KIWAN- interesting name - it is male or female? My point is we are an interesting AND UNIQUE culture - Are we a TOLERANT CULTURE? I WOULD WELCOME A Debate
@@anonymouslee8287 I believe that when he said he 'lost it' he meant that he broke into a fit of laughter! He didn’t feel shame that she’d yelled it out loud.
@@thelmathomas9399 This was only the first episode! I am still learning. Check out this video I just did on my african slave ancestors--it meant a lot to me. ruclips.net/video/uAxyz0q0A4s/видео.html
That 'horror movie' was real life to millions of my People, who could not hide behind the camouflage of light skin and wavy hair. I hope you also feel sadness for those who could not blend in with the 'hunters'; and not just those who were able to pass for White, while other Black people were humiliated, terrorized and brutalized.
Creole are the most beautiful people on the planet! My husband was creole and he was so handsome that on our first date, a tall blonde butted in and tried to take him away from me. She lost! We were married for 35yrs. He was 6ft4, dark brown hair, emerald eyes, thick dark brows and long dark lashes. I miss him everyday...he was my soulmate.
I'm from Natchitoches Louisiana. Glad they are talking about the realities of the south and how things were back then during those times. My family went through these things as well.
Candace, I love that you are from there. I hope you will stay around because I really love hearing from family who is still there and can share what they heard or saw.
We struggled in Natchitoches, Monroe, Alexandria, and Winnfield even now. I've only been to visit those places, we're from Lafayette, LA. My husband's family r made up of Mulatto and Octroon Creoles. My MIL could "pass". Historically, there was a lot of "mixing" with Quadroon balls and such. The "Cajuns" in Lafayette r very olive toned which is a strong indication there has been African, Native American, or Spanish ancestry. All of these people look like POC to me. I know our people when I see them. They could hide their ancestry in place where fair skinned Creoles aren't prevalent.
I'm on the edge of my seat the whole time I watch this. You're doing so much to heal so many of us who cannot make the trip home to uncover our family stories and secrets. Thank you for such a beautiful offering.
This is one of the most incredible things anyone has said to me on this journey. THANK YOU a million times over for reaching out to tell me. Im so thankful to have you with me on the journey. I hope you will stay for the last episode:)
@@Nickie870 oh my gosh this gave me goosebumps. I want that healing for all of us so badly. We have been separated and many of us not even knowing it...
I'm born, raised and still live in New Orleans, La. I find out something new about my family everyday. I'm on ancestry dna and 23 and me plus all social media. You or anyone else ever needs help finding info from down here, feel free to reach out.
@@pierrerochon7271 No, I am not upset they did. I am sorry, however, that we did not have the opportunity to know them growing up. They are great people, and it's a shame that they had to mislead both communities just to have an opportunity to earn a decent living.
I’ve watched the past two episodes and the family keeps saying Lola was Native American not mentioning the other half of African. It seems it’s also hard for the family to attach to😢. I could not imagine the pain and fear she felt in those times.
It is really complicated- my family only just found out about the African. I’m going to do a video about my African ancestors- I found the slave records.
If she was so called native American, she was American Indian. What we call black people. Native Americans are white people. Any foreigner that's born in America is native to these lands.
Many old Creole families are like that. The truth is, these folks is Cane River Creoles who were mulattos that long ago intermarried with Lipan Apache called Canneci and later there were intermarriages between the Clifton Choctaw who themselves were already mixed race. The goal of many mixed race communities is to become a tribe with state or federal recognition. The reality is the Houma, Chitimacha, Choctaw-Apache, Tunica Biloxi and even the Clifton Band of Choctaw all descend from mixed race black-native (griffe savauge) white-native (metis), white-black (milat) and black-white-native (coyote) peoples. They all pretty much ignore the african because they all know that after the civil war that was the lowest position one could be socially.
@The Mekaboo1 its called the Cherokee Princess syndrome, its the same thing with a lot of African Americans, willing to admit everything anything but to admit that you "white" European DNA is a fate closer to death than anything and please dont let anyone tell you different. Its just in reverse, " I got my dark skin from my Cherokee grandmother and so on and so on.
@@LM-ki5ll if that explination gets you through the day and night you go with it, I call it the Cherokee Princess syndrome, nothing more and its okay African Americans do it as well, admit to everything but the truth, they have African DNA in them and recent DNA added to the genes.
The people that need to see this,probably will never hear this. I think the music,the pictures,and the production on this video is perfection. Whoever made this is very talented,and did an awesome job. This needs to be made into a movie,so that more people might see it. I know it would win awards for all kinds of categories. It’s pretty much a movie, but the big screen needs this because love is disappearing. God is love,and we need to love each other like family. After seeing this,I realized we’re really all one big family. We really are,and if you watch this you’ll know it. I can’t wait for love to return. I miss Him. Peace out
We are all Gods children. Thank you for your kind words. This was a project I have wanted to do for years. A true labor of love for my heart- and I’m just starting my journey!! I hope you will stay around:)
This definitely should be a movie!!!! I want to show the world! My great grandmother was the same way. I found out digging to put a family tree together. Saw the old census reports etc. At 104 she still says she is a white women. Though DNA says other wise. I feel so hurt that they had to go through that.
@@BeachCityBaby Wow, amazing that we can share that story. Please stay for awhile! Im ready to do some deep dives on finding our lost ancestry and how to even start that...
This is fascinating. I have great respect for these family members speaking so openly. A lot of white people in the Deep South still think discussing their black ancestry is shameful and offensive.
Maybe some but not most. We realize if you change one ancestor you do not exist. We realize our ancestors were a victims of Jim Crow laws. Before those laws they were legally white and then suddenly because they were as little as one -eighth black (one black great grandparent) they were not white and so by law suddenly were not legally married to their white mates. So, they hid it.
For a lot of white people in the south or in MAGA land in general it still can have consequences. I advise whites to never take a DNA test. They have everything to lose and nothing to gain. ruclips.net/video/ptSZnTtGCQA/видео.html
@@MrZlathan3 I'm confused. Are you saying finding out you're FBA (Foundational Black Ancestry) African-American is nothing to gain? Please clarify and explain. Thanks.
I am 66 years old and was born in AR. My original birth certificate which I kept a copy of has for race "colored". I made sure my children saw it. So yes it was a thing!!!!! This country!!!!
It’s so amazing how black these people look to me as a black woman im brown skinned but my mother and grandmother are whiter skinned than these white passing folks, my great-grandmother was definitely able to pass for white but she refused to. I’m so grateful for her pride, they would mark her baby’s birth certificate white and she would have them change it to colored. A definite act of courage in the early 1900’s
This reminds me of the 1st time I saw my Dad's mom. I was 6 yrs old but it's something I've never forgotten. We went to Georgia for me to see his family. To my surprise out of the house came white looking people. I asked him how do you have a white mother but you're colored. My grandmother said I'm not white baby I'm Cherokee and Irish 👀👀👀 My Dad had a white sister, a red sister and a dark brown sister. I had never seen the so many mixed colored people in one family until I got much older.🙏🏿
You should see some of our Jamaican families. All the colours of the rainbow. Different eye shapes, hair textures etc. "Out of many, one people". Jamaicans.
Same with my family in Georgia. My mom remembers going to “white” relatives homes and “white” relatives visiting her grandmother who could have passed for a “white “ woman. Race in America is something else!
Loved this documentary! I’m from monroe la and these stories are true about how it used to be and still is in some cases. I’m black with Irish and native ancestry and to be a person of color in the south (particularly Louisiana) is still hard because we are still being denied of some opportunities and we don’t get treated equally in society especially the work place!!
Thank you! I love that I found so many cousins in Monroe. I wonder if you and I are related too :) It was hard to learn about the southern experience for my family that stayed. I know my gram faced discrimination in NY, but nothing like what happened in Louisiana.
This is such a uniquely beautiful and emotional documentary. I feel so connected to this story because my family has similar stories in it. It almost feels like I'm hearing from the perspective of relatives that I've never met before. You've really inspired me to keep exploring my own family's history and the shared history of Louisiana. Thank you for telling your story 💙❤
Preston- thank you so so much for connecting with me on here. There is something really special about finding other people with mixed Louisiana roots and talking together about it. Something you know our families never did. Yes, keep digging into all the big stories in your family, And please hang around!
Same. I have always identified as white. I am sitting here staring at an old photo of my maternal Grandmother who was Creole and Siksika Blackfoot Indian. She also did her best to hide her colorful ancestry. I loved her so much and miss her very much. She was an incredible woman.
Wow. This happens a lot in history, including my own. I’m intrigued… I had to go ahead & subscribe. 😊 I am African-American & Blackfoot Indian. The historians in my family went all the way back to the early 1800s. A lot of my family looks very white to very dark and tall. A lot of the family that are fair skinned have very red hair & blue eyes. A lot of people confuse me with being Dominican or something like it. Myself & my family just call ourselves black, when people ask about our ancestry. I don’t mention my true identity roots often because when I’ve mentioned it before, people would get offended & try to get me to answer their questions…doubting me or trying to get me to doubt myself. Like there is no way that I can look like this AND be Indian too. 😂 I totally understand Lola. She had to do what she had to do to survive. Much love to you & your family. ❤
Oh my gosh, Orelia, your story! I am so glad you shared this. People need to read things like this--no one should be afraid to tell who they are because someone else is not educated enough to realized people can be MANY things at once. I am hoping to do some deep dives into the genealogy side as well--how can we even start finding out ancestors when they didnt want to be found? Its not easy but it can usually still be done. Thank you for sharing that.
@@nytn You’re welcome. It really is a lot. Yes, they did not want to be found but it definitely can be done. There are so many resources out there. I’m excited to see what else you find out. No matter what, it’s always great to learn & know the truth. Very liberating & freeing. 🙂
@@tamarastone141 Yes, I totally understand the confusion. Yes, there were and still are Blackfoot Indians. 🙂My grandmother was from Mississippi as well & later migrated to Ohio for work & better opportunities. That is the uniqueness of Indians… we are everywhere because of the darkness of history & our need to survive. So yes, I believe your family is correct. In history records, a lot of times instead of listing someone as Indian they would list them as mulatto or negro depending on the skin tone.. sad but true… hence erasing some true history, causing the confusion. I totally get it. ❤️
@@tamarastone141 Yes, for sure. You’re welcome. It’s important to know. Also, Ancestry offers their history experts to assist in the search of your family history, if you get stuck… it’s a little pricey but well worth it. How exciting!
Yes I can feel the pain, my family are and still in Natchitoches and Cane River, We were documented since late 1700s.Im like the fam historian in a way because I try and keep up with everything.I use to hear stories about those days of my Great and 2x Greats. Some family changed letters in surname or disowned because you decided to marry outside your culture.I even grew up around the family and going out to the country not realizing..it was Native land..not federal but state recognized as a tribe .CLIFTON CHOCTAW but noone talks about the heritage and lost traditions
This is one of the main reasons why I don’t get to much into claiming certain things of the past. You never know who is in your blood line and who isn’t.
My heart goes out to Lola's family that had to deal with the discrimination. I remember in the 60s when kids were bussed but I never really understood til I was in high school. As my family members married into Tribal communities I learned first hand of the hardships they endured. This is in Oregon.
Hi Cathy, do you know that the original state constitution of Oregon prohibited Black Americans from living in the state? All states throughout the USA have racist histories. Every European nation has a racist history. Asia is racist and the beat goes on. No one is without fault in this us vs. them idea of race and supremacy.
I would love to hear what will be the legacy you will tell your children. Looking at the past, you see there has been trauma inflicted that still carries to 2022. Thank you for these episodes.
I’m so glad you are here and watching. I’m going to make a video on that. I have three little kids and so far I’ve told them everything I’ve learned. It’s really time to break the cycle
@@nancybreaux9684 the Creole people of Louisiana are a unique blend of the several original cultures who settled Louisiana. They were yes, French, yes Spanish, yes, Indian, and some African or a combination of these. These were the original colonists of Catholics in the Louisiana territory who lived graciously with their faith and close family unity. They lived among the European settlers but separately as their own unique people. They had their own blended culture. There was an established heirarchy of which ethnic background held a higher place. Obviously the French did and the European. It was the primary language and much of the French customs were practiced. One such was for women to shun too much exposure to the sun. It was a beauty thing to protect the skin and common among French women. The Creole of Louisiana were good and decent yet kept to themselves while living among ?mostly French,Spanish,Indians and Africans. In this they were special. All groups èxperienced some kind of persecution at different periods. Some greater than others . The Europeans even vied among themselves for superior status. Many mingled eventually by international marriages. The true French and the Cajun French were two different groups sharing a national heritage, it was argued among them who were superior in culture and education. So the Creole of that period in Louisiana survived by their isolation and keeping to themselves. Land was always a desirable prize. Most of Louisiana was originally gained by land grant from the government in power. Creole are unique!
I live in new Orleans and at one time if you wasn't lighter than a brown paper bag you couldn't go in certain areas or clubs. Posse Blanc is what we called them
I only learned about it this summer- and for sure if didn’t use sunscreen in the summer I wouldn’t be allowed in. That is really messing me up to think about as a obviously white person. 😳
I appreciate this so much. I think this is my favorite episode-- I spent a lot of time with it, and I hope it continues to speak on behalf of our ancestors. Thank you for being here :)
I am so honored to have you on the journey with me. Thank you so very much for watching and leaving a message. The Ozan story was hard-- especially once I put the pieces together about when my family must have left their hometown based on the census records.
Everybody that know American history knows that the state of Louisiana especially New Orleans, LA has always been a melting pot of different culture. As a proud African American woman, I never denied my race and culture and history. I love!! love!! love!! my black American culture and history. I am very proud of my culture and history. The reason so many creoles of Louisiana were fearful of anyone finding out they were truly part black American because they would be denied job, education, social status in Louisiana.
