The Content of Their Character

by Eric Hughes

When Eric Hughes’ father moved to New Jersey from the tiny Caribbean island of Anguilla, he envisioned for his family a life full of democracy, opportunity, and equality. What he found was a country still very much embroiled in the problems of racial discrimination. The Content of Their Character details Mr. Hughes’ experiences growing up in America. He spent his childhood in the relatively racially harmonious neighborhood of Perth Amboy, New Jersey. His father was not allowed to join the White unions to practice his skilled profession as a carpenter. He worked instead as a laborer. So opportunities were not abundant for young Blacks, but people were generally civil and accepting. Upon enlisting in the U.S. Air Force, Mr. Hughes was shocked by the blatant prejudice he encountered there and had his first experience with open separate movies theaters and water fountains for Blacks and Whites. Still dedicated to a life of service to the United States government after the Air Force, Mr. Hughes moved to Washington, D.C. to begin his civil service career in the State Department. It was there that he eventually had a chance to fight his battle for justice. With the concept of racial equality firmly instilled in him by his parents, Mr. Hughes challenged his employers when they repeatedly denied his requests for reassignment to higher paying administrative positions. Mr. Hughes eventually transferred to the Commerce Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, where he also challenged failure to grant him a much-deserved promotion. The accounts that follow are all too common stories of discrimination and red-tape within the U.S. government. With richly detailed narrative, The Content of Their Character scrutinizes racial discrimination in America and offers a compelling account of one man’s struggles for equality.

119 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000