The Color of Water by James McBride is an autobiographical novel that tells the story of a young African-American man's search for identity and his discovery of the truth about his mother's past. Through the narrative, McBride explores the themes of race, family, and faith, and
From Wikipedia
The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother, is the autobiography and memoir of James McBride first published in 1995; it is also a tribute to his mother, whom he calls Mommy, or Ma. The chapters alternate between James McBride's descriptions of his early life and first-person accounts of his mother Ruth's life, mostly taking place before McBride was born.