@@katyarnold6757 there are entire towns were people r still putting in the effort to "pass" like Grand Maris, Grand Wood. It's getting better, but these pocket towns still exist. I'd say the southeast to southwest Louisiana have the highest concentration of Creoles. New Orleans has all kinds of people.
Passing wasn't about being ashamed of being Black; it was about trying to survive and get better for your family and children. America has never made that easy for its Black citizens, even still
I am Creole. My grandparents and many generations were native to Louisiana. Many of my relatives passed to have a better chance at living a “good” life. In the end, hiding and lying wore many relatives into a hell that had no escape. Always afraid of what the kid might look like, running into someone from the past. It wasn’t so good, after all. Not to mention, it keeps the family in emotional turmoil and prejudice against your own people.
Yes, 100%! I didnt realize the generational issues this caused in my family because of it, we couldnt pinpoint it. Now I understand the origin story for lots of things.
I am creole - sorry u feel that way- I have blond hair- I DO NOT CARE WHAT PEOPLE THINK -Notice all those black men with white women - hell the entire NBA has mixed race players. I also have blue eyes and six feet three inches tall. I speak French, Italian, and Spanish- I travel internationally - depending on where the money is- I am whatever. I have been deleted on RUclips before for expressing this- so let's see if they do it again. - haha. No one wants to admit it- when sistas go for the dollas- and leave a good man. Say theyI won't settle. Haters do not bother me - I have spent all of my life since grade school fighting with guest who? So I took karate to defend myself - haha. I am not attracted to white women per se- but if they can help with my finances become friends - assist get me a JOB with a career- I am -NOT TAKING MONEY OUT OF MY LIFESTYLE - FOR SOMEONE I DO NOT KNOW - To FEEL COMFORTABLE and still caca on me. MARRIED MY FIRST LOVE- A DARK SKINNED SISTA- FAMILY NEVER ACCEPTED ME- ALTHOUGH I TREATED HER LIKE A QUEEEN-- At 21- in law school- full Academic ride- killing it- help her get her master's - activist in a southern city- risking my life - she left me for a darker brother because - SHE DID WANT TO make the temporary sacrifices- He had more money- and tried to make me the problem- that. I was too driven at 23 years old. Her immediate family did not come to the wedding. Only her cousins from out of state and country. I shared with that our marriage was just COLLATERAL DAMAGE- over the years - I have contributed my time and money in the black community for various causes- I have been incareted like my dad and brothers in Ala. Miss and Georgia for restoring voting rights and a long list of other legal grievances. On both of my parents' sides of the family - We have a long history dating back many years- my father and uncle marched on Washington. I am currently associated with two organizations - Feeding America and Innocence Project .
You tube lined out my comment regarding my physical presence and describing the NBA players and celebs with so many white women and creoles- check it out. What about sisters with long extensions? Telling me u think u are white because u have good hair. I think it is a contradiction when so many black men want white women and creole women and HATE ON ME- HEHE. IN HIGH SCHOOL GUYS JUMPED ME AND THEN TRIED TO VIST MY SISTERS AT HOME- I BLOCKED THEM HE-HE. THEY JUMPED ME THE NEXT DAY- I SAID IF YOU MARRY MY SISTER- YOUR KIDS WILL LOOK MORE LIKE ME- THEN WHAT? Fry other fish- we have many other battles. Is trump behind this- haha How u going to treat your son when he bonds with his uncle???- HAHA Point is- Let us get pass this BS- this discussion is instigated by RUclips for controversy- they go low - I go high. I GET mine- and I GIVE BACK. There are NO Koreans, Iranians, Armenians in the job lines. Caribbeans- LOAN MONEY TO EACH OTHER- AFRICANS living here don't get it.
It was fearful, no one wanted the secret out, my parents being born in Mississippi knew about this, my mother had 1st cousins who were passin, they called it. When any family visited, they had to go to the side door like the help. It was so dangerous the relatives knew how serious this was and complied.
If you haven’t, you should watch the recently released movie, The Jazzman’s Blues. It surrounds a woman passing and the intricacies of her relationship with her mother (desperately holding onto passing) and her black, dark skinned community members. Tyler Perry said it was one of the first stories he wrote. I really liked the movie and I’m not really a big fan of his Madea stuff, this is nothing like those.
I recently got my DNA test results and found out that someone must have passed as well because I have English, Scandinavian, native American, Asian, Papuan, Scottish , and African that goes from greatest to least. However when I go back and look at census records everyone is marked as white but I knew better because my papaw doesn't look white and neither does some of my uncle's and aunts. Then I look back to my great great great grandma and great grandma on my paternal papaw's side and she didn't look white much at all but was married to a white man so I believe they were the ones who were passing.
This is incredible, all of this! I'm very intrigued. So interesting for me whereas, we don't have family in Louisiana, but my Dad served in the army in the late 60's and we lived there for a time! Thank you Danielle!!💗💕💗💛🤎
Such an interesting documentary. Looking forward to future short stories. Ancestry is always so fascinating and not all secrets are told. My late husband's grandma who was racially mixed & at the time I thought she was Polish when I first met her (lived & died in Chicago in 1968) came from New Orleans. Her parents owned property & a hotel in the French Quarter. Her widowed mother lost all the properties. She felt pressured to sign the documents, she didn't understand, & to sell to the white people that swooped in on her. The stories like the tragic murder of Ozan happened repeatedly. People back then just would not discuss their backgrounds, trials or tribulations or reasons they migrated elsewhere. We got info from her sibling's grandchildren because a few things were shared with them. Grandma's family attended the Octroon Ball in New Orleans where you had to be at least 1/8th black. Her father was in the civil war after being freed as a slave. On her mothers side her great great grandfather happened to be a president who actually owned slaves (and there's not one written word about it & he wasn't Thomas Jefferson but Grandma did mention this & her maiden name was his last name too). Back in the day these lighter skinned women relatives tended to marry darker skinned men but the men back then seem to have been attracted to lighter skinned women so the spectrum of skin tones truly varies in this family & the pride in being black continues to this day. My husband's grandma didn't try to pass for white in Chicago or did any of her kin but definitely there are many stories how the lighter skinned relatives were treated better then the darker skinned or afro featured ones especially before the civil rights movement. One aunt could get her "good" hair done in a well known beauty salon, that blacks could not go to in Chicago, just because they never questioned her race. Lola felt she had reasons to hide her African ancestry...a much different time and Louisiana definitely was in the south & any person of color was a target.
Thank you so much Phara! Im really glad you are here. Wow, that story is incredible. And interesting about getting "questioned" about your race. There are a lot of learned behaviors in my family I think, but it probably all started with the racism experienced in the South. I hope you stick around for future videos, I appreciate everything you contributed:)
@@nytn I'll be looking forward to hearing more from you. Yes we all carry a bit of what our family has gone through. I was born after the great depression & WWII but I feel like I lived part of it through my mom's very occasional recollections she shared. My dad never discussed his childhood even though he lived a short block away. My folks didn't talk much about their experiences. That's just how adults didn't discuss details of their lives with their children.
If fair skin were treated better could it be the whites felt inner guilt knowing these were their secret babys. It's sad majority mixes never knew who their fathers were fathers absent feeling of rejection, lack finances to trully make it in life. All these historys hv really destroyed many people ND so it continues.
My paternal family was Swedish and Cherokee. When the Trail of Tears happened the 3 Swedish brothers separated. 1. Took his Cherokee wife to the Washington Oregon area and claimed her as a Spanish woman. 2. Went with his wife's family on the Trail of Tears to Oklahoma. 3. The last one and his wife and her clan were a part of the group that hid in the hills. For the longest time we did not know that there was a third brother due to the fact the other two brothers were very angry that he took his wife out west to the Washington Oregon area. Back before we had internet like we do now my brother sent out invitations for a nationwide family reunion. It was held at a State Park in Illinois as a central location and we had family members from all over the states. It was so neat to learn that we had another line to our family. And some of the stories that they told were wonderful. So the story telling tradition of the Cherokees and the Swedes was passed down.
@@nytn it took ALOT of postage stamps and letter writing. RSVP of course. It took my brother and family a year to coordinate. I live on the east coast. They live in central part of the country. They decided on a long weekend to make it easier for those who would travel. Then reserved the kitchen/dining room at the state park. From there my brother gathered all of the addresses across the country. It was a very enjoyable time. With everyone exchanging their stories and leaving family tree information.
My GG grandparents were m#rdered in a similar fashion, because they would not sell their land. my ancestors story sounds so much like yours. Thank you for documenting your journey you give me the strength to continue mines
My Nigerian father used to tell me this and it used to make me angry so I purposely layer in the sun to get as dark as I could but turned red. My dad is dark and I always thought he treated my darker sister different…as a result she secretly then openly hated me.
My mother was half cajun/ half Sicilian from South Louisiana. My dad's job took us abroad for decades. Folks always asked her if she was Syrian...her dark eyes, dark hair, and dark skin. She loved to tan....and damn she got dark. My grandfather always said that both he and my grandmother "had dark folks in their past." Ironically, both families arrived in New York around the same time...moved to New Orleans...before settling in Morgan City. I celebrate the multiculturalism of my DNA!!!
I spent time in Morgan City back in the early/mid 90's with the Murr family. Some great people in that area, I have a LOT of family still in south LA. My heritage is a lot of French and Sardinian. ✌️
I am loving this and it is giving me inspiration with my own family. I started our ancestry journey last year and there is still so much to uncover. I am from Baton Rouge- Moms side and my Dads side is from NW Louisiana. My Grandmother was not one to open up about her life and we are slowly uncovering the mysteries!
I am SO glad you are here. I can tell you are a kindred. There’s a lot the previous generations couldn’t or wouldn’t find. Now it’s time to break the cycle -I’d love for you to stick around!!
I'm from Louisiana, all of these people look black to me. Lola looks like my MIL...only she was blonde. A fellow librarian years ago who told a patron that there was no such think as Creole. Her proff was that SHE was originally from New Orleans. I'm looking at the woman and immediately knew she was black. We both had to educate her on quite a few things that day. Louisiana has quite a few Native Tribal townships, Creoles and Cajuns, so there r going to be olive skinned Cajuns. Extra fair skinned Creoles, and dark and light Native Americans. We're all over the place. My family goes from one end of the spectrum to the other. Super fair with black and light eyes to brown skinned to super dark with green eyes. No differences made tho. Family is family.
Kaisha- this is beautiful. I have so much to learn myself. But yes, family ls family. I love reconnecting to them-- they have ALL welcomed me more than I could have expected
They look mixed, black people don't look like that,most creoles are mixed race and multi-generationally mixed like many Latinos. They are similar to Puerto Ricans and Dominicans,the difference is Puerto Ricans and Dominicans speak Spanish. Majority are mixed and don't look African black like most AA. I don't support the erasure of the true black image and I don't support delusion,yes there are light skin blacks in west Africa but they look different from creoles and you can tell the difference. Stop calling mixed looking people black lol.
Wow, this is like telling my mother 's life story. She and her family were ran out of New Orleans when she was 7 yrs old by the KKK, and relocated in Philadelphia. I fly to New Orleans tomorrow with hopes of discovering family...the whole story... something. Your series has been very inspiring. Stay on the Path. Be well! 🙏🏾🗝️
My brother sent me your video along with his comments, very interesting. My last visit to Campti was about 2 yrs ago when my wife and I went to visit the dead relatives. My earliest recollections are from the mid-50’s riding around town with my grandfather. The town was in a downward spiral then and only continued to get worse. I went to collage in Natchitoches in the mid to late 60’s and would often make the short trip to Campti. However, it needs to be said that in my 75 years of being in and around that area, I never experienced any discrimination or racial tension. I’m sure there were pockets of it, just as in any other area of the country, I wasn’t exposed to it. The Perot’s (Perrault) did immigrate from France to Quebec, then as part of the Acadian (Cajun) migration through the port of New Orleans. My paternal Great Great Grandfather is buried in Campti with a French tombstone My grandmother‘a mother (Maricelli) was Italian as was her grandmother who, along with her husband and 2 small children, migrated from Switzerland through France then to New Orleans. I can attribute the olive skinned complexion of my aunts and uncles through their Italian heritage. While I don’t know Franks situation, all of our dark completed relatives graduated from Campti High School in the thirties and forties. Unlike other areas of the Deep South, central and south Louisiana is a huge heritage and ethnic melting pot of humanity. At that time, the only real access to the south was through New Orleans. Instead of moving East and west most of these people stayed within easy traveling distance of New Orleans.
Kudos for learning your family history. Im curious how does your family feel specifically about their black heritage. Some of your older relatives look like my folks.
I think this is a great question. Someone else has a similar one. I’m going to copy my thought on it here too. This really made me think. It wasn’t mentioned in these episodes but Lola’s fathers line comes from slaves. Her mother side was native. I may do an episode on that later. I think African Americans in the south went through so much- I can only speak for myself but I’m not totally sure how to fold in that identity when I was shielded from so much. And I doubt most people would think we were part Black. This is something I’m still trying to balance- honoring our ancestors without claiming a bunch of things that don’t really belong to me.
Beautiful response. I always wonder how someone feels in your position. I have DNA from every continent except Australia and and Antarctica. In America with mostly African dna and some still unidentified, what can I claim? Black is not a race and African American is truly a mix. My orphaned grandmothers birth certificate says “col? White” someone was confused. 😂 I need to do a docu on my family fr 😂
I’m from New Orleans. My dad was very dark complexioned ; my mom was very light. They both identified as white ( my mom likely was and my dad was definitely mixed). I basically got her complexion and his hair texture and facial features.
