Passing | Episode 1: Lost and Found

[@shecamt]

It's so wild because you can look at them and tell they are mixed.

[@elini9218]

Ikr

[@feemac6561]

Omg!! That's what I thought too!! How did their parents pass?

[@jeanettesdaughter]

What is your point⁉️ Duh. They’re talking about passing for white. Obviously, they’ve broken that racist one drop rule. Great that they found each other in spite of passant blanc. Blame white supremacist thought and practice that creates a need for people to deny their Black African heritage, which as we now know isn’t always visible. The sadness is that you get to live better by pretending to be all white not as you seem to gloss over the matter with “’ OMG, you can tell they’re mixed!”🙄

[@jeromemurry755]

They look no more white than my mixed race relatives! That part of Nebraska must have never seen black people!

[@inmyownwords9798]

Right Right

[@rockirichardson7583]

The fact that they're instinctively uninterested in embracing their black heritage speaks volumes on the existence of white privilege. This is their actual family with receipts. The black experience in America is nothing to opt into in anyone's eyes. I'm still however very proud of my family and roots. This was a great story to tell and told well.

[@abrahamisaacmuciusiii9192]

That family grew up as White so why would they just suddenly identify as Black people just because of their partially Black ancestry.

[@deejay5102]

_I just hope when reparations are finally doled out to the rightful descendants of those who ancestors built this country called America, these same "passing" individuals stay "passing" lol ..._

[@TinaThompsonPlayingtheField]

Wow! What a revelation, Robin. As a woman who just discovered that she was 37% black, this really resonates. Can't wait to watch more of this journey!

[@erinlevere6881]

Your hair is crazy curly

[@resilience4lyfe331]

@@erinlevere6881 and mine is straight... lol

[@dangercat9188]

Me too. I got 38% on 23 & me but lower on ancestry dna. But I look white af. Like French or even "black irish". Some people (even family) ask me if I'm sick and I'm not. I get weird red dots on my forearms when im exposed to the sun and it itches. I'm half Puerto Rican and Dominican so I been knowing i had African in me. It kinda sucks because people seem to have a hard time understanding. Why should you look at someone's ethnic background? If you vibe with each other then that's it! Y'all vibe. Quit the nonsense!

[@FreespiritRbelle]

I agree. No matter how much they look light bright near whight I see it . Something about their energy too powerful to miss it. I like a d respect the ones who find out are proud as opposed to the ones who resent.

[@superamanda]

@@FreespiritRbelle Absolute twaddle.

[@msoda8516]

My mother was mixed and had a brother who when she was 16 and he was 18 told her his was going to be white and she never saw him again. My mother spent her life in weird situations when she was around White people who didn't know she was part black and would often hear them say very racist things about black people.

[@lynnharris4878]

Exactly. And to me that's the main reason why I don't see how they could stomach passing back in the day knowing they're really talking about you and family too no matter how "good" the lifestyle was.

[@ravenrebel3183]

I’ve experienced this several times. My last neighbors in my old town violently hated black people. They thought I was just Latina (nonblack) so they’d let loose some insane racism.

[@camillethomas3631]

This is more common than people know

[@yamomma6479]

Louisiana alone is full of these stories...very common

[@jr-bc9rj]

Yes..... in my country there some pass very racist people

[@renaissancewoman100]

Most whites couldn't tell so many clubs had black people stand at the door to determine who was "passing". Most black people can tell but most whites absolutely can't.

[@williampresley4945]

I think a lot of people don't realize before 1972 Mexicans born in the US were considered white on their birth certificates and census Bureau accounts, as well as other non African races. So this is not too far fetched that light skinned blacks passed as white during the 1800 to mid 1900s and got away with it. What's weird to me is misleading your children and grandchildren into thinking they are a different race. And to just exclude your biological family from your current family for no logical reason other than race, just seems disturbing to me.

[@doloresw]

@@williampresley4945 I think that generate would rather go to their death bed without having to give up their skeletons they were hiding. I looked at their photos in the 70's and I am 50 so I dont know how they never sensed anything even if they were told they were Italian. Especially once your a teenager. But life is funny it must have happened if no one thought anything of their features.

