The evidence of this is extensive. There have been two or three new biographies of his life in the last 10 years. In East Lansing/Lansing, his early life is studied closely by many local historians. There is even a Portable Reader with the research materials. While he grew up in a racist area and country, all indications are his early life involved day to day close interaction with the majority white community. Even after he got involved in petty crime and his family was torn apart by the murder of his father, it was a white family that assisted him. He worked at a diner just down the street from where I lived when he was there. His life has only begun to be studied closely. His father was a Garveyite but was not anti-white. he even was respected in the area because he worked hard and for himself. However, the Black nationalism of the Garvey movement probably got his father killed. That was never proven though.