Think Black

I first heard of this book in a tweet from Mar Hicks. It’s a memoir by the son of the first Black systems engineer at IBM. He talks about both his father’s career and his own career at IBM, comparing the two – in some ways very different, in others not so much.

It discusses the struggles his father faced as a Black man working for an overwhelmingly white company. Needing to work twice as hard, being passed over for promotions, working to help other Black employees who came after him.

It’s very well-written, covering a bunch of topics about the intersection of race relations and technology. Each chapter has a distinct theme or message, with personal stories to add colour. It reads easily, and I think the stories will help it stick. I took a bunch of notes.

Excellent storytelling, important lessons, a perspective I haven’t read before.

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