[@intodaysepisode...]

I believe Black people can identify those passing much easier than others because we know how vast our tones are. I've always been of the thought group that J. Edgar Hoover was passing!

[@artartartart777]

Exactly

[@belizegal29]

He was passing and in fact outwardly racist towards Blacks.

[@olivebobo6885]

We can see color in people who are passing, it’s features hair texture it’s funny but it we can see it.

[@peabodyenglish8706]

Yes just one look the photos I can tell they are all biracial not passing!

[@peabodyenglish8706]

Becky looks so Black or mixed race

[@cynthiapickett7403]

I can relate to this story, but these people don't exactly look white!

[@JustMe-sg9ys]

I said the same thing. I guess people weren't that bright back then. None of them looked white to me

[@multiracefemalesm8247]

I absolutely agree with you, they do not! I can't understand how they passed.

[@multiracefemalesm8247]

@@JustMe-sg9ys lol , so true!

[@Msapril453]

@Chocolate Mandingo that is not true at all. It's all about the embalming

[@dontdomeboo81]

Right!😂

[@purplevamp3132]

My mother passed for professional reasons. She wore a wig. Although she married a White man (my father) she didn't hide it from him.

[@daisyb4614]

Did you pass too?

[@purplevamp3132]

@@daisyb4614 I'm honest about my background. Most White people don't really care. The most anti- Black racism I've had to deal with was from a Pakistani woman.

[@BronzeSista]

Did she disown her family? That is when it really bothers many Black people.

[@purplevamp3132]

@@BronzeSista Absolutely not! When my grandmother died, my mother lost all her strength and died 7 months later.

[@Trevorjennings679]

@@purplevamp3132Hello Pretty, how are you doing today, hope you’re fine and safe from the COVID-19 virus??

[@donnabanks7656]

Appreciate this story because our family has a similar story. My great grandmother's sisters disowned their family, married white men moved to a different state and passed as white. She also had children. I wished I could meet some of those relatives.

[@EvaAnika]

I don't know why the people back then didn't realize that you will have a baby who will pop up looking like Wesley Snipes. And then what will you say?

[@donnabanks7656]

@@EvaAnika Facts!!!

[@preferredproducts4565]

@@EvaAnika surprise!

[@bgcrp2005]

Why would she have a Wesley sniped baby if she also passing

[@ThatSuzanneSchmid]

​@@bgcrp2005she's probably exaggerating some, but yes, the offspring of someone with African ancestry and someone with no African ancestry can have darker skin than the parent with African Ancestry.

[@dwillwrite1]

I;m wondering how the cousin passed for white when she looks black.

[@gummithyxii1885]

Not that cousin her parents

[@dwillwrite1]

@@gummithyxii1885 But the parents never told them they were black leading their kids to believe they were white and I really don't know how they got away with it

[@realyzm]

She definitely does. She could pass Arab or maybe Latino but not white sorry🤷🏾‍♀️

[@Myopinionmattersthemost]

How did Willa Maes husband pass?

[@10byrdie]

These kinky afros have me weak. How in the hell did they think they were white?

[@karoberts2198]

Plenty of people have had kinky blond afros and look lily white. I've seen my share. Only the geneticist knows.

[@hatchettharley3186]

I looked at them and thought even beyond the afros, some of their facial features.

[@runningfromabear8354]

@@karoberts2198 Exactly. My Mum has frizzy hair and she's English. DNA test showed she's mostly Irish descent. A lot of Europeans have very frizzy hair.

[@glass9496]

😀😃😄😆

[@heavenleigh8273]

Jewish , Greek, Italian, all can have curls like that and features like that but have white skin 😂

[@minnied84]

This happened so often. I know a few lighter skinned families that have had adult family members "disappear". I found a famous deceased cousin on ancestry. The cousin and current family believe they descend from Native Americans. This person even joked about the ancestor white passing in a book. It's crazy. A black person, passing as a half white and indigenous, also passing as white.

