Review of Incognegro

Mat Johnson’s graphic novel “Incognegro” may be a story of the past, but many of the themes are still relevant even today. It is a story that takes place in the early 20^th century and follows the character of Zane Pinchback an African American reporter that is able to “pass” as white and infiltrate the lynching mobs of the south in order for exposure in the north, he refers to this risky assignment as going “Incognegro”. This is a story of history, a story of when racism was much more visible than it is today, but it illustrates many aspects of race and themes that play a big part in racism in 21^st century society.

Zane just barely made off with his life from the last mission of going “Incognegro”. He was welcomed in to the event of a lynching and he begins gathering names and addresses pretending to gather information for the people to receive postcards. The leader of the mob and member of the klu klux klan head office, Huey, finally figures out that Zane is black and the group begins chase. Huey later points out his great ability to see ones blackness even if they have pale skin. This is a very strong example of racialization and white privilege, Zane is allowed in to the group as he has “passed” as white but once the southerners label him a negro he is immediately dismissed and deemed the enemy.

Zane wants to quit reporting on lynch mobs and putting his life at risk, but he has to return to the south when he finds out his brother, Alonzo, has been put in prison for killing a white woman. Huey, the kkk member, finds out that Pinchback is in Mississippi and is now on the hunt to expose and therefore racialize him to the population, he feels it necessary to identify Zane as being black and therefore categorizing him as the enemy. I think that the Huey is a symbol of whiteness and the need to categorize and racialize groups like today, this man wants to reveal Zane and Carl as blacks even if they have pale white skin as if it is an offence for them to be privileged like a white person . This quote pretty much sums that up “If there is one thing I knows it’s niggers, and in know a nigger when I see one, no matter how pale his skin might be”. A this point in the story Carl is enjoying a very fancy dinner with the upper class white people of the town, who are very much enjoying his company, but that changes when it is revealed that he is a black playing white and so they all grab their ropes and pitchforks. This is a prime example of white privilege in which Carl is able to enjoy so many things and he is treated as an insider, enjoying the advantages within the white’s inner circle.

Carl is hung in the center of town as the townies believed they had caught the infamous “incognegro” and Zane and his brother Alonzo are able to escape with their lives back to New York. Zane reveals the identity of the “incognegro” by putting a picture of Huey, the kkk member, in the paper and therefore Huey is immediately categorized as a black. The southerners grab their ropes and pitchforks again as they go after Huey.