Nathan McCall has made a significant contribution
to the American Society, especially with the youth of America.
He has dedicated his career to the problem of race in our country.
(1) His first major impact on our society was with his first book,
Makes Me Wanna Holler, which is a true story about his life and
the hardships he endured growing up with racism and stereotypes.
His book doesn't justify his actions by any means, but rather
it shows why he did what he did. McCall takes the reader on a
roller coaster ride through his life by showing the reader where
the racism exists, and how some people perceive something not
to be racist, when one side might see it as racist, which creates
that everlasting tension. The book helps the reader to better
understand why these black men are resorting to violence and drugs
instead of being on a better path towards adulthood. His second
book, What's Going On, is about race relations and issues in America.
He uses personal essays to lead into some larger issues in the
country that were not dealt with in his autobiography. (2)
McCall believes that the myth of America is
one huge melting pot, but in actuality, it's the opposite. McCall
says in one of his interviews, The myth of America is that it
is this great melting pot, this wonderful quilt where people from
diverse races and diverse cultures come together and blend together
harmoniously, you know, to make for this beautiful, colorful quilt,
or as in the case of a melting pot, this great taste, you know,
very tasteful stew. That's the myth. The reality is most of us
operate as separate entities, racewise and culturewise. (3) McCall's
statement was just another point of showing that the world is
definitely not what it seems, and many people have different perceptions.
McCall uses his two books to get his views
across the nation. He teaches us to think about today and yesterday
with no regrets and to focus on tomorrow without fear(4). His
books have such a major impact on the readers that no reader goes
away unemotional. As an author he focuses on so many of life's
issues, that some people can really relate to him. He talks about
fatherhood, Black women, jobs, racism, discrimination, plus many
other issues. McCall points out that through being a black teenager
and trying to earn respect, it eventually leads to more violence
because it is such an un won struggle with whites. (5) His book
isn't meant to give ideas away to struggling teenagers, but in
fact it is to explain his philosophies. Makes Me Wanna Holler
was not written to excuse his behavior, it was only written to
show how these black teenagers are suffering with who they are.
No matter if you are black or white, or Asian or Mexican, Nathan
McCall will get a response out of his reader. He pushes his readers
to follow along his path, either in his footsteps or not, just
to rise to level of open mindness.
Some prejudice that still exists today that
McCall was definitely trying to get across was the issue of racial
profiling. Not just teenagers have to deal with this. McCall almost
killed a black man when he shot fire to him, and got thirty days
in jail and a fine. But when McCall robbed a white business, McDonalds,
he got twelve years in jail. He is the voice for black males.
(6) Even today black males are getting followed while shopping,
or even get pulled over just for being in Atherton. Personally,
I think racial profiling is getting worse and I don't think it
was as bad as it is now.
McCall also treads upon class differences.
McCall was obsessed with being different for most of his life
and then he started to resent those differences because he realized
it was those differences that landed him on the path he had taken.
McCall even admits to saying that he hated himself. (7) Also,
by black men taking their anger out on black women, it was harming
the weakest of the weak. Society perceives women to be less inferior
than men, and blacks to be less inferior to whites, so if you
put two inferior substances together, you are going to get the
bottom of the pit and definitely the most vulnerable. By these
young angry black men hurting these young black females, the men
were just trying to show their inferiority to everyone. (8)
McCall in some ways is kind of one-minded because he does consider all whites to be as racist as some of the ones he dealt with while growing up. He has just as many misconceptions about whites as some whites do about blacks. (9) But near the end of his biography, he realizes not all whites are out to get him. However though, I believe McCall has been through too much to think that whites didn't influence him to be what he is. Luckily though, for the sake of his audience, all the troubled times that endured that young man to do what he did influenced him to be the important person he is now.
Footnotes:
(1): Mitchell, Russ and Susan Molinari. CBS News Transcripts. Dec. 6, 1997
(2): What's Going On: Personal Essays by Simien
(3): Mitchell, Russ and Susan Molinari. CBS News Transcripts. Dec. 6, 1997
(4): What's Going On: Personal Essays by Simien
(5): Denver Rocky Mountain News
(6,7,8,9): Race and Ethnicity Book Review Discussion List
Carr, Christine. "Essays Examine Role of Race." Denver Publishing Company. Nov.. 30, 1997.
Cohen, Richard. "Lock 'em Up, but don't Throw away the Key." The Washington Post. Feb. 15, 1994.
Culture Interaction. May 1999. Vintage Books 1994. http://www.cultureinteraction.com/may99.html
Mitchell, Russ and Susan Molinari. CBS News Transcripts. Dec. 6, 1997.
PO5S334L: The Race and Ethnicity Book Review Discussion List. Vintage Press.1995. http://lilt.ilstu.edu/gmklass/pos334/archive/mccall.htm.
Simien, Evelyn. New York: Random House, 1997.
The Washington Post, May 21, 1996, Tuesday, Final Edition, Rage at the End of the Rainbow, Jabari Asim.
THE RACE AND ETHNICITY BOOK REVIEW DISCUSSION LIST: Here you can find many different people's opinions
about the famous author, Nathan McCall.
CULTURAL INTERACTION: This is one person's book report about "Makes Me Wanna Holler."
INTERVIEW: This is an interview between Nathan McCall and Brian Lamb.
Email me for further questions or comments: Lindsay