The Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man

The Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man is the landmark 1912 novel by James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938), poet, diplomat, and later leader of the NAACP. Published anonymously, it presents the fictional confession of a light-skinned Black musician who, after witnessing a lynching, crosses the colour line to live as white, trading heritage for safety. Reissued under Johnson’s name in 1927 during the Harlem Renaissance, it opened the passing theme that runs through American literature since. Free PDF download available on BDeBooks.