Passing | Episode 2: Homecoming

In the heart of South Carolina’s low country, it’s time for the annual Ragin/Watson family reunion. This year, Willa Mae’s daughter, Becky Jo-who had no idea her parents was black-will meet her relatives for the first time.
Directed by Robin Cloud
Watch the series: • Passing
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PASSING:
For decades, African American comedian and filmmaker Robin Cloud had heard tales about the “Nebraska cousins,” a branch of her family that moved away from the East Coast to pass for white in the rural Midwest. In this six-part series, Cloud attempts to find and understand the motives of the relatives who left everything and everyone else behind, and documents how their progeny grapple with the revelation that they aren’t who they thought they were.
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Topic is an ambitious entertainment & storytelling studio from First Look Media, dedicated to working with creators at the forefront of culture.
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[@710MaryJane]

The second I saw Becky Jo, I could see she was an African American woman. Your story reminds me so much of mine. My mom used to tell me, "there is no shame in being Black, what is a shame, is the way they treat us for being Black." But, it's too much to write here. OK sister, until next time.

[@jasminepearls1047]

Yeah it didnt fool me. She couldnt pass around me because its top obvious.

[@MariaEOD]

Mary Jane Cornielle So true!! Sadly, it seems to me the main ones they “fooled” were indeed, themselves!

[@ebonynaomi1085]

I clocked these people immediately. Their phenotype Looks similar to alot of my family members.

[@angelajohnsonkeys4199]

From Josephine Baker Story paraphrase, It aint a crime to be Black but it's a heap of inconvenience!

[@PsychicMedium4747]

She is mixed race.... so many ignorant people in this thread. AA means what? No identity. AA mostly come from west African Bantu people and they are not light skinned people with soft curly hair. Light skin and soft curly hair comes from mixing white and black. Those family members are mixed race people. Black and white.

[@CosmicEremite]

Giiiirrrl...! Who in the hell would think Becky Jo is white?!?!

[@covergirlnomakeupb4414]

😅😅

[@edoublezz]

Clueless ppl

[@marthaalexander7362]

Right!😂

[@backto-il9ne]

BIIIIISHHHHH !!! I was thinking the same damn thing 😂😂😂😂😂

[@44zeex]

"We rollin incognegro let's go" Best joke ever fam!

[@esiana]

They all look alike! Once they saw each other at the airport... those faces are the same!

[@tangee8252]

You can't hide from blackness. It will manifest even thru you great grandchildren

[@LibraGoals]

African dna is the strongest. Cannot run from it.

[@PsychicMedium4747]

You are wrong... many mixed race people look all white. Paula Patton is biracial and her son looks 💯 white. The sun dad is robin thick he is all white. But mixed people can look all white

[@DorothyDandridge]

@@PsychicMedium4747 so true. Another example is Victoria Rowell who played Drucilla on the daytime soap Y&R. She is biracial but brown skinned (meaning she looks African American; cant tell she is half white). Anyway her first husband was white and she has a daughter named Maya Fahey who looks 100% white - blond hair and blue eyes; her facial features look white too. I’m going to make a generalization here about what I notice is most biracial people who mix when the mother is biracial and the father is white the children tend to look more unambiguously white. The argument is that the father’s genes is dominant for phenotype which determines their off spring skin color and eye color.

[@PsychicMedium4747]

@@DorothyDandridge well actually that is not true. Example, Tia and Timarra both have a white dad and black mom but they look more AA vs Jennifer beals who has a very dark skinned black father and white mom. The singer Halsey has a mixed race dad and white mom and looks all white. So that’s not true. It depends on the father abd mothers genes. Tia has two kids by white hubby and they both look mixed the daughter looks like a regular biracial child but more on the darker side. It is not always always about skin tone but more about facial features and hair texture. Also, if the white parent is dark haired and dark eyes makes a difference verses a white parent who is blond and blue eyes. My case... I am light skinned but on the darker end but my hair texture is def more european ( Mediterranean) so that instantly puts me in a different category by people who are not sure what I am. My fiends are biracial and very light skinned but they have 4 type hair and people see them as AA. So, you see it has more to do with hair texture and facial features. You can be super light but if the hair is 4 c people see you differently vs someone who has European hair and dark skinned

[@PsychicMedium4747]

@@DorothyDandridge to me victoria looks biracial though she has white facial features. She does not look west African Bantu

[@mikeaskme3530]

I am looking at Becky Joe and wondering how anyone in Nebraska could not see a "black" woman, I mean come on are they all blind in that state. The love that her husband had for her, had to be overwhelming for him not to admit it to anyone especially his family good on him.