I’m from south Louisiana . I remember in the mid 70’s going to the old old movie theater in town . I was maybe 8 , I guess . Innocence of childhood when I seen the upstairs balcony seats I thought it would be fun to watch the movie from there. No one was there and thought it odd. All of a sudden people kept telling me to get down from there. That it was for black people and white people didn’t sit up there. I felt like I did something so wrong and I did not understand this at all. This shame stayed with me . Then at the age of 8 with no real understanding of what people of color truly went through my heart broke and I wondered if they felt that same shame and hurt cause they could not sit with us. True story.
What a difficult story, thank you for sharing. Children arent born with hate in their heart like this, it is taught to them in many ways. That shame is heartbreaking-😭
Frank Perot reminds me of the singer Eric Church. I had an aunt my mom was best friends with. She married my adopted dad's brother. Until I was in my 20s I thought she was Italian like my mom because they looked similar. My aunt and cousins were very pretty. My female cousin looked like Cindy Crawford. I was surprised when my mom told me she was Creole because my dad and uncle's mom was extremely prejudice. She was never happy my dad married my mom and when black people would walk down her street (70s) she would tell them they better never walk down her street again. Her husband's uncle lived on a reservation in Oklahoma for awhile and married a Native American. They moved to Louisiana where my uncle met his wife. It is amazing the things you find out while doing genealogy. I have a strong feeling ,for many reasons, one or more of my 5th great grandparents on my biological father's side was black or melungeon. There is a brickwall I can't break. 23 and me says I am 3% African. Ancestry says I am 1% Sub-Saharan and 1% North African. I know I have it on my mom's side probably from my Sicilian or Mexican ancestors but a few years ago it said was also on my father's side but then it dropped of because it was less than 1%.
This is great that you are doing this. I have a similar family story, but mine is in the 19th century. I discovered my Mary Jane in southern Missouri and on the census as listed as mulatto and being born in Kentucky. Her children were also mulatto. My mother's DNA tests showed a lot of Spanish and roots in Benin/Togo area. Also Moroccan. I figured Mary Jane's mother went from Missouri to Kentucky during the New Madrid quake. Mary Jane named a daughter, Louisiana, and a son, Hatteras. I discovered that there was an Indian tribe on the east coast by that name. Was she leaving hints for descendants? The Hatteras tribe joined into the Croatoan that later became Lumbee. I am thinking she had Melungeon roots (similar to Creole, but Spanish not French). I was teased and bullied as a kid for being too white so I felt like I might have had a kindred spirit with Mary Jane. Unfortunately, I don't have her maiden name. She took my great-great grandfather's surname even though they were not married because of the Missouri laws. I did come across her in a small history book saying she was negro, but her death certificate showed her as white. I hope you find closure with this.
OMG- coming across this is opening up soo many emotions. Including me(37) not knowing my father or his side & so many questions about my mother's parent's side too
Meeka---oh my goodness. My heart is going out to you! I am almost 37 and I feel like it was just time to start figuring things out. Whatever that meant for me. We all have a different journey to be on---but I am glad you found the channel. I hope you stay and share more with us :)
It's the story of my ancestry as a Black America. Yes this type of stuff happened here in our great land. It should be mandatory for it to be taught just as much as the good things
So you know being “Creole” doesn’t necessarily mean someone is of any particular race or multi racial. When the French and Spanish came over they called anyone born in Colonial Louisiana as Creole. I know people in Louisiana who are completely European and are Creoles. That’s why you’ll hear the term Creoles of Color. The word is criollo in Spanish.
This was the same thing in my family. I am from Brooklyn, NY and I have decent relatives in Louisiana my family is of French, Frech Creole, and Cajun with Italian and Spanish heritage. I am proud of all my European and Creole heritage!
Hey fellow NYer! Im in Nashville now...still looking for good bagels and pizza haha. I love that we share so much heritage-- I have Italian from my dad. I hope you will stay around for future videos!
I have similar back ground. My father is Jamaican and My mom is a NOLA creole with cajun relatives in Ville Platte. My mother's last name is spelled the same Ceasar.
@@thickthighsthinpatience950 Ville Platte, Washington, Opelousas, and Grand Coteau...lots of Creoles there French with African and Natives there. Not too far from where I am in Lafayette. Caesars and Charlots(Shar-lo) r black families in that area.
Thank you immensely for sharing your discovery thank you to the relatives who have made peace with fear or lies and just are going on with life. Stay blessed.
That sun comment was said quite often to us growing up. We're from Shreveport, by the way. Now granted, I was chocolate brown but my late twin sister was light bright practically White. She's what we called a redbone or high yellow. Now we weren't Biracial mixed, but both of our grandmothers were. Funny thing about that too was, one grandmother was chocolate brown like myself but she had blue eyes and long curly hair. Our other grandmother, however, was very fair skinned. She was very racially ambiguous in her younger years, but she lived her life as a Black woman. Proud one at that. Sadly, both of my late grandmothers shared a similar history. A dark family secret was their conception wasn't consensual. My mother's mother, the one that's dark w/ blue eyes, her "father" r@ped her mother when she was only 14. Sadly, they never got justice seeing as how it was the 1920s Louisiana.😔 He died from an OD before my grandmother was born, so there's that. I don't know the full story about my other grandmother's conception but I remember them having a similar story. May they all rest in paradise.🙏🏿
Hello, First I would like to say "Thank You" for doing this topic and sharing your family story! I am a Donnelly descent as well with Mulatoo being the "race" as well.
This is Beautiful! My father is french and indian. ! Im doing some heritage searching as well down south.. Dont stop.. This would make an amazing book. Or a movie 🎬..
I’m Melungeon and when my daughter was born in December in Detroit, the nurses refused to believe me when I went to the nursery to pick up my daughter. They told me there were no white babies in the nursery. I had to explain that I wasn’t white. Even with my black hair, olive skin and dark brown/green eyes, they had a hard time, till I showed them my dad and my baby pictures, then they realized my daughter was our clone. It’s difficult to be mixed because you’re too light or too dark and you don’t feel like you fit in anywhere. Makes those preteen & teenage years a bit harder. Even to this day, my dad avoids getting any kind of suntan because he fears being called out. It’s horrible that after all this time, there’s still fear and self loathing. I hope I have raised my daughters to be proud of their heritage and not allow this insane whitewashing to continue.
This is quite the interesting family tale. I’ve enjoyed watching your journey. Overall I must say as an African American and proud, I’m glad I don’t have such issues that mixed ppl deal with. I could never imagine having to choose. Never had the option to choose an perceived easier life, but good for you for uncovering YOUR truth. As well as valuing it because you definitely phenotypically carry all your lineage from black, Italian, French, native, etc. You know I wonder what toll it took on them mentally… did they cry at night to themselves knowing they were living a “lie” … leaving all they ever knew behind just to survive .. whew Lord bless their souls
I agree, thinking about how hard it must have been is hard. I dont think people choose that on a whim. I think part of it for Lola was being in NY as a widow with 8 mixed kids. Sometimes it doesnt seem like it's really my family story, it's so different than what we were told. I really appreciated your comment.
When I was your age b4 the internet was in every home I went digging for my family. I found many of them passed as well. There was some inter-family marriages as well so keep their skin fair. They were also free blacks. It's too much to write but you already know this. Lol This is so good! I been sharing with my friends. Thank you for sharing your family with us! P.S we are French too!
Thank you so much for watching and sharing that--it's not too much. I am really here for the community. I had no idea this was not just a weird problem in my family--- I had NO idea what white passing was until very recently. Thank you also for sharing it--I was nervous to go public with this, but the love has been unreal. and lol YES, that French was not a total lie....
One thing about most American Creoles are that they are able to pass. Some of us are not, I came from a family of that mixture. Needless to say, I can see how complicated it could have been. My grandparents spoke of relatives who decided to disassociate completely years ago due to their skin advantage versus their other relatives. Interesting history, but true facts. I love my family but this is a part of it. I commend you for paying homage to our heritage ✌️❤️❤️🥰# Creole southern love
You may know or may have no idea how IMPORTANT this work you are doing here today is! I have shared it, and your channel with many! Being labeled "Mexican American" myself with black hair and blue eyes always made me ask twice. I'm Portugese and Scottish / Irish after in-depth ancestry that lead me to Southern Spain, Northern "AFRICA" Morrocco and Scotland / Ireland. My Fathers last name "Clan Davidson" explained most of it. Keep up the work SISTER! I hear yah!! Berbers, Donbask, North Africans, Mediterranean people WERE a Culture... They deserve recognition. Sicilians were 100% treated as slaves in the past millennia. Their Rape and Torture and exploitation in New Orleans Shipping Ports is without question. Were we "African" of course we were! Did we look the way Media wants "Africans" too look?Of Course we don't... Racial Marxism is a constructed BEAST...
@@gijane02 Marxism is just another word for "Critical Race Theory". As if ANYONE on Earth is not going to have ad-mixture of cultures. It is so childish and ignorant actually. Just like racism. Do not buy into the scam of Marxist "Divide & Conquer". Society Degradation that is not redeemable to a point of powers to control. I'm not a Gun person, but the Second Amendment exists for this reason. The First Amendment being upheld will eliminate the need for the 2nd Amendment.
I watched this again and it was such a great experience to hear these individual testimonies. The saddest one is the murder that took place to steal the land.. i hope you contact “where is my land” they help families re-capture stolen land
My uncle looks yt and he was hated and treated badly as a child around the 1950's...by blk children because he looked like a yt person. One example was he was tied up and dumped into to hole by blk children. One of the children's mother told my grandmother about it while laughing. My uncle developed a deep wound in his soul...
My grandparents were “passing”.. I noticed in some census it went from mulatto, to white when they moved out of Lafayette, then negro, then colored and all I could think was oh no! Somebody found out… they stopped speaking French…. It was that serious back then
My family is soooo racist on my fathers side that they lied about my grandfather being black. Even lied on his death certificate. Its a shame his family is so hateful. Soooo im keeping in touch with the black side of my family and answered a lot of questions that they had about "us" im happy and knowing that his side of the family is fuming over the truth makes me smile more...hopefully that side will die off soon and there will be less hate in the world.
I do ancestry research. My ancestors are Cherokee and my husband's ancestors are Choctaw. My husband's ancestors owned a plantation with slaves. With Native ancestry the census will state Native. Any time an African American had Native ancestors it was usually never recognized by the tribe. My husband's family had children with their slaves who became property. Not family. My husband is related to the Beams. Researching that family and how they sold their free siblings into slavery for being half black is eye opening. My father in-law is a quarter Native and disowned my family for having a black grandchild. Not much has changed to this day.
Estelle that’s so interesting! I had difficulty with the native on the census records. I don’t even think some of that side WAS censused because they weren’t living in a US “state”. My friend helped me locate Lola’s grandmother and she seemed to be in New Mexico territory I remember. We did find missions records though for baptisms. That story you shared was devastating. I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t started finding similar ones. I’m so glad you’re here with expertise!
Wow its small world!! Ive been watching your videos for a while now because we seem to have alot of parallels with our family histories but im actually from Monroe, LA. Still live here and i know Chris Smith thats in this video. Me and his son Jordan went to high school together. My grandma told me we were kin to them on down the line somehow when he told her who his family was, so it wouldnt surprise me if me and you were kin somewhere down the line also lol. Thanks for making all these videos tho! Its made me really want to start digging into my geneology!
@nytn hell he probably won’t even remember me its been 20 years since ive talked to him probably lol. It was 04’ or 05’ that me and Jordan went to school together. Ive seen Chris once or twice, in passing, since i moved back home last year. I recognized him but couldnt recall where from until i saw his name on your video lol. Dont rememeber how i found the first video of you i came across but i subscribed because you had mentioned family from Louisiana + im a history buff anyway, but never thought you’d be making videos about Monroe with folks i know though lol.
Not true! At once upon a time, Blacks owned 2/3 of the swamp land in Louisiana,, Not only that, Black men cultivate the Land and develop most of roadways people drive on to this day.
Hi my surname is Lebrun. Your video hits home. We were always told we are french. I didn't learn about my father's side of the family until many years later. And I also learned why we were told we were french. Forced relocation, removing native american children from their families and Jim Crow. I am a member of the Natchitoches tribe, joined in 2016 along with my son. I understand why my father never said anything about our native heritage, fear. I am also a cousin to the Perot family and met many for first time in 2016. Thank you for sharing. Take care stay safe.
When you find who Lola's parents were, you will have all of the answers. One of Lola,'s parents was black. One of her male relatives said he did DNA and he said there results showed he was 10% black. Lola kept it quiet of her parents ethnicity.
Exactly right. I did end up finding them! Her dad was mostly black (with slave roots that I was able to somewhat trace) and her moms family were Indians that came through the Spanish missions. My moms cousins test was 10% black give or take so that would make Lola his grandma about half
@@nytn celebrate all that’s in you! Embrace your beautiful heritage’s! Be proud of who you are, and make a point of getting to know all of your family! God Bless
I have similar DNA to you: My dad's folks were creole from French Caribbean, and yet my grandad was from UI Neil in Ulster like your great grandfather. I'm in UK, and I find your videos very informative and educational. Thanks for the research. It's obviously a labour of love.
