Think Black A Memoir
Think Black A Memoir by Clyde W. Ford, published by HarperCollins Publishers in 2019, is a poignant exploration of African-American pride and perseverance through the lens of personal and familial experiences. This memoir recounts the life of John Stanley Ford, the first black software engineer at IBM, and the challenges he faced due to systemic racism within the tech industry. The narrative reveals the emotional toll on both John and his son Clyde, as they navigate a landscape marked by discrimination and the complexities of their relationship.
Readers will find a compelling account that interweaves personal history with significant social movements, providing insight into the intersection of race and technology. The memoir delves into the impact of racism on self-perception and familial bonds, highlighting the struggles and resilience of those who confront institutional barriers. With 285 pages of thoughtful reflection, this edition invites readers to engage with the broader themes of cultural identity and the historical context of African American experiences in business and technology.
Official synopsis Publisher
“Powerful memoir. . .Ford’s thought-provoking narrative tells the story of African-American pride and perseverance.”
-Publisher’s Weekly (Starred)
“A masterful storyteller, Ford interweaves his personal story with the backdrop of the social movements unfolding at that time, providing a revealing insider’s view of the tech industry. . . simultaneously informative and entertaining. . . A powerful, engrossing look at race and technology.”
-Kirkus Review (Starred)
In this thought-provoking and heartbreaking memoir, an award-winning writer tells the story of his father, John Stanley Ford, the first black software engineer at IBM, revealing how racism insidiously affected his father’s view of himself and their relationship.
In 1947, Thomas J. Watson set out to find the best and brightest minds for IBM. At City College he met young accounting student John Stanley Ford and hired him to become IBM’s first black software engineer. But not all of the company’s white employees refused to accept a black colleague and did everything in their power to humiliate, subvert, and undermine Ford.
Yet Ford would not quit. Viewing the job as the opportunity of a lifetime, he comported himself with dignity and professionalism, and relied on his community and his “street smarts” to succeed. He did not know that his hiring was meant to distract from IBM’s dubious business practices, including its involvement in the Holocaust, eugenics, and apartheid.
While Ford remained at IBM, it came at great emotional cost to himself and his family, especially his son Clyde. Overlooked for promotions he deserved, the embittered Ford began blaming his fate on his skin color and the notion that darker-skinned people like him were less intelligent and less capable–beliefs that painfully divided him and Clyde, who followed him to IBM two decades later.
From his first day of work–with his wide-lapelled suit, bright red turtleneck, and huge afro–Clyde made clear he was different. Only IBM hadn’t changed. As he, too, experienced the same institutional racism, Clyde began to better understand the subtle yet daring ways his father had fought back.
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