[@Wildflowers2022]

They probably had no more than three Black people in the state when they got there. No wonder they didn't know., Those people probably didn't know what they were.

[@crystalsparkman1815]

We probably do!!! I live in Omaha, Nebraska and see a lot of people & questioned if there black!!!

[@andreafraser7899]

Maybe the cousins that just found out they were black needed time process it away from the camera.

[@corlenajames1381]

😂

[@mimij4660]

😂

[@thewordsmith5440]

It's so obvious it's actually is kinda sad that they went around denying it. Especially the grandad's picture.

[@dGuthrie1-hc2rx]

Lol

[@steveriggan8944]

Interesting story. My mother and I did DNA tests several years ago and both of us had some African DNA which was slightly surprising but yet not since we come from Southern family. After 7 months of looking at DNA results of other cousins, we were able to find they had it too and it was through my maternal grandfather’s mother’s family who we really didn’t know much about. They originally came from North Carolina and were from a historically “free colored” family of mixed African, Native American and white ancestry in NC and VA since the late 1600’s on record, many of whom could pass for white and did without revealing their heritage to future generations of the family like mine! That was quite a find. Myself and my mother, my aunts, uncle and many cousins all DNA match to many black and mixed race families in NC who are from the same bloodline. It’s been wonderful to connect with them and learn more about our history because many of them know it well.

[@mariet4004]

Any connection to the Johnson or Norwood families? I am looking myself! Similar story in NC.

[@steveriggan8944]

@@mariet4004 I can’t say I have seen the names Johnson or Norwood in mine. The names that pop up a lot in my DNA matches are most particularly Bass followed by Richardson, Pettiford mostly. We can’t establish the connection to any of these names because of the records brick wall in my line. Hopefully something opens up to follow the trail again.

[@ladweeb1798]

@@steveriggan8944 Take it from me, try to open up those brick walls while they are still alive. My great Aunt died with without telling me who my great grandfather was. Apparently it was a secret.

[@ct6926]

You should look into the Redbone people. They were a mix of African, Native American and white. Some were considered mixed, some white, some black and some their own ethnicity in the different areas they settled.

[@ct6926]

@@mariet4004 look into the Redbone people, Johnson was a popular surname. Not sure about Norwood though.

[@TinaThompsonPlayingtheField]

That look you get when the truck circles back really explained a lot of the problems in our country. Shouldn't have to be like that.

[@mrjamila88]

Playing the Field Productions Tina Thompson yes so true! A lot of black people would feel like that. Scared . So sad

[@TinaThompsonPlayingtheField]

@@mrjamila88 breaks my heart. Especially as a woman who is passing for white. I don't get that same ugly treatment. But, I see a lot of others who do.

[@kiaj.d.5855]

@@TinaThompsonPlayingtheField you're passing for white? Please expound if you don't mind.

[@roslynsamuria7309]

a gut punch of reality that Black americans live with the truth about america everything that glitters isn’t gold my american dream is for equality peace and happiness for all is that something that is possible in Black american life .... so far the answer is Hell No :(

[@TinaThompsonPlayingtheField]

@@kiaj.d.5855 of course, I'd be happy to elaborate on that. People who don't know me are most likely to think I am white based on how I look. I don't tell anyone that I am just white or let them believe that, if they assume. I let them know that I am mixed race and Latin. I am about 37% black and about 8% Mexican (the side I grew up with), but, again, the Euro genes are what shows in my light eyes and reddish-blonde hair. I'm an undercover POC, but not by choice.

[@doreensika837]

I can’t believe Janine thought she couldn’t be black. Her hair is so obvious to me.

[@deedeeandmimi6029]

She legit looks like Robin's sister .. so she definitely look like a black woman

[@doreensika837]

@@deedeeandmimi6029 exactly

[@firstnamelastname4427]

@The Faboulous MizMulata Neither was Robin's mother's hair, she looked to have the same very curly hair as her first cousin Jeanine.

