You’re probably here because you’re trying to connect the dots. Maybe you were reading Tommy Orange’s powerhouse novel There There and saw the name Edwin Black, then wondered if he’s a real person, or perhaps you’re looking for the investigative journalist Edwin Black and got tangled up in a search algorithm. It happens. Search engines love to mash similar names together even when they belong to entirely different worlds.
One is a fictional character—a young Cheyenne-Arapaho man searching for his father and his identity through the digital lens of the internet. The other is a relentless, award-winning historian known for exposing the dark underbelly of corporate complicity in the Holocaust.
They couldn't be more different. Yet, in a weird way, both are obsessed with history. Both are trying to figure out how the past dictates the present. Let’s actually look at why this confusion exists and what you need to know about both "Edwins."
Why the Character Edwin Black in There There Matters
In Tommy Orange’s There There, Edwin Black is one of the most relatable, if slightly painful, characters to read. He’s stuck. He’s a "digital native" who has spent way too much time in his mother’s basement, constipated—both literally and metaphorically—by his lack of connection to his heritage.
He’s biracial. He’s "Indigenous" on paper but doesn't feel it in his bones yet.
Edwin represents a very specific modern struggle. He’s earned a master's degree in Native American Studies, but he feels like a fraud. Honestly, isn't that just the most millennial/Gen Z experience ever? Having the credentials but feeling like you’re just playing dress-up? His arc in the book is about moving from the screen to the real world. He gets an internship for the Big Oakland Powwow. He tries to find his dad on Facebook. He’s trying to bridge the gap between a history he read in books and a life he’s actually living.
If you’re researching Edwin Black because of the novel, you’re looking at a character who embodies the "Urban Indian" experience. Orange uses him to show how identity isn't just something you're born with; it’s something you have to actively go out and claim, often through a lot of awkwardness and digital trial-and-error.
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The Other Edwin Black: The Man Who Wrote IBM and the Holocaust
Now, flip the script. If you aren't talking about a fictional character in Oakland, you’re likely looking for the real-life Edwin Black. This guy is a heavyweight.
Black is an investigative journalist whose work usually makes people in high-up boardrooms very uncomfortable. His most famous book, IBM and the Holocaust, blew the lid off how punch-card technology was used to facilitate the Nazi regime’s efficiency. We aren't talking about "what ifs" here. We are talking about meticulously researched, paper-trail-heavy history.
His writing style is the polar opposite of a contemplative novel. It's aggressive. It's dense. It’s built on a foundation of millions of documents.
Why the overlap happens
People get confused because both the character and the author deal with the concept of "The There." In the novel, the title There There refers to a Gertrude Stein quote about Oakland having "no there there," which Orange repurposes to talk about the displacement of Native people. For the journalist Edwin Black, his "there" is usually a specific historical event that people have tried to bury or ignore.
- The Character: Searching for a personal "there" (identity).
- The Author: Searching for a historical "there" (truth/accountability).
Breaking Down the "There There" Connection
When you search for Edwin Black in the context of the novel, you’re usually looking for character analysis or study guides. He’s a lens through which we see the themes of the book:
1. The Internet as a Double-Edged Sword
Edwin spends his life on the web. It’s where he finds his father, but it’s also where he wastes his life. It’s a tool for connection and a cage for isolation.
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2. The Physicality of Identity
There’s a lot of focus on Edwin’s body. His weight, his digestive issues, his physical discomfort. Orange uses this to show that being "Native" isn't just an idea—it’s a physical reality that interacts with the world.
3. The Search for the Father
This is the classic trope, but handled with a modern twist. It’s not a grand quest; it’s a series of messages on social media. It’s messy. It’s human.
The Real Edwin Black’s Body of Work
If you actually meant the author, you should know he doesn't just write about IBM. His bibliography is a roadmap of 20th-century corporate and political ethics.
He wrote Internal Combustion, which looks at how the world became addicted to oil. He wrote War Against the Weak, which tracks the history of American eugenics and how it influenced Nazi ideology. These aren't light summer reads. They are brutal looks at how systems of power operate.
One of his most significant contributions is the "Black Red Ribbon" series, which focuses on the history of the Middle East and the Farhud. He’s a guy who lives in the archives. If the fictional Edwin Black is trying to find himself, the real Edwin Black is trying to make sure the world doesn't forget who it actually is.
Correcting the Misconceptions
It’s easy to see a name and assume a connection. Some people have even theorized that Tommy Orange named the character after the journalist as a "meta" nod to historical investigative work. There’s no hard evidence for that. Orange has talked extensively about how his characters are often amalgams of people he knew in Oakland or versions of his own internal struggles.
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The fictional Edwin is a Cheyenne-Arapaho man. The journalist Edwin is the son of Holocaust survivors. Their backgrounds are distinct, their purposes are different, and their "voices" occupy totally separate spaces in the cultural zeitgeist.
How to Approach This if You’re a Student or Researcher
If you are writing a paper on There There, focus on the character's relationship with his mother, Karen, and his eventual meeting with Harvey. Look at how his "constipation" breaks when he finally starts moving toward the Powwow. That’s the narrative payoff.
If you are researching the journalist, go straight to the primary sources he cites. His work is controversial in some circles because it’s so confrontational, but his documentation is generally considered robust.
Actionable Steps for Understanding the Context
To get the most out of these two very different "Edwin Blacks," you should categorize your research immediately to avoid getting the facts crossed.
- Read the Stein Quote: Understanding Gertrude Stein’s original "no there there" comment about Oakland is essential to understanding the character Edwin Black. It’s about the loss of a childhood home, which Orange expands into the loss of ancestral land.
- Check the Bibliography: If you’re looking at the author, ensure you’re referencing the 20th Anniversary editions of his books, like IBM and the Holocaust, as they often contain updated documents and responses to critics.
- Differentiate the Mediums: Remember that the fictional Edwin is a vessel for thematic truth (the "Urban Indian" experience), while the real Edwin is a vessel for literal truth (historical records).
- Explore the "Urban Indian" Concept: If the character Edwin Black resonates with you, look into the work of the Intertribal Friendship House in Oakland. It’s a real place that influenced the book and helps ground the fictional narrative in real-world history.
Sorting through these two legacies—one fictional and one historical—requires a bit of mental gymnastics, but it’s worth it. One tells us who we are in our heads, and the other tells us what we’ve done with our hands. Both are necessary for a full picture of the modern world.
To dive deeper into the themes of Tommy Orange's work, examine the 1969 Occupation of Alcatraz, as it serves as the historical anchor for many characters in the book, providing the "there" that many, including the fictional Edwin, are desperately trying to find. For the journalist's side, start with the archival footage of the Nuremberg trials to see the end result of the systems he describes in his investigative work.