The Color of Water

Journalist and musician James McBride talked about his memoir, The Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother, published by Riverhead Books. In the book, Mr. McBride recounts the story of his mother’s life. The daughter of an Orthodox Jewish rabbi, she was born in Poland on April 1, 1921. Fleeing pogroms, her family immigrated to America, and eventually settled in Suffolk, Virginia. At seventeen, she left Virginia for New York City, where she married a black minister. Her family then disowned her. Mr. McBride was thirty before he discovered the story of his mother’s early life. During his presentation, Mr. McBride talked about his life, the importance of literacy, the creative process, and music. He also performed with his jazz band. This was a stop on the band’s month-long “Riffin and Pontification” tour. close