Josh Alan Friedman’s Black Cracker- Review by Cindi Loftus

Josh lived in a nice house, with his two younger brothers, was spoiled by his parents who were well off enough to pay for anything he wanted or needed, including a psychotic nanny, who treated the children to warmth or torture depending on her mood that day. To balance out  his white middle class home life, Josh’s time at school or at play was spent with mostly black poor children who fought for everything they had.

Almost fitting in everywhere, wanting to fit in somewhere, but never quite fitting in anywhere, author Josh Alan Friedman looks back on his unusual upbringing. White & Jewish, his forward thinking parents wanted him to be part of the movement for racial equality. So at the age of six Josh entered first grade at all black  South School. All black until Josh’s first day that is. This autobiographical novel follows Friedman through his journey from Black Cracker to White Cracker. A very interesting first hand account of growing up white in a black world.   With a sarcastic touch, a few laughs, and some downright scary parts (he is beaten & hanged), Josh lives and learns in a divided world where he just doesn’t know which side he is on.

Josh Alan Friedman’s Black Cracker  has amazing characters and interesting events in a conflict filled racially tense time frame, topped with some humor. Good autobiographical read

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