30 Days a Black Man: The Forgotten Story That Exposed the Jim Crow South

by Bill Steigerwald

The dangerous, trailblazing work of a white journalist and black leader who struck a shocking early blow against legal segregation In 1948, most white people in the North had no idea how unjust and unequal daily life was for 10 million African Americans living in the Jim Crow South. Then, Ray Sprigle, a famous white journalist from Pittsburgh, went undercover and alongside Atlanta s black civil rights pioneer Wesley Dobbs lived as a black man in the South for thirty days. His impassioned newspaper series shocked millions and sparked the first nationally aired television-and-radio debate about ending America s shameful system of apartheid. Author Bill Steigerwald returns this long-forgotten part of American history to its rightful place among the seminal events of the Civil Rights movement. For 30 days and 3,000 miles, Sprigle and Dobbs traveled among dirt-poor sharecroppers, principals of ramshackle black schools, and families of lynching victims. The nationally syndicated newspaper series hit the media like an atom bomb, eliciting a fierce response from the Southern media. Six years before Brown v. Board of Education, seven years before the murder of Emmett Till, eight years before Little Rock s Central High School was integrated, and thirteen years before John Howard Griffin s similar experiment became the bestselling Black Like Me, an unlikely pair of heroes brought black lives to the forefront of American consciousness."

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Race, Audiobook, African American, Historical, American History

336 pages, Hardcover

Published April 1, 2017

About the author

Bill Steigerwald has written five books since retiring from his newspaper career, his journalism/civil rights history book "30 Days a Black Man" (2017), and "Dogging Steinbeck" (2013), his expose of the fictions and lies John Steinbeck and his publisher put into "Travels With Charley." He wrote and edited "Undercover in the Land of Jim Crow," which reprints the 1948 series written by Ray Sprigle (the subject of "30 Days a Black Man." And in 2022 he wrote 'Grandpa Bear Goes to Washington," an illustrated "adult kids book" about a polar bear who goes to Washington to tell the politicians there that his species is not endangered by climate change. He is a veteran journalist from Pittsburgh who worked as an editor and writer/reporter/columnist for the Los Angeles Times in the 1980s, the Post-Gazette in the 1990s and the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review in the 2000s. His interviews and libertarian op-ed columns were nationally syndicated for about five years at CagleCartoons.com, and he worked briefly for CBS-TV in Hollywood in the late 1970s. Steigerwald's freelance articles, interviews and commentaries have appeared in many of the major newspapers in the USA and in magazines like Reason, Penthouse and Family Circle. He retired from the daily newspaper business in March 2009. He and his wife Trudi live south of Pittsburgh in the woods.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a little surprised by this, but in a good way. I thought it would be solely about Ray Sprigle’s sojourn to the South disguised as a Black man in 1948, but it was actually much more thorough than that. It is fully contextual of Pittsburg (his hometown), Black Pittsburg (which was home to several Negro League baseball teams, the largest Black circulation newspaper in the country, a thriving community second only to Harlem, and more), the state of news coverage and reporting, race relations around the country, and what was going on in politics in general. All of this was highly relevant to what Sprigle did, which was less (for him) about civil rights and more about chasing a good underdog news story – something he had done before when he had gone under cover as a miner, a mental ward patient, and in other roles.

The book is excellent in its set up, in the story of that month travelling through the South, and especially in reporting what happened after. So often a story is left to be just the “what,” and not the very important “what next.” This book covers both and all.

I started this book feeling somewhat annoyed that it took a white man going undercover to tell the story of Black Americans, but was swayed by the people in the book themselves. The head of the NAACP thought this was a brilliant idea and helped Sprigle pull this off. Black Americans at the time knew that the best way to get their story into the hands and minds of white Americans was through white media, and that meant a white reporter. He used the tools available to him to get a great story, and the Black community used the tools available to them. Everyone was pleased (except the Southerners who got called out).

This was a fascinating book, wonderfully written, that told a mostly forgotten piece of the history of white America being introduced to the injustice of the segregationist years in a heart-catching way before Emmett Till’s brutal murder or the regular appearance of the Modern Civil Rights Movement on TV.

