Walking a mile in someone else's shoes can help you understand another person. but John Howard Griffin took it a step further. As a man of moral conscience and religious beliefs. Griffin was deeply saddened by the racial tensions in the Southern United States. He constantly wondered what life would be like if he were black and experienced discrimination solely on the basis of his skin color. With the help of a doctor in 1959. Griffin was able to darken his skin through oral medication and tanning. He also shaved his head to better hide his identity since he did not have the tightly curled hair that many black people have. With his changed appearance. Griffin began his six-week-long project of traveling through Louisiana, Mississippi. Georgia. and South Carolina as a black man. It was a startling experience. While shining people's, shoes in New Orleans. Griffin was surprised at how white people ignored him as if he were not there. He also saw how racial segregation made everyday life for black people harder. Sometimes he had to walk for miles in search of a restroom or a restaurant for black people. On top.of that, Griffin was subjected to verbal abuse and physical threats.