与美国传统不同，总的来说，在英国黑人和白人之间并没有细微的区分。在伦敦，除了为数不多的几家只对白人开放的俱乐部外，划分种族界限的场合很少。英国人没有肤色偏见，牛津的大学生活更是如此。就是在这样一种宽松的气氛里，我的关于种族和家庭的戒备心理松懈下来了。

England then, for the most part, was free of the fine distinctions between blacks and whites traditionally made in America. Except for some exclusive clubs in London, there were few occasions where racial lines were drawn. The color—blidness of England was especially true in the student life at Oxford. It was in such a relaxed racial atmosphere that all my defenses, about race and home, came down,