hmoulding said (in part):
>in Heinlein's day racial issues (suppose Juan had been black, and
>Carmen white?) were more clear-cut.
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Ah, but Johnny Rico is black or at the very least VERY dark. His face is seen in reflection (On a hatch cover?) in one short (suiting up) scene and it is clearly described as black. Chip Delany has often said that reading that scene was a defining moment for his love of SF, because at last he had a book hero who was as black as he was. Something very important to a 14 year old kid.
Of course, I must admit I never even noticed the referenced scene until
after I had read his comment. But as a Native American, I can attest to
the same reaction with some of Andre Norton's books.
Fred Ramsey
Curmudgeon at Large
Bookseller, Poet, Rabble Rouser
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