Melton A. McLaurin is the protagonist of Separate Pasts, and we see the effects of segregation through his eyes. McLaurin is a professor of American history, and in this memoir, he explores America’s histories of racism through his own experiences growing up in Wade, North Carolina. He uses his autobiography to explore the segregated South at a moment of change. McLaurin was born in 1941 in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and grew up in the nearby town of Wade. He grows up in a well-off family with deep roots in Wade. McLaurin is the oldest of six kids. He works in his grandfather’s store throughout his youth.

McLaurin is a thoughtful young man who questions received authority. His interactions with people in the town demonstrate that he is social and curious about other people. He appears to be well-liked and polite. The memoir charts his transformation from accepting segregation to questioning the premises of white supremacy.

McLaurin keeps his memoir focused very tightly on issues of race and segregation. While his memories guide the book, he does not appear as a strong actor driving the incidents. As a result, we do not get a strong sense of him as an individual.