John Howard Griffin, American author, photographer and journalist, was best known for his six-week diary journey into oblivion, Black Like Me (1961). He was born the second son of John Walter and Lena May on June 16, 1920, in Mansfield, Texas. Griffin had been thinking for years about how a white man should change to pass as a Negro, and in November 1959 he finally decided to test it by exposing himself to ultraviolet rays and ingesting pigment pills to darken his skin. After five days, the transformation was complete and Griffin was ready to venture into "oblivion." Griffin attended R.L. Paschal High School until age 15, when he left America in search of a classical education. After responding to a newspaper ad, Griffin and his family were surprised to learn that he had been offered a scholarship to a private boys' high school in France, Lycée Descartes. Even though he didn't speak French, Griffin persuaded his parents to let him go. Growing up with racist ideology in Texas, he was surprised to see white students eating lunch with blacks and began to question the racial segregation practiced at the time. Southern States of the United States Griffin then studied French and literature at the University of Poitiers then medicine at the School of Medicine, as well as an internship under the direction of Dr. Pierre Fromenty at the Asile de Tours (France), conducting experiments on the use of music as therapy for the criminally insane. Griffin's experience with non-racism in France helped him discover the great racial hatred displayed in the United States of America and inspired in him a commitment to understanding racism. At the age of 19, Griffin served as a doctor in the underground...... newspaper environment...... received the Saturday Review Anisfield Wolf Award for Black Like Me, the Christian Culture Series Award , and received two honorary doctorates from universities. Some of his quotes include “He who is less than righteous is less than a man.” » ; “How can you render the duties of justice to men when they can destroy you? » ; and “Every fool in error can find a passage of Scripture to support him.” John Howard Griffin had the courage to deliberately dare to confront racial discrimination. He wrote several other books on racial issues. He was often called upon to lecture on racism and its consequences, and he remained a controversial figure. Griffin died in September 1980, aged 60, from complications of diabetes and other health problems, but he is still remembered for his books, including Black Like Me (1961), the story of his six weeks of discrimination..