Colored Boy (PB) (2017)

In Colored Boy, Olin Gaines Jr. spares no details in describing the harsh realities of life for Black Americans after the era of slavery. Centered in his home in Hartford, Connecticut, the book highlights the simple pleasures of life in the projects as well as the cruelty and injustice his family suffered throughout the 1900s. Gaines pays particular attention to a lawsuit he won against the State of Connecticut Department of Transportation, a victory for all who have suffered racial discrimination in the job force.

Gaines says, "Life is what you make of it," and Colored Boy illustrates one family's story of survival, making the most of a life met with extreme challenges. As his story demonstrates, racism and discrimination are still very much alive in America today, and this biography is an important one for readers interested in racial justice.

About the Author

Olin Gaines Jr. is happily retired and spends his free time writing and traveling. As a real estate investor, he is always on the lookout for a good deal and enjoys remodeling, especially the landscape of his own beautiful home in Florida.