[@catgirl24]

They should do a series on some creole families in Louisiana. Tons of them were passing back then. What they would do is marry others that were light like them so their offspring would look white. A lot of my family moved from LA to TX and my dad's cousin could pass but I don't know if she did or not. When my dad wanted to stay at her house to have time to find a house before he moved the rest of the family, she didn't want him to stay with him because he was too dark. Mind you, my dad was pretty light skinned. Ridiculous.

[@lisacox3750]

yes, that was very common in Louisiana. It reminds of the story of journalist Anatole Broyard. He as from New Orleans. He left New Orleans so he could pass for white. He didn't tell his wife until he was practically on his deathbed many years later. Then the wife confessed to the children. His daughter wrote a book about it.

[@amyj4438]

My family is from NOLA! This is facts. Family members have dipped and never been heard from again.

[@intodaysepisode...]

Facts! I'm from down the road in BR and New Orleans and Lafayette are towns with such fair skinned individuals. The creole and cajun community have such mixed lineage that it made it easy for certain people to pass.

[@rachelm.3173]

@@lisacox3750 I have the book sitting on my night stand. I haven't read it yet.

[@TheSouthernbell1231]

Mine too my family comes from ayolles parish my sister's kids are high yellow my nieces eyes are hazel

[@quantaeduncan9025]

OMG! This is my family! I'm a Ragin from Summerton, SC!

[@almmason7]

Wow, how do you feel about this???

[@romewylder5489]

i think u know them but they arent ur family.

[@quantaeduncan9025]

@@almmason7 not really sure how I feel, but not surprised about this about this information

[@quantaeduncan9025]

@@romewylder5489 not really sure what you mean by that 🤔

[@shay8916]

I'm a Mellerson/Taylor from Summerton

[@LexxiMerced56]

This reminds me of the movie "The Human Stain"..

[@tyndararobinson4405]

I definitely appreciate this story because this too is my family. Growing up in a military family never allowed me the full experience of being around my family. I remember traveling to Summerton, SC for the Watson -Ragin family reunions. This is amazing

[@Msapril453]

My great grandfather passed as white. He killed himself in his late 30's leaving the next 3 generations with nothing but questions. So,when I hear somebody talking about worshipping their ancestors I just shake my head in disbelief. If people only knew that the whole United states is so mixed up you dont know where you come from. Half the black race is really white and half the whites are black. Ppl seen black panther and ran with that ancestor stuff cause it wasn't even a thing until that movie. If you want to worship a bunch of mixed up people who didn't even want to be themselves then you are in for a hellish surprise.

[@whitneyshelton7786]

Soooo... Do you suggest we worship Jesus instead? Science proves that or ancestors and their habits , beliefs etc are passed down through us genetically. . Why need seek to understand what went on with our ancestors that make us who we are? Sorry for that loss of your grandfather.

[@Msapril453]

@@whitneyshelton7786 yes I do suggest that we worship,serve and glorify Jesus Christ.

[@Msapril453]

And thanks but I never knew him

[@dwillwrite1]

You are getting carried away saying half of black people are white. That is generalizing. Fact is more than 50% of blacks have European/Caucasian blood because of all the mixing from slavery and forward. Somewhere between 25 - 35% of whites in this country have African ancestry. I understand your disappointment with your ggg but you didn't walk in his shoes. Going forward seek rhe truth and teach your generation the truth.

[@Msapril453]

@@dwillwrite1 you think so? But you probably one of the ones out here protesting in a BLM movement and dont even know that a white man created it. And just what the hell am I getting carried away with? The fact I said dont worship your ancestors? Tf outta here

[@alantaylor9593]

Great video! I can totally relate to this because my Ohio family has been both black and or white or BOTH for many centuries starting way back since the mid-1600s in Virginia and Maryland. We migrated into Madison County, Kentucky by the late 1790s. Our earliest known ancestor was a mixed Virginian Powhaton Indian and black man who was taken as a child prisoner during the Powhaton-Anglo war. He then made into a indentured servant for Gov. William Stone in Charles County, Mayland. He later married a white indentured servant woman whom they had children and the rest is history! Today my family on average is 60% African and 40% European with native American.

