{"product_id":"autobiography-ex-colored-man-james-weldon-johnson-9780486285122","title":"The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man | James Weldon Johnson","description":"\u003csection class=\"product-description\" style=\"color: #1a1a1a; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.6;\"\u003e\n  \u003ch2 style=\"color: #8B0000; font-size: 1.75em; margin-bottom: 15px; border-bottom: 2px solid #8B0000; padding-bottom: 5px;\"\u003eThe Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man\u003c\/h2\u003e\n  \n  \u003ctable style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px; font-size: 0.95em; border: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n    \u003ctbody\u003e\n      \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n        \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #8B0000; width: 30%;\"\u003eISBN-13\u003c\/th\u003e\n        \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a;\"\u003e9780486285122\u003c\/td\u003e\n      \u003c\/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n        \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #8B0000;\"\u003eISBN-10\u003c\/th\u003e\n        \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a;\"\u003e048628512X\u003c\/td\u003e\n      \u003c\/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n        \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #8B0000;\"\u003eAuthor\u003c\/th\u003e\n        \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a;\"\u003eJames Weldon Johnson\u003c\/td\u003e\n      \u003c\/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n        \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #8B0000;\"\u003eBinding\u003c\/th\u003e\n        \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a;\"\u003ePaperback\u003c\/td\u003e\n      \u003c\/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n        \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #8B0000;\"\u003ePublisher\u003c\/th\u003e\n        \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a;\"\u003eDover Publications\u003c\/td\u003e\n      \u003c\/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n        \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #8B0000;\"\u003ePublication Date\u003c\/th\u003e\n        \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a;\"\u003eMay 10, 1995\u003c\/td\u003e\n      \u003c\/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n        \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #8B0000;\"\u003ePages\u003c\/th\u003e\n        \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a;\"\u003e100\u003c\/td\u003e\n      \u003c\/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n        \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #8B0000;\"\u003eSubjects\u003c\/th\u003e\n        \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a;\"\u003eAfrican American Literature, Classic Fiction, American History, Race Relations\u003c\/td\u003e\n      \u003c\/tr\u003e\n    \u003c\/tbody\u003e\n  \u003c\/table\u003e\n\n  \u003ch3 style=\"color: #8B0000; font-size: 1.25em; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003eExtended Synopsis\u003c\/h3\u003e\n  \u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\"\u003eFirst published anonymously in 1912, \u003cem\u003eThe Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man\u003c\/em\u003e is a cornerstone of African-American literary history and a classic of American fiction. The novel provides a compelling, fictionalized account of a biracial man—the \"Ex-Colored Man\"—navigating the complex and often treacherous racial landscape of post-Reconstruction America. Through the narrator's journey from a black college in Florida to elite New York City jazz clubs and eventually the suburbs of the Northeast, Johnson masterfully examines the psychological realities of “passing for white” and the rigid structures of the American caste and class system.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\"\u003eThe narrative follows the protagonist as he seeks to glorify the artistry of his black heritage through music, only to be confronted by the brutal reality of Southern lynching. This trauma triggers a profound turning point, leading him to abandon his heritage and assume a white identity. Johnson’s work not only served as a catalyst for the Harlem Renaissance but also offered contemporary readers a stark, necessary perspective on the societal double standards and psychological toll imposed by racial identity in the early twentieth century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n  \u003ch3 style=\"color: #8B0000; font-size: 1.25em; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003ePerfect For\u003c\/h3\u003e\n  \u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\"\u003eThis landmark text is essential reading for scholars of American history, literature, and sociology. It is highly recommended for readers interested in the Harlem Renaissance, the history of race relations in the United States, and those analyzing the complexities of cultural identity, class structure, and the legacy of the American Reconstruction era.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n  \u003ch3 style=\"color: #8B0000; font-size: 1.25em; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\n  \u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\"\u003eJames Weldon Johnson (1871–1938) was a seminal American writer, songwriter, lawyer, diplomat, and civil rights activist. A central leader of the Harlem Renaissance, his multifaceted career included serving as the United States Consul to Venezuela and as Secretary to the NAACP. His literary contributions remain foundational to American letters, including the acclaimed \u003cem\u003eGod’s Trombones: Seven Negro Sermons in Verse\u003c\/em\u003e and his own autobiography, \u003cem\u003eAlong This Way\u003c\/em\u003e. In his later years, he served as a professor of literature at Fisk University, leaving an indelible mark on the literary and civil rights movements of his time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n  \u003ch3 style=\"color: #8B0000; font-size: 1.25em; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003eRelated Titles\u003c\/h3\u003e\n  \u003cul style=\"margin-bottom: 25px; padding-left: 20px;\"\u003e\n    \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 5px;\"\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eGod's Trombones: Seven Negro Sermons in Verse\u003c\/em\u003e by James Weldon Johnson\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 5px;\"\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eAlong This Way: The Autobiography of James Weldon Johnson\u003c\/em\u003e by James Weldon Johnson\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 5px;\"\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eBlack Manhattan\u003c\/em\u003e by James Weldon Johnson\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n  \u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\n  {\n    \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n    \"@type\": \"Book\",\n    \"name\": \"The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man\",\n    \"author\": {\n      \"@type\": \"Person\",\n      \"name\": \"James Weldon Johnson\"\n    },\n    \"isbn\": \"9780486285122\",\n    \"numberOfPages\": \"100\",\n    \"publisher\": {\n      \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n      \"name\": \"Dover Publications\"\n    },\n    \"datePublished\": \"1995-05-10\",\n    \"bookFormat\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\/Paperback\",\n    \"description\": \"A landmark in black literary history, this emotionally gripping fictional autobiography masterfully explores the complexity of race relations in America and the search for identity through the eyes of a biracial man who decides to 'pass' for white.\"\n  }\n  \u003c\/script\u003e\n\n  \u003chr style=\"border: 0; height: 1px; background: #8B0000; margin: 30px 0;\"\u003e\n  \u003cp style=\"text-align: center; font-weight: bold; color: #8B0000; font-size: 1.1em; letter-spacing: 0.5px;\"\u003eBust-Down Books: Community is Our Commodity\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e","brand":"Bust-Down Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49304161780027,"sku":"048628512X","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0855\/2077\/7531\/files\/9780486285122.jpg?v=1780870933","url":"https:\/\/bustdownbooks.com\/products\/autobiography-ex-colored-man-james-weldon-johnson-9780486285122","provider":"Bust-Down Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}