Where to Watch Black Like Me (1964) in the US

What it's about

Black Like Me is the true account of John Griffin's experiences of passing as a black man. John Horton takes treatments to darken his skin and leaves his home in Texas to travel throughout the South. At one stop, Horton encounters a black shoeshine man, Burt Wilson, who befriends him and shows him how to "act right" to fit more easily into the African American culture. Through Wilson, Horton learns the art of shining shoes. Most of his encounters with whites are quite degrading and disturb him. As a hitchhiker, John meets several white men who refer to black men and women in disparaging ways that anger him. Throughout the movie, John is harassed and persecuted by whites without reason. In one of his many stops throughout the South, John finds himself on a park bench sitting by a white woman. A white man walks by and says, "You'd better find another place to sit." Although he had a college degree, menial jobs were all that he could find. John meets Frank Newcomb whose son Tom is arrested for civil-rights demonstrations. John tells Tom about his "passing for black" in the South, and Tom becomes enraged. Tom feels that John could have served the plight of the black man in the South better as a white man. Frank asks John if people would believe the story. Tom says, "I don't know, but I'll tell them."

Cast and crew

Director

Carl Lerner

Writer

John Howard Griffin, Carl Lerner, Gerda Lerner

Starring

James Whitmore, Sorrell Booke, Roscoe Lee Browne

Details

Release date

May 20, 1964

Language

English, Latin

Country

United States

Awards

1 win total

Where to Watch Black Like Me (1964) in the US — common questions

Where to watch Black Like Me in the United States?

Black Like Me is available with a subscription, free with ads, free with a participating library card, or to rent in the United States. Watch the movie with a subscription on FlixFling. Watch the movie free with ads on Tubi TV. Watch the movie free with a participating library card on Fawesome (HD) and Kanopy (HD). Rent the movie on Apple TV Store (HD), FlixFling, and Prime Video (HD).

Can I stream Black Like Me or do I have to rent it in the United States?

Watch the movie with a subscription on FlixFling. Rent the movie on Apple TV Store (HD), FlixFling, and Prime Video (HD).

Can I watch Black Like Me for free in the United States?

Watch the movie free with ads on Tubi TV. Watch the movie free with a participating library card on Fawesome (HD) and Kanopy (HD).