[@LVishere]

They usually say being jewish is the reason for their kinky hair.

[@elini9218]

@@doreensika837 they look mix but there are many Jewish white people with kinky hair like them

[@KezzyBoo]

I think the whole "your black now" energy and undertones were too much for the Omaha branch. That's really for them to figure out and come to a conclusion on. Having black ancestry doesn't automatically make someone black. Black is Dna, experience and much more, imo. I can see the aunt & husband that moved aways children identifying as black but the children born from those children may be more mixed, while their children go on identify as white with African ancestry. Again, it's for them to figure out. I'm glad this dicovery was shared.

[@sparklesp9304]

But you can't be anything BUT black culturally if you're parents are black, even if they lie to you as they're going to raise you the way their black parents raised them as they know nothing else.

[@shadowess1961]

You ARE Black even if you never experienced the Black culture. Your DNA is African with ad mixture. They're not, NOT Black. Even my Nana's family with their light skin and gray and blue eyes considered themselves Black and did not pass.

[@soulsurfer639]

@@sparklesp9304 but they're mixed

[@dunique26]

Here in the states if your daddy blk, then your blk PERIOD, thanx to the good ole jim crow days and not much has changed in this aspect of america. Its up to the individual now- a- days. Like myself im considered multicultural i have equally white and blk on my mothers side. Moms dad mixed with irish and blk from his grandparents,moms mom mixed with white and blk grandparents. My dad 100% blk. I was raised within both households, so i got the best of both worlds. Thats my gg grandma in my thumbnail, my granddad's mom. So my family is all mixed up. There's maybe 10 in the whole family that are not light, im one of the ones not bright, but i have curly mixed girl hair and other caucasian attributes and features.

[@crystalsparkman1815]

I wonder if I don’t know some of them!!! Omaha is not that big!!!

[@arelygarcia9783]

Bohemian" was originally a term with pejorative undertones given to Roma gypsies, commonly believed by the French to have originated in Bohemia, in central Europe.

[@loveheals6184]

That's another group I wish well as they've also been (and are) subjected to indignities. Even the word, "gypsy" is considered a pejorative, though I'm certain it was unintentional here. They're certainly relegated to the margins in France. That said, Black people from Africa suffer as well. On a separate note, it shows vulnerability on the side of both the separated branch and the one that stayed intact for them to make a connection. I wish them all well. The things this nation has put our folks through.

[@Neema150]

To everyone writing negative comments about this family, have compassion. The family is clearly trying to reclaim their true identity. You don’t know in what situation they were in that made them decide to pass as white. Perhaps they just wanted to survive.

[@crystalsparkman1815]

Jobs, accessibility & acceptance what all people of color have always wanted!!!

[@nopjack7278]

All this for survival...what a sacrifice...this is really bitter sweet on so many different levels. Hopefully, Robin helped some of her relative's free their minds and get a little peace.

[@Marzybeee]

So you're telling me that these people looked in the mirror for DECADES and couldn't see they were black?! FOH

[@jmdelaquesta28]

Easy they brought up as white and brain wash to be white

[@gummithyxii1885]

@Ruth K. Future Nurse bruh wtb Dominicans 😂😂😂

[@jackiebrownnn]

@Amor Ankh yup but you gotta be blind af to believe them

[@PsychicMedium4747]

They were mixed race... they were obviously not black... they were black and white .

[@theunquietmindpodcast]

I said the same thing! How can you not see it??

[@deedeeandmimi6029]

Becky Jo is so overwhelmed i totally understand .. I can remember when I met my father's family and I could see my reflection in so many different faces ... thats so overwhelming to see all these people who look like you but ur not really connected to ..

[@realyzm]

I’m going to say what most people already know but in some cases choose to ignore. Black is a dominant race, it is nearly impossible to white wash us! There will always be something that will give us away, be it the eyes, the nose , the forehead, the gap in our teeth, the lips, or the hips. These are things that make us distinct, even when skin complexion or hair texture isn’t the most obvious.

[@ellenpadberg3641]

But "pure" white personcan It have also,those so called black characteristics.😮

[@respectknuckles428]

Becky joe's niece is crazy if she didnt think she was at least something LOL LOL

[@4125greenbrierroad]

Jeanene did that electric slide like no white woman could do..lol she didn't miss a step and was on point. She knew..

