Black Girl/White GirlFifteen years ago, in 1975, Genna Hewett-Meade's college roommate died a mysterious, violent, terrible death. Minette Swift had been a fiercely individualistic scholarship student, an assertive—even prickly—personality, and one of the few black girls at an exclusive women's liberal arts college near Philadelphia. By contrast, Genna was a quiet, self-effacing teenager from a privileged upper-class home, self-consciously struggling to make amends for her own elite upbringing. When, partway through their freshman year, Minette suddenly fell victim to an increasing torrent of racist harassment and vicious slurs—from within the apparent safety of their tolerant, "enlightened" campus—Genna felt it her duty to protect her roommate at all costs. Now, as Genna reconstructs the months, weeks, and hours leading up to Minette's tragic death, she is also forced to confront her own identity within the social framework of that time. Her father was a prominent civil defense lawyer whose radical politics—including defending anti-war terrorists wanted by the FBI—would deeply affect his daughter's outlook on life, and later challenge her deepest beliefs about social obligation in a morally gray world. Black Girl / White Girl is a searing double portrait of "black" and "white," of race and civil rights in post-Vietnam America, captured by one of the most important literary voices of our time. |
From inside the book
... Minette Swift who died fifteen years ago this week: on the eve of her nineteenth birthday which was April 11, 1975. Minette did not die a natural death nor did Minette die an easy death. Every day of my life since Minette's death I have ...
... Minette's window was cracked. I said, “It must have been the storm, Minette. Don't get too close, the glass might shatter...” I hadn't meant to sound bossy. It was my mother's eager blundering way. Minette sucked in her breath. Gave the ...
... Minette's eyes shone beautifully vexed, as if I'd suggested she might perform an act not only dangerous but demeaning. Minette had to be upset, she'd said damn. Minette Swift was a minister's daughter and a devout Christian who never ...
... Minette's newly purchased Smith Corona electric typewriter was kept closed—“to guard against dust”—when Minette wasn't using it. Her family photographs were arranged in an embracing arc: Minette and parents, Minette and younger sister, ...
... Minette Swift and her family. I wanted to think that Veronica would report on my selflessness to my father (who was ... Minette's window, resplendent in morning sunshine, had an aerial view of the “historic” Schuyler campus: a corner of ...
Contents
Section 25 | 168 |
Section 26 | 176 |
Section 27 | 184 |
Section 28 | 185 |
Section 29 | 186 |
Section 30 | 187 |
Section 31 | 191 |
Section 32 | 203 |
Section 9 | 60 |
Section 10 | 62 |
Section 11 | 66 |
Section 12 | 71 |
Section 13 | 73 |
Section 14 | 79 |
Section 15 | 84 |
Section 16 | 120 |
Section 17 | 125 |
Section 18 | 130 |
Section 19 | 138 |
Section 20 | 140 |
Section 21 | 159 |
Section 22 | 160 |
Section 23 | 161 |
Section 24 | 162 |
Section 33 | 205 |
Section 34 | 213 |
Section 35 | 216 |
Section 36 | 221 |
Section 37 | 226 |
Section 38 | 227 |
Section 39 | 228 |
Section 40 | 238 |
Section 41 | 239 |
Section 42 | 241 |
Section 43 | 243 |
Section 44 | 245 |
Section 45 | 249 |
Section 46 | 255 |