Sex and Racism in America

Although this book was written in 1965, much of it is still valid in 2005. With the exception of legalized interracial marriage, much of what the book says still holds. The recent events of Terrell Owens and Nicollete Sheridan with the towel and Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake and the bare breast shows that race and sex is still an explosive topic in America. Although interracial couples are more visible, Most Whites and Blacks still oppose such unions. However, they tolerate them more than they did in 1965. This book is very prophetic in that it prdeicted a future crisis in Black Female and Male relationships. Today, 2 out of 3 marriages in the African-American end in divorce as compared to 1965, when it was 1 out 3. 70% of Black children are born out of wedlock as compared to 20% in 1965. The shortage of Black men for educated Black women has lead many to date and marry White men, but this is not a cure for the race problem in America. Most interracial relationships are brief in duration. I recommend this book to anyone who wants a better understanding about race relations in America.

On a scale from 1-10 Iwould give this book a 9.This book is about the white and the black race. He starts out with an introduction describing how everyone feels about interracial sexual relationships; whether it is a positive or negative view. Some very open examples he gives are that black men...[are large] or that they are savages. The thought that they are savages is what supposedly turns the white woman on to them. These are a few examples you will read about. He then talks about how white women, black women, white men, and black men feel about things chapter by chapter. Throughout the book he analyzes the views then sums it up in the chapter called Implications for the Future. Hernton is very explicit and straightforward with his descriptions of what people think or feel. He talks about the myths and facts of what the different races, or should I say select people from different races, feel about each other. He also gives quotes and little excerpts from stories that he has heard through the grapevine or that people have told him. If you don't read this book with an open mind you might as well not read it at all. It has strong views, both negative and positive, and whether you agree with it or not, all of these topics covered in this book are real. I strongly recommend reading this if you have any interest between relationships between races, sexually or not. I thought that I knewit all but I found out that I only known a little about Sex and Racim.

I thought this was one of the best books I have had the pleasure of reading. This book gose into why some African Americans and White Americans veiw sex and race different.