Very Interesting and helps answer allot of questions concerning my family history. I was born and raised in California , just outside of Los Angeles in 1964. Please hear me , no disrespect to any race or culture. I grew up a typical white kid in the 70"s and 80"s here in Southern California. My dad was the oldest child of his family and carried on his dads name. (Raymond Francis Delahoussaye). i know is not a big deal now days but was back then. He went into the U.S. Air-force and served our country during the Korean war, He sent his mom and dad money faithfully every month back in the states because they were very poor while still raising 5 kids ( my brothers and sister) as well as my mom on a soldiers salary. Family has always been huge with my dad as it is with me and i wish i could go back in time and ask all the questions that i have now. That is why i appreciate this topic. I remember we would all get together in Hemet California at my grandparents house , aunts and uncles, cousins grand parents , gg grandparents would all have a good time singing , playing , guitar, piano, mandolin , stand up base etc. They were all self taught. Man they all got loud when they spoke. My grandfather would always make a chicken gumbo and made sure not to put Okra in it for me. lol , I started looking into genealogy about 10 years ago and found all my grandpas family that moved to Los Angeles (great grandparents Gustave and Emily ) were listed as Mulatto in the 1940"s census and same for his dad in New Iberia (Gustave and Philomene Delahoussaye and kids) I never got the chance to get answers concerning family history because i was so young and my dad got sick (bipolar) and to be honest nothing else mattered except to get my dad help. Even though very young I distinctly remember hearing conversation /words like St. Martinsville, New Iberia , file gumbo, Lake Charles , Como seva , and always wandered why my great grandmother only spoke french. But nobody spoke of these things when we(siblings and I) did have a question or two. It was always a mystery to me and siblings and my mom had no idea what to think ( she was from California). What made things worse is my Great Grandpa Gustave dis-owned my grandpa because he left the catholic faith and became a born again christian. I did find out that my gg grandmother (paternal) was a Decuir (lived in New Iberia) and traced her line back to Point Coupee. and my great grandmother was a Girouard , she only spoke french and everyone called her Va . (her name was Rosa and lived to be 100 years old. Now looking at old photos i see very distinctive creole features of all my dads side of family. some great uncles darker then others, my grandfather more olive skinned . I can say this as a husband/dad , Things would have to be pretty bad for me to pick up and leave my home and all that i knew to start over somewhere else especially dirt poor. I have 1 bucket list item before i get too old and that is to visit Louisiana.
In Arizona people kept asking me "what ARE you?" And called me exotic looking because of my darkish beige skin prominent nose, and very dark eyes. It was not meant as a compliment. It became a game of "Guess what Debra is.". Greek, or Jewish, or Spanish, or Middle Eastern. In the summer I would tan really well. I liked it. Also enjoyed being thought of as any of the ethnic groups people thought I belonged to. Arizonans were downright insulting about my "ethnic" features, though. I would have been proud if I was of any ethnic group they threw at me, and I liked to boast of my native ancestry, but they were being what is now known as microagressive. I am old and paler but live in Los Angeles. people assume I am Amenian, Jewish or Iranian. Usually not in an unflattering way. CA mentality Vs AZ mentality
I have been asked that same question all of my life and I'm now in my early 60s. Some are just curious and some are unflattering, especially the latter being from black people outside of the world and knowledge of southern Louisiana, all across the US.
I just hope that people of today, treat children in a kind way. My paternal grandparents came off the boat from Sicily. I inherited the olive skin, dark hair and eyes from that side of my family. My mother's family originated in Spain and had ivory skin. I have a brother and sister, but I'm the one who looks most Sicilian. I'm 73 now, but when I was about 8 years old, I was invited to a friend's birthday party. During the party, the birthday girl's teen-age brother came in and sat in a plush chair, saying, "Oh, all these pretty, little girls! Come tell me hello!" All of us, rushed to him to tell him hello, and he gave me a stern look and pointed to me and said, "Not you!!" I was crushed. My 8 yr. old brain told me that I must be a hideous sight and so ugly, that I was repulsive. I suffered with low esteem from then on. I guess I'm a slow learner, because it wasn't until just a few years ago, that I replayed that scene in my head and realized that my other classmates were blond, light brown hair, blue-eyed, pale skinned kids. JERK! My point is, that, if you have prejudice, think of the feelings of the young kids. It can scar them for life.
I am so sorry for that. terrible experience you had. You are so right---words spoken over a child can bring strength or damage for a lifetime. I hope you can find healing now. My dad's side is Sicilian, too :) Im so proud of that heritage as well
Blessings to this whole family!🙏 Can someone tell me where I can find out more about the song with the lyrics " You provided for me from seed to tree, my faith now cant be shaken"?
Creole is a "misnomer.". Creole literally meant native born French speaking Catholic, so black, white, German were considered Creole if you fit those 3 categories. Over time it gained a "racial" conotation.
Oh wow they said Campti. I spent my summers in Campti with family. Just went back some years back. Something to know alot of people moved to Chicago, Oakland, and Detroit from Monroe. Shreveport was more LA, Chicago, and Cleveland.
Stories like this one make me further proud of my maverick grandmothers, both of whom could have easily “passed” but chose to live as Black. They were recorded as “mulatto” (although they were both Native American); they married Black men and loved their brown babies. Many fights were started by people who dared to ask why my dad and his four brothers had a “White” mother. Both grandmothers refused to discuss race; they would only speak about their indigenous heritage.
What a blessing to know your heritage! I don’t blame my great gram or think she did the wrong thing- if it’s between my children starving (and my Grammy and her siblings nearly did - episode 2) or “admitting” to a mixed background- I choose protecting my kids every time! This didn’t feel like a choice to me, now that I know the full story. Sad either way for sure. 💔💔 thank you for your comment and sharing your story!
I’m with you. My Grandma’s family was recorded as mulatto as well. They owned a small farm in Iberville Parrish. I’m not here to judge anybody. You do what you need to to survive. I’m proud of my grandma and her family because they too chose to live as black and married black. There is that sense of strength and pride that they passed onto us to never be ashamed or afraid of who you are and to keep fighting for your right to exist in this world.
@@Darksister0922 I think the hardest part for modern people to understand is the fear. The white mobs were on some Taliban-level intensity. Especially in Louisiana and Mississippi, people who didn't tow the racial lines were risking their lives. If history were taught properly, we'd all be shocked at how many people were openly r*ped or killed and nothing was done about it. Anne Moody's book, "Coming of Age in Mississippi," is one of the few first-hand accounts of what it was like to grow up black in that part of the south (30-mins from LA) and the callousness of assault and murder is quite shocking.
@@nytn Think u for pointing this out- my parents passed because in Cali - they obtained jobs especially in construction where they entered into business with the Canadians.
Sybil Morial passed yesterday. She was the wife of the first Black/Creole mayor of New Orleans,Ernest "Dutch" Morial,mother of Marc Morial , President of the Urban League and a former Mayor of New Orleans, greatest Mayor in NO history,in my opinion.She had 4 children including Marc.🙏🏿RIP🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿 Sybil Haydel Morial. Never be ashamed to be Creole or Black
My G'ma's sister left home when she 16 y.o. (this was around 1930) to pass as white. They were indeed Creole though. The family joke is, if she later married and had kids, that was the luck of the draw b/c we all know DNA can be a bitch and if her kids came out brown, she'd have some explaining to do!🤣🤣🤣
LOL! One of my kids is dark. Darker than me. He gets soo many compliments on his skin tone. I’m so glad that we still carry our heritage with us even when we don’t know about it
@@sharonthebaron88 Nope. No one ever heard from her again. My G'ma left home shortly after her sister left and never returned, not to pass, they just didn't have a good home life. My G'ma died in 2012, age 96 and her last few words were, "I can't wait to see what this bitch has to say." 🤣🤣 She was a firecracker!
@@KayKay_72 Thank you for your response. That to me is the saddest thing about passing, what those people leave behind. They may gain some privilege's, financial or social, but they lose their whole family and culture.
If you can, watch the recent movie Jazzman’s Blues (it’s a Tyler Perry film but not like the Madea ones 😅). It touches on the subject, I think you’d find it interesting 😌
We go to school and learn about all kinds of histories until we graduate high school, and we don't even know our family history! How can this be? The people who decided that human beings are nothing unless their skin is white are of such low value themselves. They continue to teach this shameless sin generation after generation as if they are the creators of life. So many families had to run and hide in order not to be under the crushing, deadly, and evil system of racism, and suffer consequences daily. One thing l can say is, we are strong and resilient because our families survived the destruction, lynchings and hangings, cross burnings, bombings, beatings, dog attacks, red linings, projects, abandoned cities, ghettos, lack of employment, unfair wages, under performing schools, etc. Many of the things that were done to us should have killed us, but we are still here! I thank God for the strength and courage our ancestors had passing through the hands of such darkness from evil people.
Cynthia, this comment was just so incredible to me. I almost cried reading the first line. What youre saying is absolutely correct--we need to start learning our own history. It might be difficult, but this is something that will benefit EVERYONE. Thank you for watching and your thoughtful reply. I would love to have you here for future videos. I am just starting this journey!
Danielle, we might possibly be related (cousins). I recently found out that my grandma was Creole, she had relatives with the last name Goins, and she was from Monroe, La.
My two times great grandmother Georganne lucas was Choctaw Cherokee so fair skinned she could pass for white especially with her grey eyes. She married a John funches(a dark skinned creole) in May search to find where the last name originates I instead found a huge population of Funches lived and was from Louisiana. Like they said Indio was the lowest caste I guess for That's maybe the reason she chose to raise her children my great grandmother and her siblings as negro/ colored. Because at least they wasn't taken to the residential schools they would have slightly more opportunity as that but why live as a mulatto negro instead of White because at least she could still visit her family with no problems she couldn't do that passing as white but as mulatto She had slight advantage but it was much more work to go all in and totally pass for white to do that was to always be on guard always in fear .
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Want to support this project so I can keep making more? Check out www.patreon.com/NYTN/about !
How can I contact you offline?
@@Az-dc4nu you can find my e-mail on this page: www.youtube.com/@nytn/about
The first family... Disgraceful she screaming she's blk and he lost it...huh!!!..
KIWAN- interesting name - it is male or female? My point is we are an interesting AND UNIQUE culture - Are we a TOLERANT CULTURE? I WOULD WELCOME A Debate
@@anonymouslee8287 I believe that when he said he 'lost it' he meant that he broke into a fit of laughter! He didn’t feel shame that she’d yelled it out loud.
Y’all need to find the Creole black side of the family. They will tell you exactly what happened.
I hear that.
You can tell they still don't want completely face that part, they talking about being native Americans but Creole people are mostly black
I agree! Just talking to a local creole will tell you so much. LA is a melting pot. So much history there.
@@thelmathomas9399 This was only the first episode! I am still learning. Check out this video I just did on my african slave ancestors--it meant a lot to me. ruclips.net/video/uAxyz0q0A4s/видео.html
The folks in LA are embracing their black heritage more than Lola’s family are
It almost sounds like a horror movie. This made me feel sad 😔. To be hunted down and punished for your race is disgraceful and horrifying.
No wonder aliens fly by...coz we are green 😀 😎
It is a horror
Right. Very sad.
That 'horror movie' was real life to millions of my People, who could not hide behind the camouflage of light skin and wavy hair. I hope you also feel sadness for those who could not blend in with the 'hunters'; and not just those who were able to pass for White, while other Black people were humiliated, terrorized and brutalized.
What makes this story horrible?
Creole are the most beautiful people on the planet! My husband was creole and he was so handsome that on our first date, a tall blonde butted in and tried to take him away from me. She lost! We were married for 35yrs. He was 6ft4, dark brown hair, emerald eyes, thick dark brows and long dark lashes. I miss him everyday...he was my soulmate.
Did you have children?.
Thank you for sharing this story about your husband♥️♥️♥️
🙄
Love to the family 🔆❤️❤️❤️✌️
I have always thought so. Absolutely exquisite!
I'm from Natchitoches Louisiana. Glad they are talking about the realities of the south and how things were back then during those times. My family went through these things as well.
Candace, I love that you are from there. I hope you will stay around because I really love hearing from family who is still there and can share what they heard or saw.
We struggled in Natchitoches, Monroe, Alexandria, and Winnfield even now. I've only been to visit those places, we're from Lafayette, LA. My husband's family r made up of Mulatto and Octroon Creoles. My MIL could "pass". Historically, there was a lot of "mixing" with Quadroon balls and such. The "Cajuns" in Lafayette r very olive toned which is a strong indication there has been African, Native American, or Spanish ancestry. All of these people look like POC to me. I know our people when I see them. They could hide their ancestry in place where fair skinned Creoles aren't prevalent.
❤
God Bless You!!
Melrose!
I'm on the edge of my seat the whole time I watch this. You're doing so much to heal so many of us who cannot make the trip home to uncover our family stories and secrets. Thank you for such a beautiful offering.
This is one of the most incredible things anyone has said to me on this journey. THANK YOU a million times over for reaching out to tell me. Im so thankful to have you with me on the journey. I hope you will stay for the last episode:)
I'm Creole from my dad side. But we own our ancestry as black
@@nytn this definitely is healing so many of black families this is part of their story how we have gotten separated .
@@Nickie870 oh my gosh this gave me goosebumps. I want that healing for all of us so badly. We have been separated and many of us not even knowing it...
I'm born, raised and still live in New Orleans, La. I find out something new about my family everyday. I'm on ancestry dna and 23 and me plus all social media. You or anyone else ever needs help finding info from down here, feel free to reach out.
This should be on mainstream television. There's a lot that we can understand from this film so eloquently made.
Kiwan- thank you. This was so wonderful to read
This would be considered critical race theory for many white peoples.
OK if u are going to put this on mainstream- then show another side- interviewing Creoles that passed and Why- it is a fair and balanced approach.
They were doing something called "passing". Some of my family did it too. They moved away to separate from us until they were eventually found out.
exactly!! did you see episode 1 yet? and where was your family from originally? ruclips.net/video/SQp7jeNp_yg/видео.html
Passé blanc
Found out? Are u upset at what they did?
@@pierrerochon7271 No, I am not upset they did. I am sorry, however, that we did not have the opportunity to know them growing up. They are great people, and it's a shame that they had to mislead both communities just to have an opportunity to earn a decent living.
That's sad 🙄
My heart goes out to Frank. His emotions and pain for simply being who he was born to be is heartfelt. 🕊️
It was an honor to meet him and learn more about my family who stayed.
I agree, I want to give him a great big hug and say it's ok. We love ya!
