John Howard Griffin

John Howard Griffin was born in June 16, 1920, in Dallas, Texas. He went to France at age fifteen to finish his education. When war broke out in 1939 Griffin helped evacuate Jews out of Hitler’s Territory. When he returned to the United States in 1941, he enrolled in the US Army Air Force. He was wounded in a Japanese air raid and lost his sight. During this time Griffin wrote many novels. Including The Devil Rides Outside and Nuni. In 1957, He gained full sight back in an incredible recovery. When he gained his sight back, he continued to write. During this time, he wrote his best known book, Black Like Me. He originally wrote his book in different editions of the magazine, Sepia. After he wrote Black Like Me, Griffin had to move to Mexico because he was burned in effigy and was the target of many other local protests. John Howard Griffin died in Fort Worth in 1980.

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Created by: Katherine Skouby. November 7, 2007