[@mrsspawn1532]

My maternal grandmother is from South Africa and came here when she met my grandfather as he was a sailor and brought her back to the UK when she was 16. My grandmother was obviously mixed but would always say it was her "Italian blood" and would get very defensive if people would ask her about race. We have no records or pictures of her family, she never saw them again and we know nothing. She never went in the sun, would cover up always but still she got a lot of racial abuse when she came here as did my mum and her siblings. When I show people pictures of her, especially when she was young, people always react very shocked, and laugh when I say she was white. I get hesitant to ever post old pictures of her on social media because I get afraid someone will comment on it because I have no idea what to say.

[@carolrichards6299]

Dr

[@Wildflowers2022]

Why don't you do a dna 23 and me test or whatever they call it. It may help you find some of your relatives.

[@aquaabundance4077]

Aww. Touching story. You don't have to take on her burden and racial insecurities. Embrace all of you!

[@sedecim]

This is wonderful Lille sista. Helping folks find their blackness with love

[@morsecode9787]

Very DARK!!! The lengths they went through to shield the secret & maintain the legacy real & false. Realization is nauseating and my grandmother paid the price.

[@nyebots]

I wonder why the film maker opened up with the stand up joke about beards, oral sex and pubic hair? Seems out of place and overall, wasn't all that funny.

[@dontdomeboo81]

😂

[@SoffyLoves]

I guess she wanted to make it clear that that's who she is. Idk. It was so disjointed.

[@jenibo]

It caught me so off guard that I don’t think I want to continue watching- so weird

[@MelaniJohnsonn]

Nyema Botswana , I was taken back by all the vulgar perverseness... Maybe the beginning clip should be edited out...

[@pault9544]

I agree. It was off putting. Kind of made me not want to watch the rest lol.

[@reebok810]

Wow no way!! This is my family!!! So much nostalgia

[@daniellenone4251]

She’s just as much white as black, I hate that because you’re mixed with black you automatically need to claim black. I respect and understand her decision. As a black woman, I surely would have chosen the same route if possible during those times.

[@BronzeSista]

What times?

[@bebopnola]

You can’t be “just as white” when the definition of white was the absence of anything else. Whiteness is exclusive of any other race, whereas blackness is inclusive. You can be black with European ancestry and still stand in your blackness. Thats what African Americans are. Whiteness, however is based on the false concept of white purity and so once it’s mixed it’s NO LONGER WHITE. The entire idea of whiteness is that it’s absent of anything else. You obviously do not understand the social construct of race in America.

[@jaeshasway]

This happened a lot and still does to this day. People willing to forsake being black because they know that passing for white will give them a better life and the ability to exercise white privilege and privileges.

[@nyw443]

I watched the documentary and enjoyed it, however I really amazed how no one even thought they were black. What Italian or the ultimate, bohemian? I guess, told as a child from the start it could be considered for a while, however there is a huge amount of people who have African in the DNA in Italy, United States or any country not on the African Continent.

[@superamanda]

Cloud hangs the “they were passing” scarlet letter of shame on them. It’s clear from the brief and cursory family history, that she illuminates here that her Aunt’s husband was unable to find work in New York City so self ID and living as all white wasn’t optional. And it proved to be a wise decision as a means to survive within white America as they chose to have a whopping seven children! It’s doubtful a stable, safe life in The Bronx would have panned out. The Bronx was and still is a hard, polluted and dangerous place to raise children. What a beautiful, healthy life they were able to provide in Nebraska for their children despite the sadness of the situation. Who could blame them?

[@DeeAnderson-oj2hr]

The kids weren't the ones "passing". Now that they know the truth, I don't understand how Robin should think that they will immediately identify as black. It's obvious that some of Robin's ancestors were white, but she doesn't identify with them.

[@ThatSuzanneSchmid]

I'm not sure you can declare the life they had as beautiful and healthy. You should watch all 6 episodes. There were definitely ramifications due to the parents withholding the family background. The kids were teased in Nebraska for appearing Black. When Robin hopes to talk to one of the children of the parents who left Harlem (not the Bronx!), he cannot bring himself to show. Robin believes it is because he is angry from having been lied to about his identity and heritage. The situation may have resulted in some economic freedom, but at what cost? I don't really judge them negatively for their decision but I just want to point out something that should be obvious -- it was often a struggle, but plenty of Black people managed to support themselves and their Black families without passing and leaving families behind.

