When Brian Copeland was eight, his mother moved his family from Oakland to San Leandro, hoping to escape her abusive husband. In the early 1970s, San Leandro was 99.99% white and considered one of the most racist enclaves in the nation. This reputation was quickly confirmed when Brian was forced into the backseat of a police car for walking to the park with a baseball bat in hand. As a successful comedian and radio host, Brian spends his adult years trying to leave behind this painful childhood. But an anonymous letter ultimately forces him to face his experiences as an outsider. “As an African American,” it read, “I am disgusted every time I hear your voice because YOU are not a genuine black man!” A hilarious, surprising, and poignant memoir, Not a Genuine Black Man is a moving portrayal of one man’s resilience and courage in reclaiming his identity.
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