[@mominor6913]

Lol

[@Wildflowers2022]

I was thinking the exact same thing.

[@ahem....bullsheet3720]

Contrary to popular belief there's a lot of white folks that can dance smh. Stereotypes are what's wrong with this world. Instead of seeing how similar we all are folks wanna focus on differences and negative stereotypes.

[@maebell7515]

What is in the darkness will come to light.

[@theunquietmindpodcast]

The niece looks like my aunt & we are all black. I’m still not sure how she could question if she’s black. She’s a light skin black woman.

[@PsychicMedium4747]

No... they are mixed race people. No such thing as a light skinned black person. The first slaves were not light at all smh. They are multigenerational mixed race people that simple

[@69freakyboi]

@@PsychicMedium4747 that’s not exactly true black people come in all shades and hues. However this family is generationally mixed

[@PsychicMedium4747]

@@69freakyboi that’s not true. Prove it. Show me light skinned blacks with no admixture . Show me ancestry dna results.

[@PsychicMedium4747]

@@69freakyboi you don’t come in all shades...mixed race blacks come in all shades. Key concept....mixed!

[@PsychicMedium4747]

@@69freakyboi wrong...name one?

[@taifuentesfitt]

This is interesting. My family from my maternal grandmothers side in North Carolina look like this family, and there is never any question that they consider themselves black, even the ones that literally could pass as white still proudly state their blackness.

[@shanzoni1200]

Like in some of the photos some could almost pass but when I saw Becky Jo Step out I was like Ma'am how did you not know you were mixed. But I guess that's the power of belief. I mean you tust you parents and believe them.

[@femmebrulee5053]

Actually Becky Jo is black. Both her parents, Willa Mae and Johnny, were black. It's her niece Janine that is mixed. But I'll give Janine the benefit of doubt because she does look like she could be Italian and something else and that something else may or may not be black.

[@Wildflowers2022]

I guess if you keep telling the same lie you will believe it's the truth.

[@sedecim]

Although this program is about passing the history of your family is even more fascinating and important you are blessed

[@sensitivityismysuperpower1904]

I just found this series and I just want to thank you for sharing. I was raised by my white mom and just found on ancestry my black dad. I love how you consider your white passing family. I never would have wanted to pass for white and am having an identity crisis. This is validating for me.

[@vickigibson8964]

I admire that you know so much of your family’s history. The tour was beautiful. Thank you for sharing your family story. It’s beautiful.

[@IndomitableAde]

8:22 That moment when Robin asks if someone was dragged behind a vehicle and her cousin says, "Yup." Is there a word for feeling rage and grief at the same time?

[@newdayvlogz2387]

I lived in Oklahoma City for about a decade and in my workplace, I met a few folks that clearly not white but would boldly claim it. This one guy who was a very fair skinned black man with very curly hair claimed to be white and he was so racist towards black people...something that I will never forget...his story was that he was raised by his mother and grandparents ( I guess we're white) but he never met his father.

[@janedoe1229]

Robin was terrific in engaging Becky Lee. Becky was brave

[@edbutler4193]

i love the story being a creole family lousiana not knowing who my dad was love your story

[@lizabetx483]

I learnt about a new race - Bohemian. Oh My the delusion!

[@hopemckenzie3502]

Ikr

[@kj1443]

I know right!!! The things people say and others are willing to accept simply blow my mind. People under pressure to keep up the pretense!

[@XantheChed]

Bohemia is the modern day Czech Republic in central Europe.

[@Mya_water]

@@XantheChed Come through with the facts and not insults!

[@tinawalker5335]

Yeah she had to explain that tan and curly hair somehow.

[@MaLiArtworks186]

My step great grandmother could have passed but she refused to do that. When I was five, I told her "Miss Ethel, you look like a white woman". She told me "Grandbaby girl, I's a colored woman and don't you ever ever call me a white woman again!". I never did but I was thinking to my little self "You still look like a white woman to me".

[@inmyownwords9798]

How cute, my grandma was very light with light eyes. I had the pleasure of caring for her before she passed. I once asked if she needed anything & she said, I'm a strong black woman & I'm good!" It was a little funny to me coming from that super light face. It was very admirable at the same time.

[@MaLiArtworks186]

@@inmyownwords9798 Being a strong malenated goes deeper than color!

