Passing Through Europe: Race and National Identity in James Weldon Johnson’s Autobiography of An Ex-Colored Man and James Baldwin’s Giovanni’s Room

Abstract

This article analyzes critiques of whiteness in two seminal works of African American literature: James Weldon Johnson’s Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man (1912) and James Baldwin’s Giovanni’s Room (1956). Both novels, written while the authors were overseas, offer unique perspectives on race and national identity by comparing master narratives of whiteness with representations of diverse white ethnicities in Europe. The article argues that these texts challenge the notion of whiteness as a monolithic category, highlighting the complexities and contradictions inherent in racial identity. Through close readings of key passages set in Europe, the paper explores how the protagonists navigate their identities in foreign contexts, ultimately choosing to pass as white for personal security over societal contributions. The study demonstrates the significance of these works in the broader discourse on whiteness, contributing to an understanding of race as a fluid and socially constructed concept.

(The abstract and keywords were prepared retrospectively for indexing purposes using AI-assisted tools and editorial review, based on the original article. They did not appear in the original publication.)