Passin’-Quinones Miller

Passin’
Quinones Miller
Grand Central, Feb 2008, $13.95
ISBN: 9780446696050

In Detroit Shanika Ann Jenkins is a fair skinned, blonde and blue eyed African-American. Her grandparents believe her light coloring is what makes her beautiful. However her African-Americans parents reject that premise insisting the person’s inside makes them beautiful.

In 2007 after graduating from school, twenty-three year old Shanika is rejected for a position because the company needs an African-American to fulfill racial quotas. Soon after she joins a Manhattan public relations firm that does not use a token minority employment system so they hire her thinking she is white; she quickly realizes everyone assumes she is a “White Girl” as her older brother Joseph calls her. Shanika sees some advantages with hiding her heritage at the company and even on the streets of New York like getting a taxi. Although she feels guilt that she has to hide what she is doing from her parents and conceals them from her peers (thanking the Lord they live in Detroit), Shanika chooses to continue to masquerade even dating a white person who is unaware of his girlfriend’s heritage as she hides family pictures. Then she meets African-American businessman Tyrone Bennett.

Although the support cast is not developed enough beyond simple last century stereotypes in a world with Tiger Woods, PASSIN’ as white is a thought-provoking tale that modernizes Thomas Carlyle theory of clothing makes the man; in this case skin color makes the woman. The story line is fun to follow as Shanika is an interesting protagonist pulled in two directions. Although the secondary players are weak, fans of a fascinating character study will enjoy reading about the heroine showing how to make it in Manhattan her way, but at quite a cost.

Harriet Klausner