[@superamanda]

@@ThatSuzanneSchmid I saw all six episodes. You’re acting as if the comments of kids at school are going to somehow be the ultimate purveyor when kids go home to two parents who are not struggling economically and dealing with the Bronx, which is one of the most toxic places you can come from. There’s nowhere in this documentary that shows that they had a cross burned on their lawn or that they were denied employment. It’s perfectly understandable, but not every single family member wants to embrace their non-white ancestry. The parents were Multiracial despite White supremacy they did the best they could at the time

[@ThatSuzanneSchmid]

​@@superamandaI don't fault them for making that decision but I don't think that they necessarily did the best they could. Why do you keep saying they lived in the Bronx when it was Harlem? Plenty of Black people did not leave their families behind.

[@superamanda]

@@ThatSuzanneSchmid These were multi racial people so ideally not One Dropping. They navigated the system the best they could.

[@chillg3326]

No disrespect... they dont look white. You can see the mixed ancestry. The look biracial at best. Who's buying into this? Am I supposed to pretend to be blind?

[@amonduul2154]

Just say you are spanish or jewish or sicilian

[@snicholson8884]

@@amonduul2154 Bingo. But also, let's recall that this is now decades later, after we have all been exposed to lighter/fairer skin toned black people, who indeed identify as black. Back then there wasn't as much exposure. All you really had to do was straighten one's hair, bleach it blonde and say that you have a tan. The kids like they said were the exposure of their true identities.

[@jerryarispi8386]

Not a great way to start the doc.

[@tudormiller8898]

Biracial and multiracial communities are the future of the world. Watching from London UK.

[@melanatedcutie748]

No tf they aren't... continue breeding yourself outta existence if you want to that's fine for YOU. Those of us who love being Black and love Black people are going to continue creating black families. PERIOD

[@bebopnola]

Becky Joe knew she was black 😂

[@DJRenee]

My family only passed to work. Not created a whole new white life.

[@corlenajames1381]

That part💯💯💯

[@Myjhen]

Wow I am so happy for you tracing back your roots I have been trying to do the same but no one is left in my family to know anything that's why I started putting things together maybe someday one of my three boys will do the same to keep the family alive. I don't know how I came to watch your video maybe synchronicity. Good luck I am happy for you.

[@axjohn]

Italian? Yeah, SURE! 🤣🤣🤣

[@morsecode9787]

It's The Silence That Is Deafening.

[@Myopinionmattersthemost]

Im so shocked some passed

[@hudown2836]

I'm so sorry that side of the family didn't embrace you.

[@mrjamila88]

Wow so interesting. Beautifully family and history

[@axjohn]

“Italian.” 🤣🤣🤣

[@YourDailyChristianAffirmations]

Am I the only who paused the video long enough to realize that Robin Cloud's great great grandparents kids married their own first cousins??? @2:40

[@baileybutterfly320]

Wait! What! Girl

[@Tritone]

You read the chart wrong. Two brothers married two sisters. That's not incest. That would be like somebody marrying the sister of his brother's wife.

[@ThatSuzanneSchmid]

I don't think so; it appears that a set of siblings married an unrelated set of siblings. But even if they did, it's still legal in the Carolinas. You just can't marry your double first cousin. 🤣 In other words, the children of these people are not allowed to marry.

[@Rman775]

I'm sorry but I'm confused, what exactly were these people passing as? because it could NOT be white.

[@JtheCritic]

Usually these mixed people would say they were southern italian, sicilian, spanish, greek, etc. Southern European or middle eastern.

[@onlooker4564]

andrew sparks Ikr?!? Some of them, especially the boys, clearly are mixed race, either through obvious signs of skin colour, facial features and/or hair texture...

[@thekingofmoney2000]

Well there are different types of white people. Americans are only used to seeing the Northern European variety of white.

[@WTFVIDSok]

Interesting but I found the joke in the beginning to be crude and unnecessary.

[@almmason7]

Yes, it was out of place and not appropriate!!!! What if children watch this!!!

