Book Review: The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person by Frederick Joseph
The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person by Frederick Joseph
Publisher: Candlewick
Publication Date: December 1, 2020
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Publisher’s Description:
Writing from the perspective of a friend, Frederick Joseph offers candid reflections on his own experiences with racism and conversations with prominent artists and activists about theirs—creating an essential read for white people who are committed anti-racists and those newly come to the cause of racial justice.
“We don’t see color.” “I didn’t know Black people liked Star Wars!” “What hood are you from?” For Frederick Joseph, life as a transfer student in a largely white high school was full of wince-worthy moments that he often simply let go. As he grew older, however, he saw these as missed opportunities not only to stand up for himself, but to spread awareness to those white people who didn’t see the negative impact they were having.
Speaking directly to the reader, The Black Friend calls up race-related anecdotes from the author’s past, weaving in his thoughts on why they were hurtful and how he might handle things differently now. Each chapter features the voice of at least one artist or activist, including Angie Thomas, author of The Hate U Give; April Reign, creator of #OscarsSoWhite; Jemele Hill, sports journalist and podcast host; and eleven others. Touching on everything from cultural appropriation to power dynamics, “reverse racism” to white privilege, microaggressions to the tragic results of overt racism, this book serves as conversation starter, tool kit, and invaluable window into the life of a former “token Black kid” who now presents himself as the friend many readers need. Backmatter includes an encyclopedia of racism, providing details on relevant historical events, terminology, and more.
You know how some people say, “I can’t be racist – I have a Black friend.”? Frederick Joseph wants to be that Black friend. And he sees the Black friend’s job as, “the person who is willing to speak the truth to the white people in their lives, to call them out when they do or say something hurtful, ignorant or offensive.” His goal is to help readers go from people who are learning about race and racism to people who are actively working to solve the problems created by racism – in other words, anti-racists.
The Black Friend is written for young adults but it would be great for adults as well, especially for those who are just beginning the work of becoming an anti-racist. Each chapter covers a different general topic – affirmative action, cultural appropriation, colorblindness, etc. At the end of each chapter, he interviews a prominent person of color, like Angie Thomas, author of The Hate U Give and April Reign founder of the #OscarsSoWhite movement.
Joseph writes with a conversational tone and weaves in his personal story throughout the book. His journey to adulthood had some missteps and awkward moments so he doesn’t talk down to the reader. His sense of humor keeps the book entertaining as well as informative. He includes an Encyclopedia of Racism at the end with helpful information that everyone, especially teens, may not know, like what Brexit or the Tulsa Race Massacre is. Putting it at the end helps the body of the book flow more easily. There are a few other extras at the end, like a playlist and recommended reading.
I loved this book. I think it should be required reading for high school students. It’s a quick read but packed with information written in a way that is easily digestible for kids and adults as well. The only times I was reminded that I was reading a young adult book were when he would say things like he was so old he watched The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, as if the reader wouldn’t have heard of that show. Or that he’s so old he remembers when YouTube started. Um, I remember when the internet started!
Highly recommended.
