The document discusses James McBride's memoir The Color of Water, which explores his identity development as the son of a black father and white mother. It details how McBride struggled with his biracial identity as a child growing up in 1960s New York, but learning about his mother's background and upbringing helped him understand where he came from and find acceptance in his identity. The memoir took McBride 14 years to write as he worked to understand his complex personal history and place in America as a biracial man.

1. Biracial in America
By: Eva Galvez

2. • born and raised in Brooklyn,
New York
• questioned his identity when he
got older
Overview

3. Being biracial caused James
Mcbride to have an identity
crisis
Thesis

4. • skin color difference
The Color of Water

5. • Ruth is very secretive. She
doesn't tell James what she is
or why she's white or where
she came from.
The Color of Water

6. • It's the 1960s in New York.
• Society is different.
The Color of Water

7. • How did knowing Ruth's
background make James
understand his identity?
The Color of Water

8. • It took James 14
years to write the
book.
FYI

9. Cohen, Paula Marantz. “Is There an Identity Beyond Race? Four Case Studies.” Michigan Quarterly Review.2002. Web.
10 July 2013.
Geiger, H. Jack. “Rachel and Her Children.” The New York Times. New York Times 31 March 1996. Web. 10July 2013.
McBride, James. The Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother. New York: Riverhead Books, 1996.
Print.
Walker, Regina. “The Color of Water – James McBride.” Author’s blog. TypePad. 2 March 2010. Web. 10 July 2013.
Waxler, Jerry. “Color of Water, a memoir of race, family and fabulous writing.” Memory Writers Network. Wordpress, 8
September 2009. Web. 10 July 2013.
Images:
wikipedia.org
Offenburger.com
Works Cited