Title: Black No More
Author: George S. Schuyler
Published: 1931
Genre: Satire, Science Fiction
Setting: Primarily Harlem, New York City; also Atlanta and other parts of the United States
Time Period: 1933 to 1940

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Black No More is a sharp, clever novel that imagines what might happen if Black people in America could instantly change the color of their skin and become white. It was written during the Harlem Renaissance, a time when many Black writers, artists, and thinkers were speaking out about race and identity in the United States. George Schuyler uses humor, irony, and science fiction to challenge both white racism and some of the strategies used by Black leaders of the time. The novel forces us to think about what race really means and whether it should define how people live their lives.

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Main Characters

• Max Disher / Matthew Fisher – A young, stylish Black man from Harlem who becomes the first person to undergo the Black-No-More treatment. He later changes his name and identity.
• Dr. Junius Crookman – A Black scientist who invents a procedure that turns Black people white. He is proud of his discovery and wants to reshape society.
• Bunny Brown – Max’s loyal friend who follows him throughout the story.
• Reverend Henry Givens – A white racist preacher and leader of a white supremacist group, the Knights of Nordica.
• Helen Givens – Reverend Givens’s daughter, who eventually marries Max (now white and known as Matthew).

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Plot Summary

The story begins in Harlem, New York, where Max Disher is frustrated by the racism he experiences every day. He tries to dance with a white woman at a club but is rejected. Soon after, he hears about a new scientific discovery by Dr. Junius Crookman: a treatment that can turn Black people white. The process is quick, painless, and very effective. Max becomes the first person to try it. After three days in the lab, he walks out with pale skin and straight hair. He changes his name to Matthew Fisher and starts a new life as a white man.

At first, Max is thrilled with his new identity. Doors that were once closed are now wide open. He gets better service, better job offers, and more attention. He travels to Atlanta in hopes of finding the woman who once rejected him. Instead, he ends up joining a white supremacist group called the Knights of Nordica—the very kind of people who would have hated him before his transformation.

Strangely enough, Max (as Matthew) quickly becomes a leader in the movement. He uses his speaking skills and charm to rise through the ranks. His job is to help stir up fear about Black people and preserve white purity—even though he himself used to be Black. His friend Bunny joins him and helps with behind-the-scenes planning and propaganda. The situation becomes more complicated when Max marries Helen, the daughter of Reverend Givens, the racist preacher who heads the Knights of Nordica.

Meanwhile, the Black-No-More treatment becomes wildly popular. Huge numbers of Black people go through the transformation. As more and more become white, the structure of society begins to collapse. Black businesses lose customers and shut down. White supremacist groups become confused and fearful—how can they tell who is Black now? Even Black political and cultural leaders panic, worried that the disappearance of the Black population will take away their power and relevance.

To deal with the crisis, racist organizations begin pushing for a study of people’s family trees, looking for proof of “pure” white ancestry. This only makes things worse, as many white Americans discover they have Black ancestors. Ironically, the white leaders who were so vocal about race purity turn out to have Black roots themselves. They lose their credibility and panic. One group of leaders tries to escape by plane, but after crashing in Mississippi, they are recognized and killed by an angry mob.

Back in Atlanta, Helen gives birth to a child who appears to be Black. She is shocked and ashamed. Max confesses his true identity to her, and surprisingly, she chooses to stay with him, saying she loves him no matter what. The scandal causes a brief stir, but people have become so confused about race that it barely matters anymore.

In the final twist, a new fashion trend appears. Now that so many people are white, they want to look more “ethnic” again. A company releases a skin stain product to darken pale skin, and suddenly, it becomes popular to appear Black. Race identity has come full circle once something people tried to escape, it is now something people are chasing again.