[@KishBish]

it was so ridiculous and in very poor taste.. I'm glad I started with part 2 and finished and came back to this after part 6 bc had I started here, I would've clicked away immediately and skipped the entire series.. which was really great and thought-provoking..

[@czarinaczar]

You and me both. 😬😬

[@mariahc.crawley884]

OPENING WAS KILLER! HAHAHAHAHAAAA!

[@MultiSmartass1]

Here's what I notice about this video: The young woman seems interested in finding out these caucasian relatives. Her own family seems content to leave it alone. Her mother notes that the relatives respected their privacy. Even her other relatives felt it was proper to let them live their lives. Thus the filmmaker doesn't really get the reality of the situation and understand the boundaries.

[@robinrashida]

Actually, the parents made the decision for the children and as it turns out the children were looking for their family too.

[@MultiSmartass1]

@@robinrashida That isn't the impression given in your series. One is led to believe you sought them out. In fact, it seems that some of the family members passed on talking with you on camera or meeting with you. I believe they did the right thing by not getting involved.

[@robinrashida]

@@MultiSmartass1 Sorry to inform you everyone is very happy with the documentary.

[@MultiSmartass1]

@@robinrashida No one has said anything about whether people like your documentary. No one cares about that. The problem isnt The series but the approach and tactics you took in choosing to seek them out. Best to let the past be the past.

[@robinrashida]

@@MultiSmartass1 I'm talking about my family members. They are happy to know their history now.

[@tiffanymflowers]

Had this same thing happen in my family but I don’t know who the lost relatives are at this point

[@Trevorjennings679]

Hello Tiffany, how are you doing today, hope you’re fine and safe from the COVID-19 virus??

[@enolamsamoht]

Reminds me of my dad's side of the family.

[@antoniokinsey4041]

There where countless “schisms” in families in those days, including my own family. Sad.

[@shay8916]

Wow my family is from Summerton, SC

[@tired_of_u_ppl7985]

But honestly Willa Mae did not look Black at all, but yes all her children did look Black

[@janedoe1229]

Thanks again for this well done production

[@Trevorjennings679]

Hello Jane, how are you doing today, hope you’re fine and safe from the COVID-19 virus??

[@shalanathomas7751]

This series was soooo interesting! I'm sorry you didn't get the reaction you were expecting, though...

[@OhGibZ]

Wait, Johnny Lane fam was black too. Wow - they were really pushing the limits. My fam is from Summerton too. I've traced most of the Ragin trees as well. I would love to see a follow-up from the Nebraska perspective.

[@vatricegeorge]

How could Johnny Lane ever pass as white? The hair, the face I just do not see white? Willie Mae also looks mixed race.

[@rigginhelga0222]

2:41 Anyone else notice that they married their 1st cousins?

[@jadkiss827]

So sad to have to deny/hide yourself to survive and make a living.

[@cookieDaXapper]

WOW, how disjointed was that, no resolution, the muted emotional pain on the aunt's face,.........wow. peace family.

[@ranestorypictures1738]

I liked Passing in spite of the tone of the opening standup routine being out of place with the rest of the film in my opinion.

[@jlblades4831]

I agree! So unnecessary.

[@claudinebcutie]

But they don't look white I don't get it

[@morsecode9787]

When Your Last Isn't Your Last Name / and you know it And it 's Today that has become a Problem.

[@pinkchilldivestmentor]

Doing research they all are visibly mixed. Come on now

[@markitajackson6268]

Sad situation although it still exists in our society today

[@SB-jn5ge]

thank you for this.

[@p.thompson5474]

The algorithm led me to this series after stumbling onto Danielle Romero's "Finding Lola" series.

[@hellepost1439]

Biracial Twins 👶🏼👶🏾

[@virginiadouglas9449]

God bless you all with love from T&T

[@Trevorjennings679]

Hello Virginia, how are you doing today, hope you’re fine and safe from the COVID-19 virus??

[@chrissierodrigues9302]

This is kind of like me but I often get asked if I’m Brazilian but my mother is black and German and my father is French and Native American with some posssible hint of Italian from his family living in puertorico when Columbus came with his Italian crew that learned how to speak Spanish to convert natives into Christianity!

