Summary

In Chapter 10, Jefferson reveals that she read the Ebony magazine each month. She talks about the differences between the mainstream white publications and Ebony. The white publications were more inclined to “defend the norms they were sure of” while Ebony sought to “establish norms and be lauded for those we maintain” (72). She cites other magazine articles. Some sought to discover more about the Negros as individuals and as a race but some were laudatory while some were negative. An article about the number of Negroes in baseball prompted the idea that every success for the Negro race could meet with demands for retreat.

Jefferson talked about other articles. Louis Armstrong's reasons for liking "dark women” was in one. Eartha Kitt was subject of another. Kitt was an actress and the article listed reasons Negroes did not like her. Jefferson's parents threw a party...