Summary
The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother is a powerful memoir by acclaimed author and musician James McBride. First published in 1995, the book explores themes of identity, race, and family through McBride's own experiences as a biracial child and the remarkable life story of his mother, Ruth McBride Jordan. Born Ruchel Dwara Zylska in Poland, Ruth was a defiant white Jewish woman who married a Black man and raised 12 children in Brooklyn's Red Hook projects. Her story of resilience, faith, and unwavering love for her family forms the emotional core of the book. Alternating between McBride's reflections and Ruth's first-person accounts, the memoir provides a multifaceted perspective on their shared history.
McBride’s exploration of his mother's past and his own struggles with identity resonated with readers across racial and cultural lines. The Color of Water has sold over 1.5 million copies, with translations into 16 languages, and been widely adopted in educational settings and book clubs. With its honest portrayal of complex family dynamics and nuanced examination of race in America, The Color of Water remains a relevant and thought-provoking read.
Plot
The Color of Water a memoir by James McBride that alternates between his own struggles growing up biracial and the remarkable life of his white Jewish mother, Ruth McBride Jordan. Born in Poland and raised in Virginia, Ruth fled her abusive father and moved to New York City at age 17. There, she married a Black minister and cofounded a Baptist church in Brooklyn.
McBride recounts growing up in a chaotic household with 11 siblings in the poor, predominantly Black projects of Red Hook. His mother, evasive about her own ethnicity, raised her children to value education and spirituality above racial identity. She sent them to the best schools possible and insisted on academic excellence.
The narrative shifts between McBride's experiences and his mother's compelling story. Ruth's chapters reveal her painful past, including her escape from Virginia, her estrangement from her Jewish family, and her struggles as a convert to Christianity in an interracial marriage. After her first husband's death, Ruth remarried and had four more children.
Throughout the book, McBride explores themes of race, identity, and family. He candidly discusses his own struggles with drugs and violence before achieving self-realization and professional success. The memoir serves as both a vivid portrait of McBride's upbringing and a touching tribute to his resilient, determined mother.