[@kaleahcollins4567]

Because of ancestry I just recently found my white cousins wonder which is in her upper sixties herself and a fun fact she's related to me in 18 different ways on both sides of my family my maternal and my paternal on her maternal and paternal side but five six Generations back

[@user-eu2me4bp7j]

This is why the one drop rule needs to go. You can have black ancestry and not be "black."

[@5pctLowBattery]

And then stores like this happens: A DNA test said a man was 4% black. Now he wants to qualify as a minority business owner.

[@simonwinter8839]

And what is the agenda for the one drop rule to go ? So there can be privileged black people? I , according to my DNA heritage test,am 98.8%various Northern European heritage and 1.2% Nigerian heritage and wether anyone likes it or not,as I don't care what anyone thinks,am a black man. It is true to say that I get white privilege, strangley quite a bit from black or rather darker people than me as well as white people. However I always tell them I'm not white. In a way me receiving white privilege at least proves it exists as some people say it doesn't but it does. So by "dropping the one drop rule" means a two tier system for black people with some black people being "better" than others. Count me out.

[@ThatSuzanneSchmid]

Strange "takeaway" from this story. SMH 🤦

[@lindam6651]

Very enlightening

[@Trevorjennings679]

Hello Linda, how are you doing today, hope you’re fine and safe from the COVID-19 virus??

[@blackbutterfly5133]

No they don’t look white to us, but this was a different time.

[@slimtrain]

when I started doing genealogy,I discovered quite a few distant relatives who passed for White. I'm they had their reasons for it. Probably to escape racism, Jim Crow, etc. I'm sure some probably felt inner shame. Some probably did it and never looked back.

[@talisha5863]

It’s so weird that today we have so many people that know they have black ancestry or even have a black parent and they deliberately disassociate themselves with their black ethnicity and vehemently & proudly proclaim that they are not black.

[@Trevorjennings679]

Hello Pretty, how are you doing today, hope you’re fine and safe from the COVID-19 virus??

[@MondoBeno]

This was extremely common in the old days. Morton Downey Jr (the 3rd rate talk show host) had Black ancestors. George Herriman, of the Crazy Cat comic, was Creole from New Orleans. JP Morgan's librarian claimed to be Arab/Portugues. Anatole Broyard sort of passed (though his wife and friends all knew.)

[@blaqstatyic]

Im sorry..we show up. Period. Next??

[@sterlingferguson1704]

I was in Brazil and this subject is a none issue.

[@richardbug3094]

how did brazil solve it?

[@sterlingferguson1704]

@@richardbug3094 Although Brazil had slavery just like in the US, but in Brazil when the whites had children with the blacks, they were encouraged to own their offsprings. This came about because of the influence of the Catholic church in Brazil. In the US, US set up a one drop blood rule to segregate these people.

[@thekingofmoney2000]

@@richardbug3094 they would not be seen as black in Brazil. Biracial people are seen as biracial. Most countries do not have the “one drop rule.”

[@tone9446]

Her grandmother looks soo young

[@rustydevil7192]

This family reminds me of my own family for the exception we all knew we were black.

[@melanatedcutie748]

That whole part

[@morsecode9787]

WOW . one thing to hear of it in my family .Sad realuzation when you reaveal dissect & display yours it becomes Mirror for me. I know there will never be a reckoning let alone a reunion. Our true family is one of the wealthiest & most powerfuk in the world. Woukd probably exterminate the few of us outside to protect their legacy & fortune

[@devogrant2817]

For real if the truth be known !!!

[@nothingbutfacts1676]

Passing is betrayal at it’s highest form. If I had family which were passing, I would not want anything to do with them. Also, I would not consider them as family.

[@Jaham771]

If you couldn't get work and rejected over and over you would do whatever it takes to keep the family together.

[@corlenajames1381]

I feel the same way. I wouldn't want anything to do with them, either tbh.

