.
"It was in her sense of education, more than any other,
that Mommy conveyed her Jewishness to us." Do you agree
with this statement? Is it possible that Ruth McBride Jordan's
unshakable devotion to her faith, even though she converted
to Christianity from Judaism, stems from her Orthodox Jewish
upbringing?
6. "Mommy's contradictions crashed and slammed against
one another like bumper cars at Coney Island. White folks,
she felt, were implicitly evil toward blacks, yet she forced
us to go to white schools to get the best education. Blacks
could be trusted more, but anything involving blacks was
probably substandard... She was against welfare and never
applied for it despite our need, but championed those who
availed themselves of it." Do you think these contradictions
served to confuse Ruth's children further, or did they somehow
contribute to the balanced view of humanity that James McBride
possesses?
7.
While reading the descriptions of the children's hunger,
did you wonder why Ruth did not seek out some kind of assistance?
8. Do you think it was naive of Ruth McBride Jordan to think
that her love for her family and her faith in God would
overcome all potential obstacles or did you find her faith
in God's love and guidance inspiring?
9.
How do you feel about Ruth McBride Jordan's use of a belt
to discipline her children?
10.
While reading the book, were you curious about how Ruth
McBride Jordan's remarkable faith had translated into the
adult lives of her children? Do you think that faith is
something that can be passed on from one generation to the
next or do you think that faith that is instilled too strongly
in children eventually causes them to turn away from it?
11.
Do you think it would be possible to achieve what Ruth McBride
has achieved in today's society?
A
Selection of Subjects Covered in The Color of Water:
World
War II: Segregation at Home & Abroad
"Civil Rights Era: Sit-ins, Freedom Rides, and Demonstrations"
is part of the "African American Odyssey" exhibition by
the U.S. Library of Congress. The exhibit contains photographs,
drawings, and descriptions of the efforts to end segregation
and racial discrimination in the South.
Segregation
Presents information about the 1960s Journey of Reconciliation
or the Freedom Ride, an effort to test the commitment to
civil rights held by U.S. President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963),
compiled by Lisa Cozzens. Explains that the strategy was
for an interracial group to test the separate but equal
policies of the American South, which the U.S. Supreme Court
had found to be unconstitutional in 1946.
The
Civil Rights Timeline
The Learning Network Inc. presents a time line highlighting
the major events related to the civil rights movement in
the United States. The time line begins with the 1954 Supreme
Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka,
Kansas, and ends in 1991 with the signing of the 1991 Civil
Rights Act. Elissa Haney compiled this time line. This material
is appropriate for use with middle or high school students.
The
Black Panther Newspaper Collection
This page makes available some of the original writings
of the Black Panther Party from its first three years of
existence (1966-1969) when it grew to be an explosive power
and the predominant influence in the Black nation
The
History of the United States from 1920 to 1945
Social Trends 1920 to 1945
Links:
James McBride: the Author, the Musician
[Click
here for a printer-friendly version of this page.]
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JAMES
MCBRIDE born in
1957, is the son of the late Andrew McBride, an African
American Baptist Minister, and Ruth McBride Jordan (born
Rachel Shilsky), a Polish Jewish immigrant. He grew
up in New York City (Harlem, Brooklyn and Queens), one
of twelve children, including four siblings from his
mother's second marriage. McBride graduated from Oberlin
College and earned his Master's degree in journalism
at Columbia University. He worked as a staff writer
for The Washington Post, The Boston Globe and
The Wilmington News Journal (Delaware). He has
also written for Rolling Stone, The Philadelphia
Inquirer, US, and Essence. McBride has worked
as a jazz saxophonist, touring with jazz vocalist Jimmy
Scott. His compositions have been recorded and performed
by Anita Baker, Grover Washington, Jr., and Gary Burton,
among others. His musical theater composition, "Bobos",
was awarded the American Music Theater Festival's Stephen
Sondheim Award. His memoir, The Color of Water: A
Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother originated
as a 1982 Mother's Day piece for The Boston Globe. Response
to the newspaper story was so positive, he was persuaded
to work on a book. The hardcover edition was published
in 1996 by Riverhead Books. The trade paper edition,
published in February, 1998, was on the New York Times
bestseller list for over 2 years. 