And self-proclaimed it as the “most important book on American race relations that has ever been written.”
A Canadian journalist, Sam Forster, is getting dragged on Goodreads for the approach he took in his new book. On May 30th, the Montreal-based journalist released his book Seven Shoulders: Taxonomizing Racism in Modern America.
Apparently, Forster, a White man, had the bright idea to disguise himself as a Black man, travel throughout the United States of America, document his experiment to see “how racism persists in American society,” and then wrote a whole entire book about it. In a Newsone article by Zack Linly, he writes: “In other words: A white man set out on a mission to prove racism still exists—by wearing blackface.”
In wearing blackface, he essentially engaged in a practice that has historically been used to mock and dehumanize Black people. The idea that a White man could truly understand the Black experience by donning a disguise for a summer is not only naïve but also deeply problematic. It ignores the daily realities and systemic issues that Black people face and reduces the lived experiences to a temporary experiment.
Forster tweeted on May 28th, “Last summer, I disguised myself as a Black man and traveled throughout the United States to document how racism persists in American society. Writing Seven Shoulders was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done as a journalist. It’s out on May 30th.”
Forster accounts his thought process in choosing the “perfect shade” in an article on the Daily Caller. He states: “I was convinced that a regular, commercially available, brown-colored foundation would be sufficient for me to achieve the necessary skin tone. The particular one I landed on was Maybelline’s ‘Mocha’ shade—slightly darker than their ‘Coconut’ product, but not quite as dark as ‘Java.’ I figured it was best not to get too ambitious.”
No, no, we wouldn’t want you to become “too ambitious,” now would we?
He goes on to say, “I didn’t really feel like shaving my head, so I opted to go for an Afro wig, which would also serve the purpose of signaling my race more clearly to approaching cars while I stood on the shoulders.”
Lmao at “serve the purpose of signaling my race.” This man is unhinged.
In closing the article, Forster writes, “I wore black jeans and dark gray shirts to reduce the risk of noticeable makeup smears. All things considered, I did a good job…. Ultimately, I just needed to convince the drivers who approached my spot on the shoulder that I was, in fact, Black.”
Currently, on Amazon, the book is the #1 new release in the category of Black & African American History. Isn’t that ironic? According to TikToker scrolldeep, the book was published by Slaughterhouse Media. It has a 1.6-star rating on Amazon and a 1.15-star rating on Goodreads.
Forester’s project quickly became a lightning rod for criticism on social media, Amazon, and Goodreads. Reviews on Goodreads did not hold back in expressing their disdain for his approach. Here’s what reviewers are saying on Goodreads:
“I am astounded. I cannot believe that in this century going black face would be done to do an experiment. The premise of this book is built on racist roots. I am gobsmacked. do-not-read.”
“Nothing says racist like black facing your way through the USA instead of being a journalist and INTERVIEWING BLACK PEOPLE FROM THE USA. Trash.”
“I was so ready for the white man’s perspective on how black men are treated in the USA. He is so cutting-edge brave, a modern-day John Howard Griffin. The white hero black people didn’t know they needed. Is taxonomy even properly used here in this title? This chap needed to run this through his patronizing moral compass and a good editor.”
“White man tours the states in blackface to write a book and profit off of what it’s like to experience racism in America. Besides the fact this has already been done, and with a lot of criticism, the experience of racism cannot be learned from wearing blackface at will, temporarily, all the while knowing that you can escape it at any time by washing it off. Racism is experienced from birth and is part of a lived experience.”
“A white male Quebecker thinks we need him to do blackface à la Rachael Dolezal for a few weeks to understand racism, as if the voices of Black writers weren’t salient, respected enough. When John Howard Griffin did this race bending experiment in the late 1950s, it was considered innovative, considering lynchings still occurred in The South, among other atrocities. In 2024, this book is offensive. There are plenty of writers who are unambiguously Black 24/7, 365/364, since birth, who can speak to this topic with validity.”
“Giant LOL at calling a book by a white Canadian man “the most important book on American race relations that has ever been written.” Go read Frederick Douglass, James Baldwin, bell hooks…go read ANYTHING that is not written by someone who wore blackface in the year of our lord 2023????”
The criticisms were not just about the offensive nature of blackface but also about the broader implications of such a project. By centering himself in the Black experience, Forster overlooked the voices of the very people he purported to represent. He could have achieved more meaningful insights by simply listening to and amplifying Black voices instead of embarking on this misguided journey.
On Amazon, one reviewer described it as “not just bad, it’s offensive. This guy bought an afro wig at a costume shop and put on dark foundation to pretend to be Black to see how that went. He was surprised when it didn’t go well.”
Another reviewer stated, “I thought this was a satirical at first and then I realized somebody actually did this and claims that he was being Daring.” The consensus among critics is clear: Forster’s attempt to document racism through the lens of blackface is both disrespectful and misguided.
If Forster’s goal was to shed light on the persistence of racism in America, there were far more respectful and effective ways to do so. One approach would have been to collaborate with Black authors, activists, and scholars who are already doing this work.
Another approach could have involved conducting in-depth interviews with Black Americans about their experiences with racism. I mean, he is a journalist, right? This method would have provided authentic insights and elevated the voices of those directly impacted by systemic racism. It would have also demonstrated a willingness to listen and learn from those with firsthand knowledge, rather than attempting to simulate their experiences.
The backlash against Sam Forster’s book serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of sensitivity, respect, and authenticity in discussions about race.
In the end, Forster’s attempt to write the “most important book on American race relations” fell flat, serving as a reminder that true understanding comes from empathy, respect, and a willingness to listen—not from wearing a disguise.
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