[@corlenajames1381]

@@Jaham771 Lots of Black ppl had that issue of not being able to find work... Passing was a much deeper commitment than just economical advancement. That excuse is overrated in comparison to permanently cutting off the family that loved you to build & maintain a lie for your children & grandchildren to carry. How many times did they sit in the company of non-Black individuals who felt comfortable voicing their disparaging opinions of Black people around them just as they would any other 'white' person? How many times have their children felt a sense of superiority over other Black people or urged to steer clear of other Black people for fear of being found out? When there was no longer a 'need' for Black people to pass, which of their children sought a Black spouse to procreate with? Would a Black spouse be accepted amongst them in the first place? I highly doubt it. They left all facets of Blackness without any intention of ever looking back. That's passing.

[@onlooker4564]

@@corlenajames1381 My mother told me of some white/mixed race relatives of her father's side who have absolutely nothing to do with the black arm of the family. This is in the Caribbean...

[@resilience4lyfe331]

The fact is that I could not agree with you more. They have made their decision. And- it definitely doesn’t include us!

[@chinesestore47]

We are related!! Unbelievable!

[@renealvarez3968]

u can tell her family is BLACK not white!

[@okay5045]

The funny thing is black people could look at you and tell who is passing we just don't say anything but yes we talk about them later. Unapologetically black and unashamedly Christian

[@saranbaker]

wow. my family is of the surname Ragin!

[@dalexkom]

at 6:45 they all look white

[@irisshalurhad7901]

I don’t see how these people passed. I have many older cousins who looked much whiter than that and never tried to pass.

[@cynthiasolomon6383]

My father side of the Family are very High-Yellow/ Light-Skin Black folks, as a child the Story was they left the South/ Louisiana and moved to Canada and never looked backed because of the Racism they endured, so I have Family I will never know because they choose to leave their Blackness behind.Peace

[@Trevorjennings679]

Hello Cynthia, how are you doing today, hope you’re fine and safe from the COVID-19 virus??

[@radicalrealtor2118]

Just found your videos. You are absolutely hilarious…

[@jasminegary-glasper1761]

Thats A pretty family a pretty mixed family

[@cherylewilliams6530]

Technically? Foh.

[@RosanaDavies]

I am 65 and I have just found out that I passed for white all my life😂😂😂🥂🥂🕊️

[@jamielunes1841]

Passed for white?

[@Trevorjennings679]

Hello Jamie, how are you doing today, hope you’re fine and safe from the COVID-19 virus??

[@CosmicEremite]

This looks like a regular black family to me 🤷🏽‍♀️

[@deeanderson4164]

Willa Mae could pass for white, but Johnny did not look white to me. Both looked mixed, but the husband was more obvious that he came from a black family. Some of the kids looked more mixed than others, especially the sons with the texture of their hair. I'm surprised, and kind of doubtful, that the children never had suspicions.

[@barbarabobbyscott1560]

The friend in my passed look absolutely white. She even smelled white.

[@Trevorjennings679]

Hello Barbara, how are you doing today, hope you’re fine and safe from the COVID-19 virus??

[@Clairsmith123]

The first few seconds are DISGUSTING !!!!!

[@noreenperez8666]

Are we color blind,🤔or we pretend to be , I can see the features, the nose , the lips come on.

[@codzy3532]

im 61 dark and i can tell when ppl have black in their lineage they have a curl in their hair or their hair is coarse or jet black hair an green or blue eyes i believe justine timberlake has black in his line look at his hair before he got famous and he loves dancing an mj it comes out thru the line or thru our grandchildren too my 12 yr old grandson is coffee colored as i was married to a white guy my daughter looks white blue eyes her husband dark an my grandson i kid u not looks like prince

[@ajalyons2521]

Johnny looks like one of the Wayans family. I can see how Willa Mae passed, but not Johnny.

[@ArnitraFitzhugh-mx1gq]

Yep I have some biracial cousins who actually grew up with me and almost all of them are dating white boyfriends/girlfriends. They are Trump Supporters and are moving across country to predominantly places like Utah,Montana etc. It wouldn’t t surprise me one bit if they’re out there trying to pass on purpose. It’s really a sad thing to deny your existence

[@funkavellirecords7777]

A damn shame smh!

[@ThornyRoseV]

Those first seconds almost made me gag. How can people get hair in their mouth without puking?