[@inmyownwords9798]

@@MaLiArtworks186 Yes Dear, that was a little sarcasm 😉 I do understand.

[@meb777]

I have family "passing". Then their son comes out with an afro. Lol

[@tanya8131971]

😆😅😅😅😅😅🤣🤣🤣

[@presterjohn1697]

Boy, black genes is strong as hell. Just when you think you've bred them out the COME BACK. Hello, how ya'll doing...remember me...I'm your blackness. Did you think you could out run me?

[@kwikky22]

I've never had a family reunion. This is a great story. Sad any of this was even necessary

[@brendat6908]

I would like to think the Nebraska branch did not come to the trip because they didn't not want to appear in the video. I would love for extended relatives to embrace me like they did to them and take me for a trip through memory lane, I would be so appreciative!!

[@dwillwrite1]

What a rich family history this family has!

[@SunRose768]

This video makes me smile. My family hails from deep South, Mississippi. For many years our family met for family reunions. The names Mae, and lee were often heard from older family members who retold stories of the past. My grandfather was "white passing" as he was fair skinned, red haired, freckle face man. I too wonder about his siblings as they shared a very similar story as the one shown in "Passing". Thoroughly enjoyed and greatly appreciated. Thank you for sharing your story!💜

[@PaisleyMoon2022]

Seriously, this is deeply disturbing to me,...an entire family that looks like this couldn't figure out they have black roots! Some of those girls with the blonde hair look like me and my sister. I have black family members that look whiter than these people! My dad (a red headed ginger) was in denial about his blackness too and it caused a rift between us for years. My mom was always asked if she was Cuban or from some Island. I have loose curly hair (what some call "good hair") After doing a DNA test I found out that I'm Native American, Irish, Welsh, Scottish, Inuit, Ashkenazi Jewish, Italian, Sierra Leonean, Kenyan, Nigerian, and Ghanian. Even though I'm mixed with many races. I can still look in the mirror I'm say/see I'm BLACK, I own mine! I think they willfully participated in race bleaching and just denied it because they wanted to.

[@meddeck]

There's no way one person is all those things. Y'all mixed girls are always reaching and trying to be 'unique'. Ok. 🙄

[@dawudj2286]

But what percentage black are you?

[@cwilms27]

@@dawudj2286 enough to know evidently

[@shadowess1961]

@@meddeck Of course there is.

[@soulsurfer639]

Uh, you're actually mixed

[@asiaparker1854]

The hair and everything you could tell they were some part black! Just sad both of there parents passed as white!

[@tanya8131971]

The mother could pass for white the dad looked like he was white but like a darker european like Italian or something. Thought it was funny when some of the sons had afros! Makes me question these white kids from high school with afros!

[@ivynya29]

Some these people were fooling themselves more than anyone. This does open the conversation to light skin privilege and how much ppl were willing to let you get away with depending on your geographical location. But genealogy is also an unpredictable factor leading to some of them being whiter than others which probably also gave the family unit the protection it needed even when doubt was casted. But honestly, for those of them like cousin Jenine for instance, who look in the mirror at their hair, complexion, features and not even consider it is perplexing. Seem to me they just didn’t want to know or admit it.

[@theloftons8297]

If they had mirrors then they know/knew they are Black.

[@lwilliams7570]

The Loftons Not if you were taught something else! Hell, you have dark skin people walking around thinking they are white and they know they are black! It’s what you are taught and what you want to accept and believe!!!

[@BronzeSista]

@@lwilliams7570 i bet some of the white people around them were suspicious about their appearance. They just probably just kept saying we are gypsies lol

[@respectknuckles428]

@@BronzeSista lol

[@soneil7745]

I guess it's hard to believe your parents would tell you such a huge lie. I can't imagine finding out everything you knew about where you come from is wrong.

[@Blackdove0421]

I don't see how Becky is passing because she doesn't look white to me!

[@donnabanks7656]

She said that people kept asking her was she black.

[@catgirl24]

No but her mother told her she was Bohemian? Not her fault though. She prob had an idea she may have had black in the family but she figure why question out of respect for her mom.

[@andrewmunlin2115]

@@catgirl24 she didn't even know what bohemian was so how could she identify.

[@mominor6913]

EXACTLY

[@soneil7745]

I guess they never thought their parents would lie to them about who they are.