I’ve watched the past two episodes and the family keeps saying Lola was Native American not mentioning the other half of African. It seems it’s also hard for the family to attach to😢. I could not imagine the pain and fear she felt in those times.
It is really complicated- my family only just found out about the African. I’m going to do a video about my African ancestors- I found the slave records.
If she was so called native American, she was American Indian. What we call black people. Native Americans are white people. Any foreigner that's born in America is native to these lands.
Many old Creole families are like that. The truth is, these folks is Cane River Creoles who were mulattos that long ago intermarried with Lipan Apache called Canneci and later there were intermarriages between the Clifton Choctaw who themselves were already mixed race. The goal of many mixed race communities is to become a tribe with state or federal recognition.
The reality is the Houma, Chitimacha, Choctaw-Apache, Tunica Biloxi and even the Clifton Band of Choctaw all descend from mixed race black-native (griffe savauge) white-native (metis), white-black (milat) and black-white-native (coyote) peoples. They all pretty much ignore the african because they all know that after the civil war that was the lowest position one could be socially.
@The Mekaboo1 its called the Cherokee Princess syndrome, its the same thing with a lot of African Americans, willing to admit everything anything but to admit that you "white" European DNA is a fate closer to death than anything and please dont let anyone tell you different. Its just in reverse, " I got my dark skin from my Cherokee grandmother and so on and so on.
@@LM-ki5ll if that explination gets you through the day and night you go with it, I call it the Cherokee Princess syndrome, nothing more and its okay African Americans do it as well, admit to everything but the truth, they have African DNA in them and recent DNA added to the genes.
This is a VERY common story in Louisiana. Lots of branches of families were lost to passing.
Is actually common throughout the states in general
The people that need to see this,probably will never hear this. I think the music,the pictures,and the production on this video is perfection. Whoever made this is very talented,and did an awesome job. This needs to be made into a movie,so that more people might see it. I know it would win awards for all kinds of categories. It’s pretty much a movie, but the big screen needs this because love is disappearing. God is love,and we need to love each other like family. After seeing this,I realized we’re really all one big family. We really are,and if you watch this you’ll know it. I can’t wait for love to return. I miss Him. Peace out
We are all Gods children. Thank you for your kind words. This was a project I have wanted to do for years. A true labor of love for my heart- and I’m just starting my journey!! I hope you will stay around:)
This definitely should be a movie!!!! I want to show the world! My great grandmother was the same way. I found out digging to put a family tree together. Saw the old census reports etc. At 104 she still says she is a white women. Though DNA says other wise. I feel so hurt that they had to go through that.
@@BeachCityBaby Wow, amazing that we can share that story. Please stay for awhile! Im ready to do some deep dives on finding our lost ancestry and how to even start that...
@@BeachCityBaby I wonder how she would respond watching this
This is fascinating. I have great respect for these family members speaking so openly. A lot of white people in the Deep South still think discussing their black ancestry is shameful and offensive.
Maybe some but not most. We realize if you change one ancestor you do not exist. We realize our ancestors were a victims of Jim Crow laws. Before those laws they were legally white and then suddenly because they were as little as one -eighth black (one black great grandparent) they were not white and so by law suddenly were not legally married to their white mates. So, they hid it.
For a lot of white people in the south or in MAGA land in general it still can have consequences. I advise whites to never take a DNA test. They have everything to lose and nothing to gain. ruclips.net/video/ptSZnTtGCQA/видео.html
So true. I have white cousins my family knows I. The south and they refuse to acknowledge that we're related.
@@tysteward545 ..same here.
@@MrZlathan3 I'm confused. Are you saying finding out you're FBA (Foundational Black Ancestry) African-American is nothing to gain? Please clarify and explain. Thanks.
I am 66 years old and was born in AR. My original birth certificate which I kept a copy of has for race "colored". I made sure my children saw it. So yes it was a thing!!!!! This country!!!!
Ken- thank you for sharing that!! I’m amazed and shocked by what was happening and not long ago…. Glad you are here:)
I was born in1962 mines say colored
It’s so amazing how black these people look to me as a black woman im brown skinned but my mother and grandmother are whiter skinned than these white passing folks, my great-grandmother was definitely able to pass for white but she refused to. I’m so grateful for her pride, they would mark her baby’s birth certificate white and she would have them change it to colored. A definite act of courage in the early 1900’s
Wow that is amazing to me. Im shocked every time someone of color can see the heritage in my family. I just had no idea
See I told you in a comment above. Lol! Black folks know their people no matter how racially ambiguous you present. 😂 Welcome to the fam!
@@theresacolton644 I love it!!
My family as well
@@nytn Watch the movie "Imitation of Life".
This reminds me of the 1st time I saw my Dad's mom. I was 6 yrs old but it's something I've never forgotten. We went to Georgia for me to see his family. To my surprise out of the house came white looking people. I asked him how do you have a white mother but you're colored. My grandmother said I'm not white baby I'm Cherokee and Irish 👀👀👀
My Dad had a white sister, a red sister and a dark brown sister. I had never seen the so many mixed colored people in one family until I got much older.🙏🏿
I love this story- “to my surprise”! Pretty much sums it all up
Che bello!
You should see some of our Jamaican families. All the colours of the rainbow. Different eye shapes, hair textures etc. "Out of many, one people". Jamaicans.
Same with my family in Georgia. My mom remembers going to “white” relatives homes and “white” relatives visiting her grandmother who could have passed for a “white “ woman. Race in America is something else!
@@lindabrown0
Yep!! Those DAMN colonizers made their way round there too on their damn boats. 😡
Loved this documentary! I’m from monroe la and these stories are true about how it used to be and still is in some cases. I’m black with Irish and native ancestry and to be a person of color in the south (particularly Louisiana) is still hard because we are still being denied of some opportunities and we don’t get treated equally in society especially the work place!!
Thank you! I love that I found so many cousins in Monroe. I wonder if you and I are related too :) It was hard to learn about the southern experience for my family that stayed. I know my gram faced discrimination in NY, but nothing like what happened in Louisiana.
@@nytn so sorry for what she went through. I can only imagine smh
You just described my mom and her side of the family !
This is such a uniquely beautiful and emotional documentary. I feel so connected to this story because my family has similar stories in it. It almost feels like I'm hearing from the perspective of relatives that I've never met before. You've really inspired me to keep exploring my own family's history and the shared history of Louisiana. Thank you for telling your story 💙❤
Preston- thank you so so much for connecting with me on here. There is something really special about finding other people with mixed Louisiana roots and talking together about it. Something you know our families never did. Yes, keep digging into all the big stories in your family, And please hang around!
Same. I have always identified as white. I am sitting here staring at an old photo of my maternal Grandmother who was Creole and Siksika Blackfoot Indian. She also did her best to hide her colorful ancestry. I loved her so much and miss her very much. She was an incredible woman.
@@sammiegalati1990 wow. This is so beautiful. I hope you stay around, Im ready to start having these conversations about reconnecting and reclaiming
@@nytn I just subscribed. Hearts that beat to the tune of kindness can change the rythym of the world. -Peterson♥
@@sammiegalati1990 A kindred for sure!
Wow. This happens a lot in history, including my own. I’m intrigued… I had to go ahead & subscribe. 😊 I am African-American & Blackfoot Indian. The historians in my family went all the way back to the early 1800s. A lot of my family looks very white to very dark and tall. A lot of the family that are fair skinned have very red hair & blue eyes. A lot of people confuse me with being Dominican or something like it. Myself & my family just call ourselves black, when people ask about our ancestry. I don’t mention my true identity roots often because when I’ve mentioned it before, people would get offended & try to get me to answer their questions…doubting me or trying to get me to doubt myself. Like there is no way that I can look like this AND be Indian too. 😂 I totally understand Lola. She had to do what she had to do to survive. Much love to you & your family. ❤
Oh my gosh, Orelia, your story! I am so glad you shared this. People need to read things like this--no one should be afraid to tell who they are because someone else is not educated enough to realized people can be MANY things at once. I am hoping to do some deep dives into the genealogy side as well--how can we even start finding out ancestors when they didnt want to be found? Its not easy but it can usually still be done. Thank you for sharing that.
@@nytn You’re welcome. It really is a lot. Yes, they did not want to be found but it definitely can be done. There are so many resources out there. I’m excited to see what else you find out. No matter what, it’s always great to learn & know the truth. Very liberating & freeing. 🙂
@@tamarastone141 Yes, I totally understand the confusion. Yes, there were and still are Blackfoot Indians. 🙂My grandmother was from Mississippi as well & later migrated to Ohio for work & better opportunities. That is the uniqueness of Indians… we are everywhere because of the darkness of history & our need to survive. So yes, I believe your family is correct. In history records, a lot of times instead of listing someone as Indian they would list them as mulatto or negro depending on the skin tone.. sad but true… hence erasing some true history, causing the confusion. I totally get it. ❤️
@@tamarastone141 Yes, for sure. You’re welcome. It’s important to know. Also, Ancestry offers their history experts to assist in the search of your family history, if you get stuck… it’s a little pricey but well worth it. How exciting!
Same here my great great made sure we never forget we are blackfoot from Montana. And she lived in Louisiana
Yes I can feel the pain, my family are and still in Natchitoches and Cane River, We were documented since late 1700s.Im like the fam historian in a way because I try and keep up with everything.I use to hear stories about those days of my Great and 2x Greats. Some family changed letters in surname or disowned because you decided to marry outside your culture.I even grew up around the family and going out to the country not realizing..it was Native land..not federal but state recognized as a tribe
.CLIFTON CHOCTAW but noone talks about the heritage and lost traditions
This is one of the main reasons why I don’t get to much into claiming certain things of the past. You never know who is in your blood line and who isn’t.
And who are you🙄
My heart goes out to Lola's family that had to deal with the discrimination. I remember in the 60s when kids were bussed but I never really understood til I was in high school. As my family members married into Tribal communities I learned first hand of the hardships they endured. This is in Oregon.
So much pain in so many communities. I hope to honor the things our family and many family's experienced now that we have the freedom to do that
Hi Cathy, do you know that the original state constitution of Oregon prohibited Black Americans from living in the state?
All states throughout the USA have racist histories. Every European nation has a racist history. Asia is racist and the beat goes on.
No one is without fault in this us vs. them idea of race and supremacy.
I would love to hear what will be the legacy you will tell your children. Looking at the past, you see there has been trauma inflicted that still carries to 2022. Thank you for these episodes.
I’m so glad you are here and watching. I’m going to make a video on that. I have three little kids and so far I’ve told them everything I’ve learned. It’s really time to break the cycle
What a beautiful piece of work you've presented with your family journey! Creole is special and Lola engendered an amazing family. God bless you all.
Thank you so much!
What's special about it?
@@nancybreaux9684 the Creole people of Louisiana are a unique blend of the several original cultures who settled Louisiana. They were yes, French, yes Spanish, yes, Indian, and some African or a combination of these. These were the original colonists of Catholics in the Louisiana territory who lived graciously with their faith and close family unity. They lived among the European settlers but separately as their own unique people. They had their own blended culture. There was an established heirarchy of which ethnic background held a higher place. Obviously the French did and the European. It was the primary language and much of the French customs were practiced. One such was for women to shun too much exposure to the sun. It was a beauty thing to protect the skin and common among French women. The Creole of Louisiana were good and decent yet kept to themselves while living among ?mostly French,Spanish,Indians and Africans. In this they were special. All groups èxperienced some kind of persecution at different periods. Some greater than others . The Europeans even vied among themselves for superior status. Many mingled eventually by international marriages. The true French and the Cajun French were two different groups sharing a national heritage, it was argued among them who were superior in culture and education.
So the Creole of that period in Louisiana survived by their isolation and keeping to themselves. Land was always a desirable prize. Most of Louisiana was originally gained by land grant from the government in power. Creole are unique!
I live in new Orleans and at one time if you wasn't lighter than a brown paper bag you couldn't go in certain areas or clubs. Posse Blanc is what we called them
I only learned about it this summer- and for sure if didn’t use sunscreen in the summer I wouldn’t be allowed in. That is really messing me up to think about as a obviously white person. 😳
I just want to say this is an exceptional video essay. You mother’s story, your whole family’s story is so touching. Thank you for sharing on RUclips.
I appreciate this so much. I think this is my favorite episode-- I spent a lot of time with it, and I hope it continues to speak on behalf of our ancestors. Thank you for being here :)
This is an absolutely phenomenal video documentary.
This is also heart wrenching, especially the story of Ozan.
Thank you.
I am so honored to have you on the journey with me. Thank you so very much for watching and leaving a message. The Ozan story was hard-- especially once I put the pieces together about when my family must have left their hometown based on the census records.
Everybody that know American history knows that the state of Louisiana especially New Orleans, LA has always been a melting pot of different culture. As a proud African American woman, I never denied my race and culture and history. I love!! love!! love!! my black American culture and history. I am very proud of my culture and history. The reason so many creoles of Louisiana were fearful of anyone finding out they were truly part black American because they would be denied job, education, social status in Louisiana.
Katy, I loved your comment, and I LOVE finding people who were raised with a fullness of their heritage and culture. It is truly a gift.
@@nytn Your welcome. You are right about knowing and loving appreciating your culture and history. Many blessings to you!🙏😊
@@katyarnold6757 there are entire towns were people r still putting in the effort to "pass" like Grand Maris, Grand Wood. It's getting better, but these pocket towns still exist. I'd say the southeast to southwest Louisiana have the highest concentration of Creoles. New Orleans has all kinds of people.
FACTS 🤨
Passing wasn't about being ashamed of being Black; it was about trying to survive and get better for your family and children. America has never made that easy for its Black citizens, even still
I am Creole. My grandparents and many generations were native to Louisiana. Many of my relatives passed to have a better chance at living a “good” life. In the end, hiding and lying wore many relatives into a hell that had no escape. Always afraid of what the kid might look like, running into someone from the past. It wasn’t so good, after all. Not to mention, it keeps the family in emotional turmoil and prejudice against your own people.
