Separate Pasts: Growing Up White In The Segregated South

How would you characterize McLaurin’s relationship to African American people in Wade? What is his role in their lives, and what is their role in his life? How does the memoir describe his changing views on this relationship?

McLaurin grows up in a segregated society. How does he unlearn the racist beliefs that he was raised with?

McLaurin grows up in a rapidly changing world. Compare and contrast the worldviews of McLaurin, his grandfather, and his father.

McLaurin’s memoir takes place in the 1950s and 1960s. His Afterword, which was written 30 years later, argues that racism remains a persistent force in society. Are McLaurin’s critiques of racial injustice in society still relevant today?

Discuss the treatment of African American people by white citizens in Wade. Describe and analyze the experience of one character in McLaurin’s novel. How does this individual reflect the larger racial, gender, or class divides that McLaurin details?

McLaurin is a historian. However, his memoir centers on subjective experiences with people he has met. How does his autobiography shape his approach to history?

McLaurin’s memoir explores how segregation encouraged ignorance, created social divisions, and dehumanized people. He argues that segregation affected African American people and white people. How does McLaurin set out to prove this?

The theme of change versus tradition shapes McLaurin’s memoir. How does McLaurin suggest that society changes?