[@blackheartbev3098]

It had to have felt like a burden hiding who u really were your whole life. Just wonder if she ever missed that side of her family deep down.

[@sandycheeks1580]

They felt the sting in their communities after this came out. Racists never stop being awful to everyone.

[@patriciamoore6247]

I am loving this! I wish we can all reconnect we our relatives.

[@sharronking]

I wouldn't want to connect to them honestly...she chose to separate from her roots✌🏾

[@JustMe-sg9ys]

I kinda feel the same. You could've reconnected in the 60's or 70's when black became more acceptable

[@lwilliams7570]

Sharron King Sweetheart, they were trying to survive! You only can go by what you feel now because you cannot pass. Think about it, it was just as hard to not be able to see your family or to have to sneak around your black family and lie to your now, white family. You might or probably think about passing if you could get better housing and schools, racism was not heard of, you had better jobs etc....you really don’t know what you will do or even think about about doing! Black proud was not that great back then due to HEAVY racism!!! I have a set of white family members in Kansas and some black family members in Texas. They were all missing from our tree. I did exactly like Robin and reached out to them and only one showed up to the family reunion and share all the pictures and stories of my 3rd great grandfather parents and siblings. My 3rd great grandfather decided to stay black and live in Texas while his parents and 9 siblings moved to Kansas and passed! Notice Nebraska state is above Kansas!!! I guess these places had a high percentage of white or white people that don’t know they are black 😂 living in these states at that time. FYI...you are only thinking about your current state of mind because I said the same thing!

[@cancel_naomi]

Sharron King but at the same time the kids didn’t have a choice that weren’t given the chance to know and know she’s giving them the chance to know

[@Strawberryfearsforever]

Just Me The 60’s during civil rights was more acceptable?🤔

[@Jmf1190]

But the family they had after didn’t make that decision. They deserve to know their roots.

[@teresaholmes4393]

Love the BLACKNESS!!! Peace and Blessing to and your family

[@vernelledouglas1801]

Where I'm from we just say people are mixed and mostly move on. This is not to hate or anything, just marvelling at the difference.

[@MsKalasmith]

This is some good stuff

[@BluntlyBlondie]

One thing that I could honestly say as somebody that has been adopted. It wouldn’t matter to me what color or ethnicity I have in my family tree. I know that I tan really well though so it could be anything. LOL

[@TwoTrees777]

have u considered ancestry DNA to learn more about your biological family?

[@Hispoet]

They passed because they wanted to pass....they convinced themselves that they were something they were not and they got so good at it they convinced others with them. It became natural and no one challenged it

[@Aaa-te7ei]

you have to remember the historical context. it wasnt just about "looks". it also meant safety, survival, even a chance at success for self and children.

[@mickyfingaz]

I’m light skinned and I’m Black all day long and my family takes pride in their heritage. I am so pissed off that these folks tried so hard to hide their ethnicity. They all married white and had had tons of babies which means they purposely tried to breed all the black out of their family. Black folks like this make me nauseous.

[@PsychicMedium4747]

What heritage is that? Nigerian, Congolese, Kenyan? You sound very ignorant. West Africans are not light skinned... what culture do you identify with when you have no idea what tribe you come from. What is your native language? You have no idea lol. You are mixed race... please Sit down

[@mickyfingaz]

@@PsychicMedium4747 Bruh, you're calling me ignorant? I've seen your KZbin channel. Stick to your hair growth videos with all of that lip smacking and eye rolling, Miss Thang, or should I call you Miss Cleo since you profess to be a psychic medium? Clown!

[@yvonce7309]

@@mickyfingaz 🤣🤣🤣💅🏼

[@Aaa-te7ei]

you have to remember the historical context. it wasnt just about "looks". it also meant safety, survival, even a chance at success for self and children.

[@arlenephillip3292]

How could they not have known? The cousins that came.......every one of them in Omaha........ in the pictures........ their features are....... WOW! How didn't they know.

[@truzle6133]

Because no one black lives in Omaha, the whites there don't know how to identify black features

[@74skream]

Wow! This story is amazing! I live in SC literally about 35 mins away from Summerton.

[@MoonLightOnWater1]

I’m surprised Becky-Jo’s sister’s family didn’t realize they were partially Black....