Yes, 100%! I didnt realize the generational issues this caused in my family because of it, we couldnt pinpoint it. Now I understand the origin story for lots of things.
I am creole - sorry u feel that way- I have blond hair- I DO NOT CARE WHAT PEOPLE THINK -Notice all those black men with white women - hell the entire NBA has mixed race players. I also have blue eyes and six feet three inches tall. I speak French, Italian, and Spanish- I travel internationally - depending on where the money is- I am whatever. I have been deleted on RUclips before for expressing this- so let's see if they do it again. - haha. No one wants to admit it- when sistas go for the dollas- and leave a good man. Say theyI won't settle.
Haters do not bother me - I have spent all of my life since grade school fighting with guest who? So I took karate to defend myself - haha. I am not attracted to white women per se- but if they can help with my finances become friends - assist get me a JOB with a career- I am -NOT TAKING MONEY OUT OF MY LIFESTYLE - FOR SOMEONE I DO NOT KNOW - To FEEL COMFORTABLE and still caca on me.
MARRIED MY FIRST LOVE- A DARK SKINNED SISTA- FAMILY NEVER ACCEPTED ME- ALTHOUGH I TREATED HER LIKE A QUEEEN-- At 21- in law school- full Academic ride- killing it-
help her get her master's - activist in a southern city- risking my life - she left me for a darker brother because - SHE DID WANT TO make the temporary sacrifices- He had more money- and tried to make me the problem- that. I was too driven at 23 years old. Her immediate family did not come to the wedding. Only her cousins from out of state and country.
I shared with that our marriage was just COLLATERAL DAMAGE- over the years - I have contributed my time and money in the black community for various causes- I have been incareted
like my dad and brothers in Ala. Miss and Georgia for restoring voting rights and a long list of other legal grievances. On both of my parents' sides of the family - We have a long history dating back many years- my father and uncle marched on Washington. I am currently associated with two organizations - Feeding America and Innocence Project .
You tube lined out my comment regarding my physical presence and describing the NBA players and celebs with so many white women and creoles- check it out. What about sisters with long extensions? Telling me u think u are white because u have good hair. I think it is a contradiction when so many black men want white women and creole women and HATE ON ME- HEHE. IN HIGH SCHOOL GUYS JUMPED ME AND THEN TRIED TO VIST MY SISTERS AT HOME- I BLOCKED THEM HE-HE. THEY JUMPED ME THE NEXT DAY- I SAID IF YOU MARRY MY SISTER- YOUR KIDS WILL LOOK MORE LIKE ME- THEN WHAT? Fry other fish- we have many other battles. Is trump behind this- haha
How u going to treat your son when he bonds with his uncle???- HAHA Point is- Let us get pass this BS- this discussion is instigated by RUclips for controversy- they go low - I go high. I GET mine- and I GIVE BACK. There are NO Koreans, Iranians, Armenians in the job lines. Caribbeans- LOAN MONEY TO EACH OTHER- AFRICANS living here don't get it.
I just watched Devil in a Blue Dress and it’s this exact story. I’m so intrigued as a Black British-Jamaican woman living in the states.
It was fearful, no one wanted the secret out, my parents being born in Mississippi knew about this, my mother had 1st cousins who were passin, they called it. When any family visited, they had to go to the side door like the help. It was so dangerous the relatives knew how serious this was and complied.
Oh my goodness this is heartbreaking
I have heard of things like this. Could you imagine what many black families have gone through??
If you haven’t, you should watch the recently released movie, The Jazzman’s Blues. It surrounds a woman passing and the intricacies of her relationship with her mother (desperately holding onto passing) and her black, dark skinned community members.
Tyler Perry said it was one of the first stories he wrote. I really liked the movie and I’m not really a big fan of his Madea stuff, this is nothing like those.
@@sweetumsDenise Tyler Perry comes from the 7th Ward in New Orleans. It was historically the home parish for Creoles.
@@sweetumsDenise Yeah and the passing slap the bw, and good she slap her back into her place!...Great movie!!!...
So interesting. Genealogy can be a fascinating journey. I wish you well. Stay encouraged.
Appreciate this kindness so much!
I recently got my DNA test results and found out that someone must have passed as well because I have English, Scandinavian, native American, Asian, Papuan, Scottish , and African that goes from greatest to least. However when I go back and look at census records everyone is marked as white but I knew better because my papaw doesn't look white and neither does some of my uncle's and aunts. Then I look back to my great great great grandma and great grandma on my paternal papaw's side and she didn't look white much at all but was married to a white man so I believe they were the ones who were passing.
What a great story, let it be told loud and clear. Be proud of your heritage, you are who you are. God Bless you all.
Thank you so much!
This is incredible, all of this! I'm very intrigued. So interesting for me whereas, we don't have family in Louisiana, but my Dad served in the army in the late 60's and we lived there for a time! Thank you Danielle!!💗💕💗💛🤎
Such an interesting documentary. Looking forward to future short stories. Ancestry is always so fascinating and not all secrets are told. My late husband's grandma who was racially mixed & at the time I thought she was Polish when I first met her (lived & died in Chicago in 1968) came from New Orleans. Her parents owned property & a hotel in the French Quarter. Her widowed mother lost all the properties. She felt pressured to sign the documents, she didn't understand, & to sell to the white people that swooped in on her. The stories like the tragic murder of Ozan happened repeatedly. People back then just would not discuss their backgrounds, trials or tribulations or reasons they migrated elsewhere. We got info from her sibling's grandchildren because a few things were shared with them. Grandma's family attended the Octroon Ball in New Orleans where you had to be at least 1/8th black. Her father was in the civil war after being freed as a slave. On her mothers side her great great grandfather happened to be a president who actually owned slaves (and there's not one written word about it & he wasn't Thomas Jefferson but Grandma did mention this & her maiden name was his last name too). Back in the day these lighter skinned women relatives tended to marry darker skinned men but the men back then seem to have been attracted to lighter skinned women so the spectrum of skin tones truly varies in this family & the pride in being black continues to this day. My husband's grandma didn't try to pass for white in Chicago or did any of her kin but definitely there are many stories how the lighter skinned relatives were treated better then the darker skinned or afro featured ones especially before the civil rights movement. One aunt could get her "good" hair done in a well known beauty salon, that blacks could not go to in Chicago, just because they never questioned her race. Lola felt she had reasons to hide her African ancestry...a much different time and Louisiana definitely was in the south & any person of color was a target.
Thank you so much Phara! Im really glad you are here. Wow, that story is incredible. And interesting about getting "questioned" about your race. There are a lot of learned behaviors in my family I think, but it probably all started with the racism experienced in the South. I hope you stick around for future videos, I appreciate everything you contributed:)
@@nytn I'll be looking forward to hearing more from you. Yes we all carry a bit of what our family has gone through. I was born after the great depression & WWII but I feel like I lived part of it through my mom's very occasional recollections she shared. My dad never discussed his childhood even though he lived a short block away. My folks didn't talk much about their experiences. That's just how adults didn't discuss details of their lives with their children.
If fair skin were treated better could it be the whites felt inner guilt knowing these were their secret babys. It's sad majority mixes never knew who their fathers were fathers absent feeling of rejection, lack finances to trully make it in life. All these historys hv really destroyed many people ND so it continues.
My paternal family was Swedish and Cherokee. When the Trail of Tears happened the 3 Swedish brothers separated.
1. Took his Cherokee wife to the Washington Oregon area and claimed her as a Spanish woman.
2. Went with his wife's family on the Trail of Tears to Oklahoma.
3. The last one and his wife and her clan were a part of the group that hid in the hills.
For the longest time we did not know that there was a third brother due to the fact the other two brothers were very angry that he took his wife out west to the Washington Oregon area.
Back before we had internet like we do now my brother sent out invitations for a nationwide family reunion.
It was held at a State Park in Illinois as a central location and we had family members from all over the states. It was so neat to learn that we had another line to our family. And some of the stories that they told were wonderful.
So the story telling tradition of the Cherokees and the Swedes was passed down.
This story is amazing!! I love that you have this information. The family reunion is something I would love to do.
@@nytn it took ALOT of postage stamps and letter writing. RSVP of course.
It took my brother and family a year to coordinate. I live on the east coast. They live in central part of the country.
They decided on a long weekend to make it easier for those who would travel. Then reserved the kitchen/dining room at the state park. From there my brother gathered all of the addresses across the country.
It was a very enjoyable time. With everyone exchanging their stories and leaving family tree information.
My GG grandparents were m#rdered in a similar fashion, because they would not sell their land. my ancestors story sounds so much like yours. Thank you for documenting your journey you give me the strength to continue mines
That is something I can recall, vividly being told:"Don't play in the sun and get too dark". Or, "keep your skin nice,light and bright".
My Nigerian father used to tell me this and it used to make me angry so I purposely layer in the sun to get as dark as I could but turned red. My dad is dark and I always thought he treated my darker sister different…as a result she secretly then openly hated me.
My mother was half cajun/ half Sicilian from South Louisiana. My dad's job took us abroad for decades. Folks always asked her if she was Syrian...her dark eyes, dark hair, and dark skin. She loved to tan....and damn she got dark. My grandfather always said that both he and my grandmother "had dark folks in their past." Ironically, both families arrived in New York around the same time...moved to New Orleans...before settling in Morgan City. I celebrate the multiculturalism of my DNA!!!
Beautiful heritage! My dads side is Italian/Sicilian
I spent time in Morgan City back in the early/mid 90's with the Murr family. Some great people in that area, I have a LOT of family still in south LA. My heritage is a lot of French and Sardinian. ✌️
I am loving this and it is giving me inspiration with my own family. I started our ancestry journey last year and there is still so much to uncover. I am from Baton Rouge- Moms side and my Dads side is from NW Louisiana. My Grandmother was not one to open up about her life and we are slowly uncovering the mysteries!
I am SO glad you are here. I can tell you are a kindred. There’s a lot the previous generations couldn’t or wouldn’t find. Now it’s time to break the cycle -I’d love for you to stick around!!
I'm from Louisiana, all of these people look black to me. Lola looks like my MIL...only she was blonde. A fellow librarian years ago who told a patron that there was no such think as Creole. Her proff was that SHE was originally from New Orleans. I'm looking at the woman and immediately knew she was black. We both had to educate her on quite a few things that day. Louisiana has quite a few Native Tribal townships, Creoles and Cajuns, so there r going to be olive skinned Cajuns. Extra fair skinned Creoles, and dark and light Native Americans. We're all over the place. My family goes from one end of the spectrum to the other. Super fair with black and light eyes to brown skinned to super dark with green eyes. No differences made tho. Family is family.
Kaisha- this is beautiful. I have so much to learn myself. But yes, family ls family. I love reconnecting to them-- they have ALL welcomed me more than I could have expected
They look mixed, black people don't look like that,most creoles are mixed race and multi-generationally mixed like many Latinos. They are similar to Puerto Ricans and Dominicans,the difference is Puerto Ricans and Dominicans speak Spanish. Majority are mixed and don't look African black like most AA. I don't support the erasure of the true black image and I don't support delusion,yes there are light skin blacks in west Africa but they look different from creoles and you can tell the difference. Stop calling mixed looking people black lol.
Hey 👋🏿 I'm staying in Pennsylvania, but I'm from Monroe, Louisiana. Glad to see you visit my little town. 💪🏿🖤
Wow, this is like telling my mother 's life story. She and her family were ran out of New Orleans when she was 7 yrs old by the KKK, and relocated in Philadelphia. I fly to New Orleans tomorrow with hopes of discovering family...the whole story... something. Your series has been very inspiring. Stay on the Path. Be well! 🙏🏾🗝️
My brother sent me your video along with his comments, very interesting. My last visit to Campti was about 2 yrs ago when my wife and I went to visit the dead relatives. My earliest recollections are from the mid-50’s riding around town with my grandfather. The town was in a downward spiral then and only continued to get worse. I went to collage in Natchitoches in the mid to late 60’s and would often make the short trip to Campti. However, it needs to be said that in my 75 years of being in and around that area, I never experienced any discrimination or racial tension. I’m sure there were pockets of it, just as in any other area of the country, I wasn’t exposed to it.
The Perot’s (Perrault) did immigrate from France to Quebec, then as part of the Acadian (Cajun) migration through the port of New Orleans. My paternal Great Great Grandfather is buried in Campti with a French tombstone My grandmother‘a mother (Maricelli) was Italian as was her grandmother who, along with her husband and 2 small children, migrated from Switzerland through France then to New Orleans. I can attribute the olive skinned complexion of my aunts and uncles through their Italian heritage.
While I don’t know Franks situation, all of our dark completed relatives graduated from Campti High School in the thirties and forties.
Unlike other areas of the Deep South, central and south Louisiana is a huge heritage and ethnic melting pot of humanity. At that time, the only real access to the south was through New Orleans. Instead of moving East and west most of these people stayed within easy traveling distance of New Orleans.
Kudos for learning your family history. Im curious how does your family feel specifically about their black heritage. Some of your older relatives look like my folks.
I think this is a great question. Someone else has a similar one. I’m going to copy my thought on it here too.
This really made me think. It wasn’t mentioned in these episodes but Lola’s fathers line comes from slaves. Her mother side was native. I may do an episode on that later. I think African Americans in the south went through so much- I can only speak for myself but I’m not totally sure how to fold in that identity when I was shielded from so much. And I doubt most people would think we were part Black. This is something I’m still trying to balance- honoring our ancestors without claiming a bunch of things that don’t really belong to me.
@@nytn you are black. CLAIM IT.