[Linda Quick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a fascinating book that was extremely well researched and written. I'm sorry to say that I was unfamiliar with Ray Sprigle prior to reading it. Prior to starting the book, I thought it would be more about the experiences of John Howard Griffin in Black Like Me. I was stunned to read that a journalist had actually gone undercover in the Jim Crow south many years earlier.

The author introduces us to the time period by giving us a brief history of key figures of the time as well as the racial inequities that defined that period. He then traced Sprigle's travels and experiences, along with the societal impacts.

This is a haunting book that reads as easily as a novel. It should be required reading in our schools and by anyone interested in, or participating in, political activism. By reading this, you will learn more about what true oppression is and in the many ways an entire group of people were persecuted for something as trivial as the color of their skin.

I was stunned and humbled to read the lengths that one man went to to research the problems and then to try to effect change. Decades later, when this white woman was a child in the 60s, there was still tremendous racial strife, I can't even imagine how much worse it was during Sprigle's time.

Again, because it cannot be said strongly enough, this should be required reading in our schools. This is a must read - if I could give it more than 5 stars, I would.

[Kimberly Pinzon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

Unarguably interesting and informative, it wasn't what I expected. I thought there would be more direct resources from Ray Sprigle, rather than Bill Steigerwald's research on this event.

The book could get repetitive and the end was slow in coming, but this is also one of the most balanced reads about the pre-civil rights era South I've ever read.

[Amanda Esthelm · Rating 3 out of 5]

The way this man infiltrated the Jim Crow south seems pretty problematic, it’s hard to say if that is just because of the lens I’m looking through via present tense or not since he did seem to have a lot of support in doing this. I wish I’d heard more about his time in the south, it felt like a lot of back story on him which wasn’t what I was really interested in and because of that this book seemed to drag a bit.

[Livvy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting book! I never heard of Ray Sprigle and it was a good history lesson! A little monotonous at times but overall a very intriguing topic 🥸☝️

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so glad to have come across this book at the library. I'd not heard of Ray Sprigle (rhymes with Wiggle) before, and this telling of his story and the stories of the people around him in this particular experience was extremely intriguing. Also intriguing (and somewhat disheartening) was the cultural insight into the perspectives of those who both supported and disagreed with Sprigle's project - because the sentiments on both sides of the fence don't seem to have changed much since then.

In this book, the author quotes a review of Sprigle's book, describing it as "a book to make a white man hang his head in shame - provided he has enough moral maturity to recognize what is shameful." This book, for me, has a similar effect. It serves as a reminder of the poor choices our society has made in recent history, and a challenge to be active in advocating for continued progress and change.

[Ietrio · Rating 2 out of 5]

The title is nice and catchy. A perfect title to elicit attention. Only there was an article there. And this is simply a list of trivia from various sources. Sadly, not really about the referenced man whose name is not even featured in the title. There are much better books about the subject and about lived experiences and not from an armchair sleuth.

[Georgie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very impressed by this book. I have to laugh at some of the negative reviews, because it is clear the reviewers didn't actually read the book and just wanted to lower the ratings.

Bill Steigerwald did a great job presenting the information. I felt like he painted a great portrait of Ray Sprigle, his life, work and family. I was captivated by his descriptions about what was happening in Pittsburgh, in Washington, in the Jim Crow South as well as what was happening across the nation and the world in 1947-1957.

I was particularly interested to learn more about Walter White and Eleanor Roosevelt's work in civil rights and to learn, for the first time about John Wesley Dobbs of Atlanta. I had never heard of Mr. Dobbs and plan to learn more.

I also thought Stiegerwald did a great job of presenting opposing viewpoints (while making his own feelings on the issues presented pretty clear). He may not have liked the viewpoints of Hodding Carter, he was fair in presenting them.

Overall, this was a great book. I will highly recommend it to others and probably read it again.

[Sherry Elmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This excellent book tells a story that desperately needs to be told. I thought I had some knowledge of segregation and racism, but I knew such a small fraction of what was going on. Absolutely horrible. Should be required reading for high school students (and adults) all across this great land. My student will be reading this when he is the right age.

[Aaron Esthelm · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 maybe. I would have prefered to hear more details about the experience and less about the guy who did it. Not to mention the problematic nature of it. I plan to look into more black american voices on this book to get a better view of it.