[@karenstandard1378]

Wonderful video. I found that just searching surnames in Ancestry you find folks you are connected to. Example: is there a Charlotte Ragin in your family tree

[@MegaAli213]

This was so beautiful and inspiring. My fathers family has the same story, Virginia, North Carolina and Mississippi. We go all the way back to 1650.

[@topekahughes3290]

I've always been facinated by genealogy & have developed a passion 4 this very interesting topic....

[@shanec9840]

OMG...this is not too far from where I live in SC. Who's ever thought Santee, SC would be on KZbin?!! It's a small country town.

[@mac609]

Interesting to see a reality doc on passing which is well known in the black community. I know of a black family in my circle that are far lighter than Becky Jo's kids.

[@roslynsamuria7309]

thank you for sharing your story i know being mix race myself and could pass as well i feel proud of my mix and love myself even more as i age my blackness always makes me understand who i am and why i’m so determined to never deny myself happiness people waste so much energy on what other people’s race is live your best life love yourself for who you are 💗

[@JosVBM]

Thank you for sharing your family story...wow

[@foxroxy86]

This is so interesting! My maternal grandfather is from Summerton. He and his family lived in Manning and were members of the TawCaw baptist church.

[@Jeremiah-wl9dm]

My husband is also from Manning. We have done his ancestry and the results were amazing.

[@albertlee5272]

This family reminded me of my family from South Carolina, from light skin to dark skin but proudly black, kudos to this amazing black family 👪❤🖤♥

[@lisalj44]

She is so amazing at navigating these conversations - I would have derped this up and caused a new family feud

[@LibraGoals]

Crazy part is "they" didn't know 😒

[@reneel9393]

Crazier part is I'm confused I didn't see one white looking/ passing person. I wanna go to whatever town they were in cause it's truly colorblind.

[@KagoM]

Imagine all the shit they have said about black folks 😂😂😂... The trauma of finding out you are half black dayummm

[@mickyfingaz]

They knew deep down inside and their ancestors did them wrong by not telling them about their heritage

[@jolewis2057]

@@KagoM they convinced themselves they're white.

[@KagoM]

@@jolewis2057 to each his own. All this just showed how stupid old laws were. I mean those white passing folks were afforded all the opportunities based on everyone thinking they were white. Those laws still exist and they are still foolish.

[@meb777]

The two "White" relatives needed to tour alone and process it together. They needed a moment. They look like Black people to me. I have people from around the world identifying me with one of their relatives. We are family.

[@LexxiMerced56]

Brings new light to the term "Becky With The Good Hair "....

[@MamaKatt]

Excuse me they don't have good hair. Can understand how they are passing for white.

[@LexxiMerced56]

@@MamaKatt duhhhh... that was just a term that I used.. So just omit Good Hair & call a thing a thing.. They're not white either. It was a joke.. BLOOP

[@PsychicMedium4747]

They look mixed race. None look west African

[@vonbook1973]

@@MamaKatt Define the "good hair" that they don't have.

[@kat2279]

5:26 she was like wow, you couldn't tell you were black?!! Hahahaha!!

[@nataliegarri]

No one looks white🤫

[@andrewmunlin2115]

Yeah these people are special on a different level

[@kharynepierre9709]

Not na one

[@begevt]

I had to come to comments... cause I'm confused. Like are they serious!?!?

[@christinapiper9264]

I just found this documentary Your Family looks Creole like mine My Family is from Louisiana Green eyes, blue eyes all the Above lol As I would say light bright And I also I have family that also pass for Caucasian . But when you grow up around family down south especially in Louisiana thats all you see is Black Creole people we come in all shades That is so beautiful about us all. It was nice watching this!!!

[@diamondeyes2417]

Fascinating!

[@surijosuperbaby]

What a nice family reunion. My family is so small... Really small...

[@stephenreggio42]

as a native african its so confusing to see whats going on in america but blood is thicker than water

[@firstnamelastname4427]

Seeing the "passing" family members next to the black people there, you can see the strong family resemblance there.

[@griceltorres7701]

I don't know why I think this story is beautiful and Sad at the same time.

[@JessicaMadry]

Robin, I just came across your series. So interesting!! I think we may be related. My family is also Ragin, from Summerton, SC. My great grandmother, a Ragin by birth, looks so much like the lady you showed in your video, Hattie, I think. I think we must be family! Is there a way we can connect, to see if we are related?

