Black Like Me Chapter 7 Summary

November 7, 1959

  • Today's the day. The day that Griffin becomes black. It's his last appointment with the dermatologist (who still obviously thinks that he's going to die) and he tells his friend that he'll be leaving that night.
  • Griffin shaves his hair, since he obviously doesn't have an Afro, puts on some kind of stain to make himself look darker, and packs his bags.
  • When he looks in the mirror, he can't recognize himself. He's a totally different person. He's black.
  • Let's just say that he doesn't react very well to being black. You should read this section just to feel how freaked out he is.
  • Oh well, no turning back now. He's got to figure out how to start being black.
  • After freaking out a little bit more, Griffin calms down when a taxi driver assumes that he's black. Then he goes back to the same places he visited when he was white, and realizes that everyone is treating him as if he didn't exist.
  • After he gets to his hotel, Griffin goes to the bathroom.
  • There's only one faucet, and someone else is already waiting to shower. They talk to each other politely, and Griffin goes back to his room feeling a little less lonely than he did before.