[Vnunez-Ms_luv2read · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that all people should read. What a brave undertaking that these men did. To travel in the Jim Crow South, white, well respected reporter to bring to the masses how Black people lived. This book made me look up a few characters that were part of this magnificent book. To the author, I salute you. Thank you for this wonderful history. Wonderful read. To the author, publisher and Netgalley, thank you for the ARC of this great book in return for my honest review.

[Craig Wanderer · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are looking for a great expose as the title states, look elsewhere.
This is a book about Jim Crow filled with facts and meticulous detail by Stegerwald however he left out one thing, details of the Events of Sprigle as a Black Man in the South.
You are left with the impression that Sprigle's adventure to the south was nothing short of a cheap stunt, but you realize the stunt would lead to a desperately needed discussion on Jim Crow and Human rights.
I truly appreciate the work the Author put into this book and I learned more about Jim Crow Laws however I was expecting, as apparently others more of the undercover adventure itself.
Worth your time if you want to know more about the 1940s South and how it applies to today but the big adventure is lacking.

[Sugarpuss O'Shea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this book. Mr Steigerwald does a great job providing the reader with details about the people, places, & things which help to paint a picture of the world Ray Sprigle & John Wesley Dobbs traveled through in 1948. So good in fact, that you can't wait to learn how Mr Sprigle will describe his 30 day journey to the Jim Crow South. Unfortunately, you never get read his exposé. After all of the build-up about this "dangerous, trailblazing work," we only get to read a smattering of excerpts Mr Steigerwald chose to provide. Then, the book gets bogged down with letters to the Editor & a play-by-play of the Town Meeting debate. It's too bad that a story with so much promise, just fizzled out at the end.

[Veronica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to admit that reading this book was at times (for me) uncomfortable and really hit me emotionally yet it is a book that I will definitely read again and recommend others to read as well. I am humbled and awed at the courage of these two men who had the courage to go undercover and expose the horrible prejudice and bigotry of the South. Highly recommended.

[Homegirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea a journalist did a real life Black Like Me experiment years before the book was printed. Very informative!

[Chris Owen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful story!!! Very eye-opening.

[Edward Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book, I would read it again.

[Spellbind Consensus]

*30 Days a Black Man* recounts the extraordinary true story of white journalist **Ray Sprigle**, who in 1948 posed as a Black man and traveled through the Jim Crow South to expose the brutal realities of racial segregation. Written by journalist Bill Steigerwald, the book resurrects this largely forgotten yet groundbreaking act of undercover reporting that challenged white America’s understanding of systemic racism.

---

### **Core Premise**

In an era when segregation and racial violence were normalized and ignored by most of the white press, Sprigle risked his life to experience life as a Black man in the South — and to tell the truth about it to a national audience. His series, published in the *Pittsburgh Post-Gazette*, aimed to shake readers out of their complacency.

---

### **Key Elements of the Story**

1. **The Disguise**
Sprigle darkened his skin and, accompanied by Black NAACP activist John Wesley Dobbs, spent 30 days living as a Black man, moving through Mississippi, Georgia, and other Deep South states.

2. **Firsthand Exposure**
He encountered widespread poverty, constant humiliation, and the threat of violence that defined Black life under Jim Crow laws — an experience far removed from what most white Americans understood.

3. **The Journalistic Breakthrough**
The resulting 21-part series, titled *I Was a Negro in the South for 30 Days*, was one of the first major efforts by a white journalist to confront the nation with the full weight of segregation’s horrors.

4. **Public Impact**
The series gained national attention but quickly faded from public memory. Unlike later civil rights narratives, Sprigle’s story did not endure in the American consciousness, overshadowed by the work of figures like John Howard Griffin (*Black Like Me*) more than a decade later.

---

### **Historical and Cultural Significance**

* Sprigle’s reporting predated the Civil Rights Movement’s peak by years and provided rare, sympathetic coverage of Black life from a white, mainstream outlet.
* The book also examines why this groundbreaking work was forgotten, and how race, media, and history intersect to shape which stories get remembered.
* It illustrates how deeply ingrained racism was — not just in the South, but in the broader national willingness to look away.

