THIS review is for "Honorary White" by E.R. Braithwaite March 12, 2006 By R. Smith
This is about the author of "To Sir, With Love" going to South Africa while apartheid is still in effect. Again, as in "A Kind of Homecoming," he is a witness to history, and it's always more interesting to read a first-hand witness's accounts than just the usual media "sound bites"--especially a witness who's always so honest about his reactions and feelings (e.g. actual dismay at having his visa application APPROVED after he learned the South African government had Unbanned his writings--reminded me of when I asked my parents if I could go to my first dance in junior high & was COUNTING on their "no" as an excuse for avoiding something I was scared to death of, and then they said "yes," leaving me having to either find another excuse or face my fears!) The title comes from how the South Africans considered him in order for him to get treatment and privileges that the resident blacks were denied. =================================================
Braithwaite (E. R.) HONORARY WHITE. New York: McGraw Hill (1975) Cloth, dw, 190pp. Braithwaite's first hand report of South African apartheid. The title refers to his official status as "Honorary White" that gained him, as a noted Black author, admittance to restricted hotels and other public places.
================================================== Honorary whites From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Redirected from Honorary white) This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (September 2007)
Honorary Whites is a term which was originally given by the apartheid regime of South Africa to the Japanese after they formed a trade pact with Japan to sell 5,000,000 tons of pig iron worth $250 million. Tokyo's Yawata Iron & Steel Co. offered to purchase 5,000,000 tons of South African pig iron over a ten-year period. With such a huge deal in the works, South Africa was not able to show disrespect that would be shown to the Japanese that now would regularly visit the country for business. Soon, Pretoria's Group Areas Board announced that all Japanese from here on would be considered white, at least for purposes of residence, and Johannesburg's city fathers decided that "in view of the trade agreements" they would open the municipal swimming pools to Japanese guests.
Under the rules of apartheid, Asians in South Africa for years were subject to many of the same restrictions as the blacks. One law forbid their sex relations with whites; another forced them to live in nonwhite areas. They could not buy liquor without a permit, were not allowed in white hotels and restaurants. The government of Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd changed these rules for Japanese nationals after the trade pact.[1] Likewise Honorary White status was granted to, South Koreans, Taiwanese and other Nationalist Chinese, but not to Chinese from Communist China, out of diplomatic considerations - namely, the (then) anti-communist alliance between South Africa and Nationalist China.
Since the 1960s until the fall of Apartheid, Honorary Whites were granted practically all the privileges held by White South Africans, except that they did not have the right to vote, and (in case of males) were exempt from conscription.
The term was sometimes also used to refer to Asians in other "White" Western countries, especially Asian Americans (primarily the Chinese) in the United States.[citation needed]
In addition, some foreign elite black athletes like the West Indian rebel team who were invited to South Africa during the apartheid regime, were awarded "Honorary White" status to circumvent legislation.
[edit] References ^ Time, January 19, 1962
[edit] See also Asians in South Africa Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honorary_whites" Categories: Apartheid in South Africa | Ethnic groups in Asia | Ethnic groups in South Africa | Multiracial affairs | Race (historical definitions) Hidden categories: Articles needing additional references from September 2007 | All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements since June 2008 ===================================================
BIOGRAPHY OF DR. EDWARD R. BRAITHWAITE
Dr. Edward Ricardo Braithwaite, is the internationally known author of the bestseller "To Sir With Love," based on the author's experiences as a teacher in a tough section of London. The bestseller book was later made into a popular movie starring Sidney Poiter and whose title song was sung by the 1960s pop star, Lulu. Today, the book is still popular with a new reprint edition along with a release of the movie on DVD.
His early work could be characterized as one of the first reflective memoirs on teaching to receive international attention. This early work is still considered one of the best. Although Dr. Braithwaite has published many other novels and books, "To Sir With Love," remains to be currently cited as containing important tenets relevant to today's youth and our educational institutions.
Dr. Braithwaite has the wisdom and insights on teaching and learning based on 5 decades of classroom teaching. He comes from a family of scholars, with his mother and father both being graduates of Oxford University in History and Engineering. Braithwaite graduated from Cambridge University, Cambridge, England with a specialization in Physics. He also received honorary doctoral degrees from Oxford University and La Sorbonne -University of Paris. He has a long international career. He served as Ambassador to the United Nations for Guyana (4 years), and Guyana's Ambassador to Venezuela (3 years). In addition, Braithwaite was an educational consultant and lecturer for UNESCO in Paris for 5 years.
Dr. Braithwaite also has been on the teaching faculty and served as writer in residence at New York University and Florida State University. He is currently Writer in Residence at Howard University and teaching Honors English. In addition to being busy on his own personal and professional writings, he also publishes Faces and Voices: An Anthology of Student Literature from his honors seminars. Dr. Braitwaite also is on the Board of Trustees of the Krasnow Institute at George Mason University.
Posts: 5454 | From: Holland | Registered: Aug 2008
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Wow didn't know that! Theirs so much I don't know, but I'm trying to learn now, thank for the 411.
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