How to Be Black

The memoir How to Be Black (2012) is Baratunde Rafiq Thurston’s personal account of what it means to be black and how wrong the stereotypes can be. Critics praise the book for both its sharp insights and humor, and for how it exposes racism. It is a popular book with both black people and those interested in learning more about black culture. Thurston is a politically active comedian who co-founded a popular African American blog. He is the author of a handful of self-published books about politics and racism.

Thurston wrote this book because he wanted to share his experience of being black. Concerned that there are still too many stereotypes, and too much media influence, over what it means to be black, he wants to expose the truth. He argues that black people are always portrayed in one of a few ways, and it is about time this changed. Although Thurston approaches the topic with wit and humor, the message is serious and relevant.

How to Be Black begins with suggestions for celebrating Black History Month. The list is satirical, exposing what most adults do to celebrate and acknowledge blackness. For example, they might follow Barack Obama on Twitter and tell the whole world about it, or they might buy commemorative t-shirts. Some may even go so far as to acquire a new black friend. The problems with this list, Thurston hopes, are obvious.



Thurston talks about the complexity of his own life and upbringing. He describes his father dying in D.C.’s “drug war,” while in the same paragraph he describes graduating from Harvard University. He admits that he fits some of the stereotypes associated with black people, just as we all adhere to some of the stereotypes associated with our age, gender, or race. However, stereotypes don’t define any of us, no matter our color.

Thurston examines what it means to be black in many different facets of life, from the workplace to the celebrity. He encourages all black people to believe in themselves and to follow his advice on getting what they want and need from the world. He accepts that he cannot speak for all black people, as he is only one man; however, his interviews shed light on what blackness means to many others.

How to Be Black looks at the ways black people can fight for and promote interracial relations without being civil rights activists. While activists are important, Thurston explains that the quieter black people who work consistently to promote unity are just as important, if not more so. He offers tips on how to be “The Black Friend.”



On the other hand, in the chapter titled “How to be the Angry Negro,” Thurston considers how black people can be more antagonistic to make white people feel uncomfortable. He believes there is justification for reminding white people of how African Americans suffered. For example, he suggests that if a black person and a white person share an elevator, the black person should comment on how it is only in recent years that they have been allowed to share that elevator. Thurston knows this is controversial and argumentative, but it is supposed to be.

How to Be Black is not written exclusively for black people. It’s designed to be read by anyone who wants to know more about what it means to be black, an African American, and stereotyped. Thurston hopes to educate people on what it means to be themselves and not simply a product of their race, background, or religion.

Thurston also examines tensions between African Americans and other black people, a topic rarely explored in memoirs or general nonfiction. Using his own experiences, Thurston considers how African Americans struggle to be respected by Africans because they have no sense of traditional, ancient black culture. Many Nigerians, for example, don’t think Thurston is “black” enough based on his name. The problem is, as Thurston explains, this is simply another example of dangerous stereotyping based on preconceived ideas. It is precisely these ideas that Thurston is tackling in How to Be Black.



Although Thurston knows he is black, and he knew what it meant to be black from a young age, his mother exposed him to various cultures. She wanted him to understand cultural diversity and better appreciate how his heritage fits in. Thurston believes this rounded experience makes it easier for him to work peacefully on interracial relations behind the scenes.

Thurston touches on another little-explored issue in the book—how it feels to not want to be black. He acknowledges that most black people experience this at some point, because being black, particularly African American, can be exhausting. He explains that it’s okay to want to be defined by something other than blackness, and he encourages everyone to find their own unique place in the world beyond this.