Beautiful response. I always wonder how someone feels in your position. I have DNA from every continent except Australia and and Antarctica. In America with mostly African dna and some still unidentified, what can I claim? Black is not a race and African American is truly a mix. My orphaned grandmothers birth certificate says “col? White” someone was confused. 😂 I need to do a docu on my family fr 😂
I can’t wait to share the video on my African roots- I found so much out!
@@NachotypeLuv I can relate to you, my dna covers every continent except central Europe, central Asia and South East Asia.
I’m from New Orleans. My dad was very dark complexioned ; my mom was very light. They both identified as white ( my mom likely was and my dad was definitely mixed). I basically got her complexion and his hair texture and facial features.
I’m from south Louisiana . I remember in the mid 70’s going to the old old movie theater in town . I was maybe 8 , I guess . Innocence of childhood when I seen the upstairs balcony seats I thought it would be fun to watch the movie from there. No one was there and thought it odd. All of a sudden people kept telling me to get down from there. That it was for black people and white people didn’t sit up there. I felt like I did something so wrong and I did not understand this at all. This shame stayed with me . Then at the age of 8 with no real understanding of what people of color truly went through my heart broke and I wondered if they felt that same shame and hurt cause they could not sit with us. True story.
What a difficult story, thank you for sharing. Children arent born with hate in their heart like this, it is taught to them in many ways. That shame is heartbreaking-😭
Frank Perot reminds me of the singer Eric Church.
I had an aunt my mom was best friends with. She married my adopted dad's brother. Until I was in my 20s I thought she was Italian like my mom because they looked similar. My aunt and cousins were very pretty. My female cousin looked like Cindy Crawford. I was surprised when my mom told me she was Creole because my dad and uncle's mom was extremely prejudice. She was never happy my dad married my mom and when black people would walk down her street (70s) she would tell them they better never walk down her street again. Her husband's uncle lived on a reservation in Oklahoma for awhile and married a Native American. They moved to Louisiana where my uncle met his wife. It is amazing the things you find out while doing genealogy.
I have a strong feeling ,for many reasons, one or more of my 5th great grandparents on my biological father's side was black or melungeon. There is a brickwall I can't break. 23 and me says I am 3% African. Ancestry says I am 1% Sub-Saharan and 1% North African. I know I have it on my mom's side probably from my Sicilian or Mexican ancestors but a few years ago it said was also on my father's side but then it dropped of because it was less than 1%.
This is great that you are doing this. I have a similar family story, but mine is in the 19th century. I discovered my Mary Jane in southern Missouri and on the census as listed as mulatto and being born in Kentucky. Her children were also mulatto. My mother's DNA tests showed a lot of Spanish and roots in Benin/Togo area. Also Moroccan. I figured Mary Jane's mother went from Missouri to Kentucky during the New Madrid quake. Mary Jane named a daughter, Louisiana, and a son, Hatteras. I discovered that there was an Indian tribe on the east coast by that name. Was she leaving hints for descendants? The Hatteras tribe joined into the Croatoan that later became Lumbee. I am thinking she had Melungeon roots (similar to Creole, but Spanish not French). I was teased and bullied as a kid for being too white so I felt like I might have had a kindred spirit with Mary Jane. Unfortunately, I don't have her maiden name. She took my great-great grandfather's surname even though they were not married because of the Missouri laws. I did come across her in a small history book saying she was negro, but her death certificate showed her as white. I hope you find closure with this.
Alisa thank you so much for sharing!! I hope you stay for future videos- there’s so much more to talk about.
I have a Mary Jane on my mom's side. There is not a list name listed. But it says "Aunt Teen"
Do you think that's her?
@@donttreadhere Sorry, I have no idea. Mary Jane was a common name in the 19th century.
OMG- coming across this is opening up soo many emotions. Including me(37) not knowing my father or his side & so many questions about my mother's parent's side too
Meeka---oh my goodness. My heart is going out to you! I am almost 37 and I feel like it was just time to start figuring things out. Whatever that meant for me. We all have a different journey to be on---but I am glad you found the channel. I hope you stay and share more with us :)
It's the story of my ancestry as a Black America. Yes this type of stuff happened here in our great land. It should be mandatory for it to be taught just as much as the good things
I love the video’s opening conversations. Thank you for this content.
Heather, thank you for being here! I hope you check out the other episodes, too.
So you know being “Creole” doesn’t necessarily mean someone is of any particular race or multi racial. When the French and Spanish came over they called anyone born in Colonial Louisiana as Creole. I know people in Louisiana who are completely European and are Creoles. That’s why you’ll hear the term Creoles of Color. The word is criollo in Spanish.
An amazing story. You're inspiring.
This was the same thing in my family. I am from Brooklyn, NY and I have decent relatives in Louisiana my family is of French, Frech Creole, and Cajun with Italian and Spanish heritage. I am proud of all my European and Creole heritage!
Hey fellow NYer! Im in Nashville now...still looking for good bagels and pizza haha. I love that we share so much heritage-- I have Italian from my dad. I hope you will stay around for future videos!
I have similar back ground. My father is Jamaican and My mom is a NOLA creole with cajun relatives in Ville Platte. My mother's last name is spelled the same Ceasar.
@@thickthighsthinpatience950 Ville Platte, Washington, Opelousas, and Grand Coteau...lots of Creoles there French with African and Natives there. Not too far from where I am in Lafayette. Caesars and Charlots(Shar-lo) r black families in that area.
Thank you immensely for sharing your discovery thank you to the relatives who have made peace with fear or lies and just are going on with life. Stay blessed.
Charlene-- thank you for your kind words on here. Making peace is really the goal--we can't change how we got here :)
That sun comment was said quite often to us growing up. We're from Shreveport, by the way. Now granted, I was chocolate brown but my late twin sister was light bright practically White. She's what we called a redbone or high yellow. Now we weren't Biracial mixed, but both of our grandmothers were. Funny thing about that too was, one grandmother was chocolate brown like myself but she had blue eyes and long curly hair. Our other grandmother, however, was very fair skinned. She was very racially ambiguous in her younger years, but she lived her life as a Black woman. Proud one at that. Sadly, both of my late grandmothers shared a similar history. A dark family secret was their conception wasn't consensual. My mother's mother, the one that's dark w/ blue eyes, her "father" r@ped her mother when she was only 14. Sadly, they never got justice seeing as how it was the 1920s Louisiana.😔 He died from an OD before my grandmother was born, so there's that. I don't know the full story about my other grandmother's conception but I remember them having a similar story. May they all rest in paradise.🙏🏿
That sun comment just haunts me. And so many secrets in the past. I hope you are finding healing for your. family and I am so glad you are here!
So he was white if she came with blue eyes!?..
@@anonymouslee8287 Yes, he was a YT man. Thought that was obvious. Louisiana in the 1920s was very, very r@cist against Black ppl.
Hello, First I would like to say "Thank You" for doing this topic and sharing your family story! I am a Donnelly descent as well with Mulatoo being the "race" as well.
This is Beautiful! My father is french and indian. ! Im doing some heritage searching as well down south.. Dont stop.. This would make an amazing book. Or a movie 🎬..
Thank you for being here and watching all the episodes. I have so much more to share, hope you will stay for it:)
I’m Melungeon and when my daughter was born in December in Detroit, the nurses refused to believe me when I went to the nursery to pick up my daughter. They told me there were no white babies in the nursery. I had to explain that I wasn’t white. Even with my black hair, olive skin and dark brown/green eyes, they had a hard time, till I showed them my dad and my baby pictures, then they realized my daughter was our clone. It’s difficult to be mixed because you’re too light or too dark and you don’t feel like you fit in anywhere. Makes those preteen & teenage years a bit harder. Even to this day, my dad avoids getting any kind of suntan because he fears being called out. It’s horrible that after all this time, there’s still fear and self loathing. I hope I have raised my daughters to be proud of their heritage and not allow this insane whitewashing to continue.
Wow, Rebecca that is insane. I know the feeling, you belong everywhere...but nowhere actually.
This is quite the interesting family tale. I’ve enjoyed watching your journey. Overall I must say as an African American and proud, I’m glad I don’t have such issues that mixed ppl deal with. I could never imagine having to choose. Never had the option to choose an perceived easier life, but good for you for uncovering YOUR truth. As well as valuing it because you definitely phenotypically carry all your lineage from black, Italian, French, native, etc. You know I wonder what toll it took on them mentally… did they cry at night to themselves knowing they were living a “lie” … leaving all they ever knew behind just to survive .. whew Lord bless their souls
I agree, thinking about how hard it must have been is hard. I dont think people choose that on a whim. I think part of it for Lola was being in NY as a widow with 8 mixed kids. Sometimes it doesnt seem like it's really my family story, it's so different than what we were told. I really appreciated your comment.
This was very interesting. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for watching:)
When I was your age b4 the internet was in every home I went digging for my family. I found many of them passed as well. There was some inter-family marriages as well so keep their skin fair. They were also free blacks. It's too much to write but you already know this. Lol
This is so good! I been sharing with my friends. Thank you for sharing your family with us! P.S we are French too!
Thank you so much for watching and sharing that--it's not too much. I am really here for the community. I had no idea this was not just a weird problem in my family--- I had NO idea what white passing was until very recently. Thank you also for sharing it--I was nervous to go public with this, but the love has been unreal. and lol YES, that French was not a total lie....
From Houma Louisiana ! here love watching this 💕
Im so glad you are here!! I think I found ties to the Houma nation through Lola's great grandma. I have never been that far south in Louisiana though.
One thing about most American Creoles are that they are able to pass. Some of us are not, I came from a family of that mixture. Needless to say, I can see how complicated it could have been. My grandparents spoke of relatives who decided to disassociate completely years ago due to their skin advantage versus their other relatives. Interesting history, but true facts. I love my family but this is a part of it. I commend you for paying homage to our heritage ✌️❤️❤️🥰# Creole southern love
Thank you for sharing this-- I am so proud of the heritage that we almost lost and I am determined to reconnect to this. Hope you stick around!
This is a beautiful Video. Thank you
You may know or may have no idea how IMPORTANT this work you are doing here today is!
I have shared it, and your channel with many! Being labeled "Mexican American" myself with black hair and blue eyes always made me ask twice. I'm Portugese and Scottish / Irish after in-depth ancestry that lead me to Southern Spain, Northern "AFRICA" Morrocco and Scotland / Ireland. My Fathers last name "Clan Davidson" explained most of it.
Keep up the work SISTER! I hear yah!! Berbers, Donbask, North Africans, Mediterranean people WERE a Culture... They deserve recognition.
Sicilians were 100% treated as slaves in the past millennia. Their Rape and Torture and exploitation in New Orleans Shipping Ports is without question. Were we "African" of course we were! Did we look the way Media wants "Africans" too look?Of Course we don't... Racial Marxism is a constructed BEAST...
Thank you!:)
I like that, racial Marxism is a constructed beast... spot on description!
@@gijane02 Marxism is just another word for "Critical Race Theory". As if ANYONE on Earth is not going to have ad-mixture of cultures. It is so childish and ignorant actually. Just like racism. Do not buy into the scam of Marxist "Divide & Conquer". Society Degradation that is not redeemable to a point of powers to control. I'm not a Gun person, but the Second Amendment exists for this reason. The First Amendment being upheld will eliminate the need for the 2nd Amendment.
I watched this again and it was such a great experience to hear these individual testimonies. The saddest one is the murder that took place to steal the land.. i hope you contact “where is my land” they help families re-capture stolen land
The woman who said her mother was afraid to admit her ethnicity reminds me of some of my family. We come in a variety of shades and looks.
Wow! That is amazing to me- it’s my grandmother🥰🥰
My uncle looks yt and he was hated and treated badly as a child around the 1950's...by blk children because he looked like a yt person. One example was he was tied up and dumped into to hole by blk children. One of the children's mother told my grandmother about it while laughing. My uncle developed a deep wound in his soul...
My grandparents were “passing”.. I noticed in some census it went from mulatto, to white when they moved out of Lafayette, then negro, then colored and all I could think was oh no! Somebody found out… they stopped speaking French…. It was that serious back then
Thanks for sharing this story. It makes me want to cry that people in this country were mistreated so badly. It's sad that it still happens.
Sue, I am so glad you watched this and commented. Means so much to me. I hope you will stay around for the rest of the story!
@@nytn Will this be a series? I will be sure to watch it!
@@suechan6414 Right now there are 4 episodes in Finding Lola--this was episode 3! Im planning to start a similar series next.
Read Cane River, by Lalita Tademy. It gives a good historical background for "Passing" & the creoles of LA.
Loved that book
I was told that my family was related to the Tademy family.
My family is soooo racist on my fathers side that they lied about my grandfather being black. Even lied on his death certificate. Its a shame his family is so hateful. Soooo im keeping in touch with the black side of my family and answered a lot of questions that they had about "us" im happy and knowing that his side of the family is fuming over the truth makes me smile more...hopefully that side will die off soon and there will be less hate in the world.
oh my gosh this story broke my heart. Funny how one side of the family has the answers we need usually...
I do ancestry research. My ancestors are Cherokee and my husband's ancestors are Choctaw. My husband's ancestors owned a plantation with slaves. With Native ancestry the census will state Native. Any time an African American had Native ancestors it was usually never recognized by the tribe. My husband's family had children with their slaves who became property. Not family. My husband is related to the Beams. Researching that family and how they sold their free siblings into slavery for being half black is eye opening. My father in-law is a quarter Native and disowned my family for having a black grandchild. Not much has changed to this day.
Estelle that’s so interesting! I had difficulty with the native on the census records. I don’t even think some of that side WAS censused because they weren’t living in a US “state”. My friend helped me locate Lola’s grandmother and she seemed to be in New Mexico territory I remember. We did find missions records though for baptisms.
That story you shared was devastating. I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t started finding similar ones. I’m so glad you’re here with expertise!
Sick!!! Hell awaits them. They don’t have to worry about the Sun!
