Sterling Williams Character Analysis

An African American shoeshine living in New Orleans. When Griffin arrives in the city (and before he darkens his skin), he visits Sterling’s shoeshine stand on a regular basis, and the two men form something of a friendship. Later, after Griffin begins posing as a black man, he visits Sterling’s stand once more, but Sterling doesn’t recognize him. After a moment, Griffin asks if he recognizes his shoes, and Sterling says that he’s been shining similar shoes for a white man. At this point, Griffin reveals that he is that white man, and then he explains his entire project to Sterling. This is notable, since Sterling is one of the only people Griffin confides in throughout Black Like Me. Indeed, part of the reason he decides to tell Sterling about his project is because he wants someone to help him gain “entry” into the black community. Fortunately for him, Sterling is more than willing to help him, finding the idea so intriguing and entertaining that he even gives Griffin pointers about how best to present himself in everyday conversation so that people won’t suspect anything about his true racial identity.