The Man (novel)

"The Man" (1964), by Irving Wallace, speculatively explores the socio-political consequences in U.S. society when a Black man becomes President of the United States. The novel's title derives from the contemporary — fifties, sixties, seventies — American slang English, "The Man".

Plot introduction

As a novel, "The Man" — written before the 25th Amendment to the national Constitution — begins, the Vice-Presidency is vacant, because of the incumbent's death. Then, while overseas, the President and the Speaker of the House suffer a freak accident; the President is killed, the Speaker of the House dies in surgery. The Presidency then corresponds to Douglass Dilman, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, a black man earlier elected to "that" office in deference to racial tokenism.

Plot summary

President Douglas Dilman's presidency is marked by white racists, black political activists, and an attempted assassination. Later, he is impeached on false charges for firing the United States Secretary of State. Moreover, racially, one of his children, "passing" for white, also is targeted and harassed.

Allusions and References to current history, geography, and science

The Impeachment Trial of President Douglas Dilman closely parallels that of President Andrew Johnson.

Film, TV or theatrical adaptations

In 1972, the novel "The Man" was interpreted in the motion picture "The Man" (1972) featuring James Earl Jones as President Douglas Dilman, The Man.