General Non-Fiction - Feathered Quill

A White Duck in a Black Pond: Race, Identity, and Privilege

By: Dane Wycoff
Publisher: Atmosphere Press
Publication Date: June 24, 2025
ISBN: 979-8891326712
Reviewed by: Diana Coyle
Review Date: May 7, 2025

A White Duck in a Black Pond: Race, Identity, and Privilege by Dane Wycoff is a poignant memoir that will have readers eagerly turning the pages and hoping that Dane and his two siblings find some peace within their community and themselves as they grow up in the 1950s.
Dane and his two siblings grew up in an interracial family, with their mother being White and their father African American. One complication from this mixed pedigree is the children appear to be white-skinned and the location where they live is an African American community. This causes many challenges for the children, especially for Dane, as he believes himself to be fully African American despite his appearance suggesting otherwise. Dane never seems to fit in no matter where they live or where they attend school. Compounding Dane’s challenging life is the fact that his father doesn’t financially support his children.
This is a deep, soulful telling of how Dane and his two siblings felt and dealt with the many setbacks they were presented with as they grew up. Their mother did the best she could by working hard and eventually moving up the ladder at the bank where she worked, but their father never took any responsibility for financially, emotionally, or mentally raising his three children. Readers will feel the pain that Dane experienced at each stage of his life from childhood to adulthood. Growing up in the 1950s only complicated the already tough life Dane and his siblings had to endure through the years.
This book is filled with many emotions, and at times you can see how conflicted Dane felt as he tried to process the situations in which he found himself. As his mother moved up the corporate ladder at the bank, she was able to move herself and her children out of the projects to a better community in hopes of a better way of life, but this move was not an instant solution to the difficulties faced by Dane and his family.
Despite the challenges that Dane faced, he succeeded in furthering his education by earning his MBA magna cum laude. The resilience of this author should be viewed by all people as a form of strength while facing many adversities. It is a true testament that even when facing numerous hardships, one can still achieve greatness.
Quill says: A White Duck in a Black Pond: Race, Identity, and Privilege by Dane Wycoff will have readers cheering for the author as he faces each adversity head on. Readers who may be experiencing similar difficulties will empathize with the author’s experiences and leave with the message that strength and perseverance through difficult situations can help you build pride and character in yourself.
For more information about A White Duck in a Black Pond: Race, Identity, and Privilege, please visit the publisher's website at: atmospherepress.com/books/a-white-duck-in-a-black-pond-race-identity-and-privilege-by-dane-wycoff

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