---

### **Key Themes**

* **Courage in Journalism**: Sprigle’s journey was daring and dangerous, especially for a white Northerner crossing racial lines in the Jim Crow South.
* **Media and Memory**: The book explores why some historical acts of conscience are erased or minimized.
* **Systemic Injustice**: By walking in another’s shoes, Sprigle exposed the cruelty of a system designed to dehumanize.

---

### **Core Takeaways**

* *30 Days a Black Man* is a rediscovered story of journalistic bravery and a chilling portrait of racial injustice in mid-20th-century America.
* It reminds readers of the power of immersive reporting to challenge dominant narratives.
* The book encourages reflection on how stories of injustice are remembered—or forgotten—and who gets to tell them.

[Randall Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be an interesting portrayal of the Jim Crow South in 1948. I realized after I started it that this is actually a book about another book - In the Land of Jim Crow by Ray Sprigle. This book is about Ray Sprigle, who was a reporter for a Pittsburgh newspaper, and went "undercover" as a black man in the South for 30 days. This book (30 Days a Black Man), tells the larger story of who Ray Sprigle was, what Pittsburgh was like in 1948, the publishing of Sprigle's book in 1949, and some of the after effects of that book. The parts of Steigerwald's book that dealt with Ray Sprigle's journey in the South were quite interesting, but the last part of the book, discussing the publishing of his book and the controversies surrounding it, was definitely not as gripping. So, overall, while I'd recommend this book, if I had realized that it was a book about a book, I might not have read it. As a side note, I think very few copies of Sprigle's book were ever published (maybe a few thousand copies), so perhaps Steigerwald's book is the best way to read Sprigle's story.

[Arminda Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the concept of this book but thought its telling didn’t keep me fully engaged from start to finish. I really enjoyed the beginning in which the history of Pittsburgh was established against which the overview of the Jim Crow South was contrasted in broad strokes. I was fascinated by the journey through the south, led by John Wesley Dobbs , who I thought was the most intriguing and important character in the entire book.

After Ray Sprigle returned north and the story continued as the author overly details the debates and some controversy surrounding the publication of his series and I frankly lost interest.

I would much rather have learned more about Mr. Dobbs’ legacy.

Overall, the story fascinated me and I believe it to be a valuable look inside a piece of our unseemly history.

[Jennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a Southern history buff, I'm not sure how I have gone so long without hearing about 30 Days a Black Man, the account of Ray Sprigle's undercover mission in 1948 to pose as a black man in the deep south. He recounted the social and economic situations of intimidation and white supremacy that dominated the region for years.

The writing is an engaging mix of facts and narrative that kept the story in context and reminds the reader of what the situation was like in that region directly after our victory in World War II.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys American history (particularly it's less-than-shiny side) as well as to those who enjoy investigative journalism and its history.

[Mike Pollack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good informative book about Jim Crow in the South. I agree with on review I saw that I was a bit disappointed by the lack of excerpts from the original work by Ray Sprigle included in the book- a few more would have been nice. The book does go into some good detail on a number of others involved with Sprigles 30 day trip, this gives a nice rounded picture of things. The latter chapters present some counter arguments to Sprigle made by contemporaries and follow-on events, these did leave me wondering how important and influential the original truly work was.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1948 a reporter went to Florida, worked on his tan for three weeks, and then traveled around the South for a month to see what it was like to be a black man. This book describes that experience. This is quite a story and I learned a lot reading the book. I wonder what it would be like to try this in today's America?

[Suzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

i was born in 1954 but grew up in a mid size southern california town and had no idea of the atrocities that went on in the south. some of this book was a bit dry...too much like history class...but mostly very interesting. how sad that black people were treated so unfairly. God made us all equal and we should remember that it doesn't matter what color your skin is; we are all the same.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not what I expected, but very informative.

[Udine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This should be required reading for all Americans. What a heartbreaking tale of how we have treated our fellow Americans. I am sure this book did not even scratch the surface of the ugliness too.

[Jessica Barringer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book should be a staple in all US History classes. Insightful and well written. There's nothing like a good book to help you realize how much you don't know but should.

[Eric DeGroot · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Genia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned much by reading this book and am so glad I read it

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and fascinating story. One of the most well-researched books I've read in a while.