Black No More · Chapters

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Chapter companions for Black No More by George Schuyler.

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Chapter 1
Dedication
The dedication page satirically addresses white Americans who claim pure Caucasian ancestry, mocking the idea of racial purity and the obsession with genealogical whiteness.
Chapter 2
Black No More
The opening chapter of Black No More introduces the central premise of the novel: the founding of Black-No-More, Inc., a scientific enterprise that promises to turn Black Americans white. The narrative begins on New Year's Eve, where Max Disher, a Black man, is rejected by a white woman, Helen Givens, in a Harlem nightclub. This rejection fuels his desire to undergo the treatment. The chapter also introduces Dr. Junius Crookman, the inventor of the process, and establishes the initial social and economic reactions to the procedure, including the panic among Black leaders and the opportunistic responses of white supremacist groups.
Chapter 3
I
Dr. Junius Crookman announces his discovery of a treatment that can turn Black people white, causing a sensation in Harlem. Max Disher, eager to become white to pursue a blonde woman he met in Atlanta, volunteers to be the first patient. The chapter details the scientific explanation, the business setup of Black-No-More, Inc., and Max's transformation.
Chapter 4
Chapter II
Max Disher, now white, enjoys his first night out with Sybil Smith, a reporter, but finds the white entertainment scene dull compared to Harlem. He returns to Harlem to retrieve his belongings, reunites with his friend Bunny Brown, and decides to head to Atlanta to pursue Helen Givens. He sells his story to The Scimitar, experiences the freedom of being white, and prepares for his new life.
Chapter 5
Chapter III
The chapter depicts the impact of Black-No-More, Inc. on Harlem's black community, focusing on Madame Sisseretta Blandish's declining hair-straightening business as customers abandon her for the treatment. It also shows Dr. Junius Crookman's exhaustion and his wife's concern, highlighting the societal upheaval as African Americans leave their racial identity behind.

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Dedication

Black No More

I

Chapter II

Chapter III