The only true and just way to categorize the book Life on the Color Line by Gregory Howard Williams is to say that the book is a little bit of everything all rolled into one. Every angle of life that could be addressed in a history, psychology, or sociology class is embedded in this book. Some examples of these different topics include segregation, motivation, and family influence.
Segregation has been a part of America's history and continues throughout today. In the 1940's or so, blacks and whites were segregated in every public setting. Gregory sees this difference when he gets off a bus terminal in Muncie. "To the north stood a four-story department store with sparkling show windows and colorfully dressed mannequins. Trash and litter cluttered the street to the south" (36). It is obvious that the north side was for whites and the south side was for blacks. Another excellent example is when Gregory is told about dating. "Black boys don't talk to, flirt with, or date white girls" (163). This quote shows that even socially, blacks weren't allowed to talks to whites. In addition to a history class covering segregation in this book, a sociology class might learn more about human motivation.
What drives humans to do the things they do? This is a typical question addressed in a psychology lecture class. One may ask; what drives Greg to still go on with his life? This can be depicted in the beginning dedication of the book. "To the memories of my father, James A. "Buster" Williams, and my "truly mother," Dora Weekly Smith. They gave me the strength to live this story" (No page listed). This dedication is unmistakably Greg's own words after his experiences as a young boy. There is nothing more physically powerful to do than a person's own willingness to thank someone else for their consideration. Another way one can see Gregory's drive is when he is in college. "Though devastated by the loss of Sara, my immediate concern was staying in school" (269).
