Bitters in the Honey: Tales of Hope and Disappointment Across Divides of Race and Time

In this excellent book, Beth Roy examines the lives of whites and blacks who attended Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1958 - the tumultuous year of Central High's desegregation. Drawing on life histories with former high school students, Roy paints a complicated and layered picture of understanding, and more importantly, misunderstanding between whites and blacks across time - the interviews were done 30 years later - and across racial difference. I use this book in course I teach on the history of affirmative action in 20th Century America - and my undergraduate students respond strongly to this book. Some are quite surprised by the white students misperceptions about the black students who came to Central High and their seeming indifference to the experiences of black students. Others are upset, even angry by this indifference. And, still others are embarassed as they read their own feelings into the life histories of the participants. It is also terrific for teaching about the dilemma of memory in reconstructing life histories. Roy demonstrates how the people she interviewed often unwittingly reconstruct their stories of the past to fit present day narratives and understandings or race, race relations, and "white victimization." Rather than dismiss their accounts as "untrue," however, she uses these examples to understand why her interviewees tell stories that diverge from actual accounts written at the time of desegregation. In all, this is a terrific book and a terrific read. I highly recommend it.

Those seriously interested in eliminating racism and making our society representative of it's famous constitutional creed, must read Beth Roy's "Bitters in the Honey." Roy interviews several adults, black and white, who were students at Central High School-Little Rock, Ark. during the school desegration of 1957-58. Roy clearly points out how the priviledged white students perceived the move towards equality as infringing on their rights, thus making them victims. While the nine black students-the true victims-, the martyrs for positive change, had to withstand constant harassment and acts of violence by angry white students. Even more pathetic, Roy describes how the white students blame the monumental court decision for them not reaching their expected goals in life. Blame, responsibility, guilt, denial are common themes expressed by the white adults, who unknowingly had the power to affect change that would in turn, empower everyone. This book should be on the Oprah Book List, because until serious discussion about race relations is undertaken between people, there will continue to be two victims: the hater and the hated. And this society will continue to weaken from divisiveness.