The Color of Water: A Black man?s tribute to his white mother by James McBride is the story of a young black man trying to reveal his mothers past and his own identity. Set in the 1960?s in New York City, James tries to figure out his mothers past while struggling with his own racial identity. James?s childhood was spent in a chaotic home with 12 children while his mother, Ruth was working hard just to put enough food on the table.
Ruth came to America when she was a young girl from a family of Polish Jewish immigrants. While growing up, Ruth lived in Suffolk, Virginia, where a large population of blacks lived. Her father, Fishel Shilsky was racist towards blacks while Ruth wanted to befriend them. Ruth eventually married two b
One of the book?s major strength is that Ruth does not view color as an issue. She grew up with a racial father and grew to love people of all color. She endured exclusion and ridicule as a Jew living in the South, and later as a white woman living in black neighborhoods during the black power movement Ruth lives in New York City in a black neighborhood and attends an all black church. Living in a neighborhood heavily populated with blacks does not bother or intimidate Ruth, even during a time of racial segregation.
lack men, converted to Christianity, and had 12 kids between the both of them. While growing up, James often questioned his mother about her background and her past. She always told him to stop asking questions and not to worry about it.
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