Wow its small world!! Ive been watching your videos for a while now because we seem to have alot of parallels with our family histories but im actually from Monroe, LA. Still live here and i know Chris Smith thats in this video. Me and his son Jordan went to high school together. My grandma told me we were kin to them on down the line somehow when he told her who his family was, so it wouldnt surprise me if me and you were kin somewhere down the line also lol. Thanks for making all these videos tho! Its made me really want to start digging into my geneology!
That’s amazing! I just texted him what you said
@nytn hell he probably won’t even remember me its been 20 years since ive talked to him probably lol. It was 04’ or 05’ that me and Jordan went to school together. Ive seen Chris once or twice, in passing, since i moved back home last year. I recognized him but couldnt recall where from until i saw his name on your video lol. Dont rememeber how i found the first video of you i came across but i subscribed because you had mentioned family from Louisiana + im a history buff anyway, but never thought you’d be making videos about Monroe with folks i know though lol.
I have another friend from Monroe getting interviewed this week!
@@nytn sweet! I’ll have to keep an eye out for it 👌🏻
My father was a dark skinned black man from Louisiana, creole. He always told me that there was nothing for a dark skinned black man in Louisiana.
Not true! At once upon a time, Blacks owned 2/3 of the swamp land in Louisiana,, Not only that, Black men cultivate the Land and develop most of roadways people drive on to this day.
Sounds like he created his destiny
Hi my surname is Lebrun. Your video hits home. We were always told we are french. I didn't learn about my father's side of the family until many years later. And I also learned why we were told we were french. Forced relocation, removing native american children from their families and Jim Crow. I am a member of the Natchitoches tribe, joined in 2016 along with my son. I understand why my father never said anything about our native heritage, fear. I am also a cousin to the Perot family and met many for first time in 2016. Thank you for sharing. Take care stay safe.
When you find who Lola's parents were, you will have all of the answers. One of Lola,'s parents was black. One of her male relatives said he did DNA and he said there results showed he was 10% black. Lola kept it quiet of her parents ethnicity.
Exactly right. I did end up finding them! Her dad was mostly black (with slave roots that I was able to somewhat trace) and her moms family were Indians that came through the Spanish missions. My moms cousins test was 10% black give or take so that would make Lola his grandma about half
@@nytn celebrate all that’s in you! Embrace your beautiful heritage’s! Be proud of who you are, and make a point of getting to know all of your family! God Bless
I have similar DNA to you: My dad's folks were creole from French Caribbean, and yet my grandad was from UI Neil in Ulster like your great grandfather. I'm in UK, and I find your videos very informative and educational. Thanks for the research. It's obviously a labour of love.
It is, and not everyone is kind about it, but it's more for my family and it has been wonderful to give it to them
My grandmother's father was shot and killed when she was five in Louisiana. She never forgot it and she had PTSD from it her whole life.
Very Interesting and helps answer allot of questions concerning my family history. I was born and raised in California , just outside of Los Angeles in 1964. Please hear me , no disrespect to any race or culture. I grew up a typical white kid in the 70"s and 80"s here in Southern California. My dad was the oldest child of his family and carried on his dads name. (Raymond Francis Delahoussaye). i know is not a big deal now days but was back then. He went into the U.S. Air-force and served our country during the Korean war, He sent his mom and dad money faithfully every month back in the states because they were very poor while still raising 5 kids ( my brothers and sister) as well as my mom on a soldiers salary. Family has always been huge with my dad as it is with me and i wish i could go back in time and ask all the questions that i have now. That is why i appreciate this topic. I remember we would all get together in Hemet California at my grandparents house , aunts and uncles, cousins grand parents , gg grandparents would all have a good time singing , playing , guitar, piano, mandolin , stand up base etc. They were all self taught. Man they all got loud when they spoke. My grandfather would always make a chicken gumbo and made sure not to put Okra in it for me. lol , I started looking into genealogy about 10 years ago and found all my grandpas family that moved to Los Angeles (great grandparents Gustave and Emily ) were listed as Mulatto in the 1940"s census and same for his dad in New Iberia (Gustave and Philomene Delahoussaye and kids) I never got the chance to get answers concerning family history because i was so young and my dad got sick (bipolar) and to be honest nothing else mattered except to get my dad help. Even though very young I distinctly remember hearing conversation /words like St. Martinsville, New Iberia , file gumbo, Lake Charles , Como seva , and always wandered why my great grandmother only spoke french. But nobody spoke of these things when we(siblings and I) did have a question or two. It was always a mystery to me and siblings and my mom had no idea what to think ( she was from California). What made things worse is my Great Grandpa Gustave dis-owned my grandpa because he left the catholic faith and became a born again christian. I did find out that my gg grandmother (paternal) was a Decuir (lived in New Iberia) and traced her line back to Point Coupee. and my great grandmother was a Girouard , she only spoke french and everyone called her Va . (her name was Rosa and lived to be 100 years old. Now looking at old photos i see very distinctive creole features of all my dads side of family. some great uncles darker then others, my grandfather more olive skinned . I can say this as a husband/dad , Things would have to be pretty bad for me to pick up and leave my home and all that i knew to start over somewhere else especially dirt poor.
I have 1 bucket list item before i get too old and that is to visit Louisiana.
Stellar ! thank you for sharing your story!
Thank YOU guys for coming along with me. Hopefully I’ll get to share a video soon about the article you shared with me!
Oh wow what a good interview!!♥️
In Arizona people kept asking me "what ARE you?" And called me exotic looking because of my darkish beige skin prominent nose, and very dark eyes. It was not meant as a compliment. It became a game of "Guess what Debra is.". Greek, or Jewish, or Spanish, or Middle Eastern. In the summer I would tan really well. I liked it. Also enjoyed being thought of as any of the ethnic groups people thought I belonged to. Arizonans were downright insulting about my "ethnic" features, though. I would have been proud if I was of any ethnic group they threw at me, and I liked to boast of my native ancestry, but they were being what is now known as microagressive. I am old and paler but live in Los Angeles. people assume I am Amenian, Jewish or Iranian. Usually not in an unflattering way. CA mentality Vs AZ mentality
Debra-- I understand this so well. Im so glad you are here
Aww, thank you ❤️
I have been asked that same question all of my life and I'm now in my early 60s. Some are just curious and some are unflattering, especially the latter being from black people outside of the world and knowledge of southern Louisiana, all across the US.
this is a wonderful story - excited to see the rest of the parts
I just hope that people of today, treat children in a kind way. My paternal grandparents came off the boat from Sicily. I inherited the olive skin, dark hair and eyes from that side of my family. My mother's family originated in Spain and had ivory skin. I have a brother and sister, but I'm the one who looks most Sicilian. I'm 73 now, but when I was about 8 years old, I was invited to a friend's birthday party. During the party, the birthday girl's teen-age brother came in and sat in a plush chair, saying, "Oh, all these pretty, little girls! Come tell me hello!" All of us, rushed to him to tell him hello, and he gave me a stern look and pointed to me and said, "Not you!!" I was crushed. My 8 yr. old brain told me that I must be a hideous sight and so ugly, that I was repulsive. I suffered with low esteem from then on. I guess I'm a slow learner, because it wasn't until just a few years ago, that I replayed that scene in my head and realized that my other classmates were blond, light brown hair, blue-eyed, pale skinned kids. JERK! My point is, that, if you have prejudice, think of the feelings of the young kids. It can scar them for life.
I am so sorry for that. terrible experience you had. You are so right---words spoken over a child can bring strength or damage for a lifetime. I hope you can find healing now. My dad's side is Sicilian, too :) Im so proud of that heritage as well
@@nytn Thanks for your kind words.
Blessings to this whole family!🙏 Can someone tell me where I can find out more about the song with the lyrics " You provided for me from seed to tree, my faith now cant be shaken"?
my husband wrote it for this project! When he gets all his songs online, I'll link them. :)
@@nytn 🤗🙏💛
Creole is a "misnomer.". Creole literally meant native born French speaking Catholic, so black, white, German were considered Creole if you fit those 3 categories. Over time it gained a "racial" conotation.
Oh wow they said Campti. I spent my summers in Campti with family. Just went back some years back. Something to know alot of people moved to Chicago, Oakland, and Detroit from Monroe. Shreveport was more LA, Chicago, and Cleveland.
Wow that’s crazy!
Stories like this one make me further proud of my maverick grandmothers, both of whom could have easily “passed” but chose to live as Black. They were recorded as “mulatto” (although they were both Native American); they married Black men and loved their brown babies. Many fights were started by people who dared to ask why my dad and his four brothers had a “White” mother. Both grandmothers refused to discuss race; they would only speak about their indigenous heritage.
What a blessing to know your heritage! I don’t blame my great gram or think she did the wrong thing- if it’s between my children starving (and my Grammy and her siblings nearly did - episode 2) or “admitting” to a mixed background- I choose protecting my kids every time! This didn’t feel like a choice to me, now that I know the full story. Sad either way for sure. 💔💔 thank you for your comment and sharing your story!
I’m with you. My Grandma’s family was recorded as mulatto as well. They owned a small farm in Iberville Parrish. I’m not here to judge anybody. You do what you need to to survive. I’m proud of my grandma and her family because they too chose to live as black and married black. There is that sense of strength and pride that they passed onto us to never be ashamed or afraid of who you are and to keep fighting for your right to exist in this world.
@@Darksister0922 I think the hardest part for modern people to understand is the fear. The white mobs were on some Taliban-level intensity. Especially in Louisiana and Mississippi, people who didn't tow the racial lines were risking their lives. If history were taught properly, we'd all be shocked at how many people were openly r*ped or killed and nothing was done about it. Anne Moody's book, "Coming of Age in Mississippi," is one of the few first-hand accounts of what it was like to grow up black in that part of the south (30-mins from LA) and the callousness of assault and murder is quite shocking.
Bless your grandmother's stories and for educational way of teaching their families to be proud of their heritage.
@@nytn Think u for pointing this out- my parents passed because in Cali - they obtained jobs especially in construction where they entered into business with the Canadians.
How heartbreaking and infuriating that they were terrorized and the trauma from that lead them to hiding their Native heritage 💔
Sybil Morial passed yesterday. She was the wife of the first Black/Creole mayor of New Orleans,Ernest "Dutch" Morial,mother of Marc Morial , President of the Urban League and a former Mayor of New Orleans, greatest Mayor in NO history,in my opinion.She had 4 children including Marc.🙏🏿RIP🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿 Sybil Haydel Morial. Never be ashamed to be Creole or Black
My G'ma's sister left home when she 16 y.o. (this was around 1930) to pass as white. They were indeed Creole though. The family joke is, if she later married and had kids, that was the luck of the draw b/c we all know DNA can be a bitch and if her kids came out brown, she'd have some explaining to do!🤣🤣🤣
LOL! One of my kids is dark. Darker than me. He gets soo many compliments on his skin tone. I’m so glad that we still carry our heritage with us even when we don’t know about it
My great grandfather did also but only for a little while
Did your grandma's sister stay in touch with the family?
@@sharonthebaron88 Nope. No one ever heard from her again. My G'ma left home shortly after her
sister left and never returned, not to pass, they just didn't have a good home life. My G'ma died in 2012, age 96 and her last few words were, "I can't wait to see what this bitch has to say." 🤣🤣 She was a firecracker!
@@KayKay_72 Thank you for your response. That to me is the saddest thing about passing, what those people leave behind. They may gain some privilege's, financial or social, but they lose their whole family and culture.
All of these individuals are so beautiful and being from Baton Rouge,LA, this is so common
My granny was mixed and she always said she wasn't because when she was growing up people were beat up and killed... I understand this story 💔
oh my gosh I am so sorry to hear this
If you can, watch the recent movie Jazzman’s Blues (it’s a Tyler Perry film but not like the Madea ones 😅). It touches on the subject, I think you’d find it interesting 😌
@@sweetumsDenise lol! I plan to watch this - thank you ♥️♥️
Thanks for sharing. ❤🙋🏿♀️
We go to school and learn about all kinds of histories until we graduate high school, and we don't even know our family history! How can this be?
The people who decided that human beings are nothing unless their skin is white are of such low value themselves. They continue to teach this shameless sin generation after generation as if they are the creators of life. So many families had to run and hide in order not to be under the crushing, deadly, and evil system of racism, and suffer consequences daily.
One thing l can say is, we are strong and resilient because our families survived the destruction, lynchings and hangings, cross burnings, bombings, beatings, dog attacks, red linings, projects, abandoned cities, ghettos, lack of employment, unfair wages, under performing schools, etc. Many of the things that were done to us should have killed us, but we are still here! I thank God for the strength and courage our ancestors had passing through the hands of such darkness from evil people.
Cynthia, this comment was just so incredible to me. I almost cried reading the first line. What youre saying is absolutely correct--we need to start learning our own history. It might be difficult, but this is something that will benefit EVERYONE. Thank you for watching and your thoughtful reply. I would love to have you here for future videos. I am just starting this journey!
Danielle, we might possibly be related (cousins). I recently found out that my grandma was Creole, she had relatives with the last name Goins, and she was from Monroe, La.
My two times great grandmother Georganne lucas was Choctaw Cherokee so fair skinned she could pass for white especially with her grey eyes. She married a John funches(a dark skinned creole) in May search to find where the last name originates I instead found a huge population of Funches lived and was from Louisiana. Like they said Indio was the lowest caste I guess for That's maybe the reason she chose to raise her children my great grandmother and her siblings as negro/ colored. Because at least they wasn't taken to the residential schools they would have slightly more opportunity as that but why live as a mulatto negro instead of White because at least she could still visit her family with no problems she couldn't do that passing as white but as mulatto She had slight advantage but it was much more work to go all in and totally pass for white to do that was to always be on guard always in fear .
I'm Belizean Creole, you guys need too do a documentary on the Spanish Creoles of belize