Shirlee Taylor Haizlip, in an effort to reconcile the dissonance between her black

persona and her undeniably multiracial heritage, sets off on a journey of

self-discovery. While searching for her mother's family, Haizlip is confronted

with the deeply intertwined, but often suppressed, tensions between race and skin

color when she discovers that some members of her family chose to “cross over”

and “pass” for white while others enjoyed a successful black life.

The Sweeter The Juice unveils truths about race, about our society, and about the

ways in which we all perceive and judge one another. Tracking the origins of both

families, Haizlip finally reunites two sisters--one "white", the other "black"--after

76 years. The Sweeter The Juice was a best-seller and is taught at over 200 colleges.

It was featured on Oprah, Larry King, Dateline and hundreds of media outlets.