[@hlpml]

My gramps was half Jamaican but about 3 other people and I figured it out a few months ago... crazy how many generations passed...

[@asiaparker1854]

Willa Mae should of honesty be a shame to keep this secret from her family!

[@kaysammy6730]

When a lie have gone so far its kinda hard to turn it around.

[@Aaa-te7ei]

she had to

[@blackroute1527]

I thought passing was mixed people that look white... If white people ask you "what are you" or "are you black", you obviously are not passing for white😂

[@omargoodnesssake]

It’s sad but kind of funny. Some that decided to pass as white HAD to move away from their black relations and the larger black community, because people like me would’ve looked at them and would’ve DEFINITELY, unintentionally, blown their cover. 😂 I look at some of these people and I see African Americans. Just like my family and a lot of other black families.

[@Daydreamerr13]

This is wild 😂

[@everberry51]

Did they explain why they went on the tour by themselves?

[@MakeWay4CJ]

Right here ---->5:41 I'm wondering....do they look at each other and SEE themselves? Because MAN do they look alike!

[@JustFluffyQuiltingYarnCrafts]

Ohhhh!!!! Becky Jo and Jeannene went by themselves? What a plot twist...

[@SANTIAGO1979PR]

There so obviously not white. Fun Fact: A lot of the reasons why people, back in those days, would claim Portuguese is due to the high concentration of Cape Verdeans (who were also considered Portuguese citizens) Immigrants. Cape Verdeans are Portuguese and Sub-Saharan African descent and a lot of them that came to the states had color but are light enough to pass. My grandfather's step mother was one of those that came from Cape Verde and passed for white then ended up marrying a black man later in life.

[@angellaUlevi]

I think they passed way back when because the media probably showed darker skinned black people. I think lighter skinned black people and mixed people are more known now, it’s normal. Back then, there was less awareness so they passed. Especially when you consider they said Italian. Some Italians have olive skin and curls (not kinks) in their hair that i could see people reason it out. That was back then but even today my mom who is very light skinned but fully black gets asked by white people if she’s really black. People sometimes have one idea of what a black person looks like 🤷🏾‍♀️ -thanks for coming to my ted talk lol

[@JaneAtwellRobinson1825NY]

Welllll, "back then" Italians or Spaniards weren't really considered white in the same way a Scottish or Welsh person would be. That's all I can say because the White Club has rules and ya can guess what the first one is. Thanks for coming to my Gaelic Mime Skit lol

[@joysoyo2416]

I know someone like that. Her mom was black. She didn't know until she was 16 when the black people we worked with told her she was black. It happens. People don't see color sometimes. It doesn't matter that much to some people.

[@josephbain4267]

No way these people could pass as white really crazy

[@donnabanks7656]

Wow!!! Thank you for sharing!

[@williamcarter1272]

Surprise!!! Told ya 😘 we all family!!! What does color mean and why?

[@dunique26]

My gg grandma and grandma passed when they needed for safety. I grew up with nothing but light damn near white folks all my life. Im one of the few that are of a darker shade, but have that mixed girl hair and white features. Actually my thumbnail, is my gg grandma(mama bert). Love you mama bert

[@dockingbay9493]

My grandmothers family is Ragin and from Summerton as well! I wonder if we’re related! Currently located in Philadelphia ❤️

[@shecamt]

Robin looks like she could be Jeannene's daughter. They look so much alike.

[@pinkyproblems6480]

Self discovery with us all seems like a really big deal recently. Ive been searching too. I got as far back as Georgia and Jurdon Johnson of georgia 1850s

[@silentkidshoes9092]

Mine goes back to Georgia, 1791 to be exact.

[@roneldraai7141]

They all look alike ..strong facial features

[@mayabrown3741park]

Wow What an amazing American story. They should make me some full movie and I'll walk or something.

[@betweenthepoles]

Bohemia was originally a country which was incorporated into Czechoslovakia. Nowadays the region of Bohemia makes up much of the Czech Republic. My brother-in-law was actually a Bohemian by nationality. The name “Bohemian” became associated with the gypsies for some reason.

[@mypageisbeinghacked]

Where are the rest of the stories?

[@taragraham9294]

My family's story too....