Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Black No More, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Racism and Oppression
Race, Class, and Power
Ignorance
Identity and Deception
Leadership and Hypocrisy
Summary
Analysis
Black-No-More has nearly turned everyone white after two years, except for those in prisons, orphanages, nursing homes, and similar institutions. In the North, the whitening process is viewed indifferently, because it meant getting rid of a problem at no cost. But in the South, Black people are of economic, social, and psychological value to whites. They built the South’s wealth and continue to be scapegoats whenever the white workers grow restless.
This passage suggests that the country (particularly the South) is obsessed with maintaining racial differences because it is an easy way to establish hierarchy. The white working class believes that they will lose some power without an “inferior” race to oppress.
Themes
Southern white people’s deep concern with chivalry, race pride, and the protection of white women are all rooted in Black men’s presence. The economic loss the South endures because of this ethnic migration is immense. Facilities that are only used for Black people now remain empty, as they are generally too dingy and unattractive for white people. Thousands of houses are redone because of the rapidly increasing white population. Salaries are higher because employers have to pay each person the same.
Here, the book demonstrates how eradicating race is a key step toward improving the society, as it allows all people to gain things like higher wages or better facilities. And yet, white people (particularly in the South) fixate on race as a way to maintain hierarchy and their perception of having wealth and power.
Themes
Taxes increase overall, and the upper classes and political oligarchy are worried about the future—particularly the prospect of a widespread revolt against medieval industrial conditions. Now that formerly Black people have much more access to voting, the South shifts Republican and threatens to destroy the Democratic Party. People even worry about workers forsaking both parties and going Socialist. Politicians and businessmen shudder at the thought of old-age pensions, eight-hour workdays, unemployment insurance, a minimum wage, abolition of child labor, birth control information, maternity leave, and overall economic equality.
Up until this point, the book has largely explored the economic ramifications of getting rid of race. But this passage illustrates how alleviating some of the oppression (now that Black people can vote as white people) can shift political power away from parties who are benefiting from that oppression. And again, it suggests that elites from both parties are worried about the new unified working class because it could divert wealth and power away from politicians and businessmen.
Themes
These visions of the future prompt Rufus Kretin, Democratic Senator from Georgia, to meet with Rev. Givens, Matthew, and Bunny. Kretin explains that the Republican vote is growing and asks if they can help keep the workers in line. Rev. Givens says Matthew will think of something, as he and Bunny are as “shrewd as some o’ them old time darkies.” Kretin says that they have plenty of money to make it happen—they just need votes.
Givens again reinforces that they are intentionally suppressing the labor movement for their own political and financial benefit. Additionally, his racial slur and comment reinforces his bigotry but also highlights the irony in the situation: Matthew and Bunny are still considered Black, even though their identity has become ambiguous because they’ve changed their skin color.
Themes
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Later, Matthew and Bunny brainstorm in Matthew’s office. Matthew says that he’ll have to return to talking about race—hatred and prejudice always fire people up, they’re trained to react to it. He says he’s not worried about getting the job done—what he’s worried about is that Helen is pregnant, and he knows the kid will likely be Black. He can’t send Helen to a lying-in hospital or it would look suspicious. And if he tells her the truth, she’ll likely want a divorce.
Here, Matthew is reminded of the fact that he is constantly deceiving people, as he is lying about his identity and about what his child’s identity will be. His deception illustrates that bloodline or skin color cannot be the sole determiners of a person’s identity, particularly because his bloodline and skin color now conflict with each other.
Themes
Bunny asks if Helen has to know she’s going to one of Crookman’s hospitals, and Matthew says that Helen wants to have the baby at home. In response, Bunny says that he can fix everything for $5,000, and Matthew agrees. Through a formerly Black waiter Bunny knows (who used to be Joseph Bonds), he tracks down Santop Licorice (who is also white now). He tells Licorice and Bonds what he wants them to do, saying he’ll pay them $1,000 each to set aside their scruples, and they agree.
Ironically, even Bunny is using racism to profit off of Matthew here, essentially making $3,000 while helping him avoid telling Helen the truth about his identity. This also illustrates that extent to which people like Helen are still fixated on race—learning her husband was formerly Black would be enough to drive him from her, despite the fact that he’s still the same person.
Themes
The next day, a fire destroys Rev. Givens’s home, and Rev. Givens and Mrs. Givens, along with Helen and Matthew, have to find a new place to stay. Helen is deeply upset, and Matthew suggests that they can go away somewhere to rest her nerves—thinking of the baby. Helen agrees, and Matthew wonders about the origin of the fire.
Bunny’s plan to set Givens’s home on fire illustrates the kind of extreme actions the men are willing to take to protect their identities and to avoid people finding out that they are Black. This again reinforces how unstable they feel their identities are, despite the fact that race is entirely constructed.
Themes
The next morning, Matthew confronts Bunny, saying that he has a lot of nerve to set the fire—though he is secretly pleased. Bunny plays dumb, pretending that he had nothing to do with the fire. Matthew grins at his cunning, but then a phone call interrupts their conversation, and Matthew learns that Helen has had a miscarriage and lost the baby.
The fact that Helen lost the baby as a result of Matthew trying to keep his identity a secret illustrates how racism corrupts innocence. The fixation on race is so severe that Matthew is equally desperate to avoid oppression or violence if his true identity is revealed. However, this comes with dire consequences: the death of Matthew’s future child.
Themes
