Lydia Waweru-Morgan yes. Is the racist institution and history of this country. As Robin says in her video. White privilege is a great asset in this country 🙁
very true...and what she said about ''culture being stronger then blood'' is a life lesson I'll take with me to the bitter end...no truer words have been spoken...
I was a little white girl in the rural South in Kentucky. We had "the help" vibe going. But my best memories are being at her house and dancing to Micheal Jackson and eat some awesome food. I Love the culture of Black families. I used to go to the black church in our town on Sundays. The Potlucks were off the chain. Then when I did my DNA, I found out that I was half Ashkenazi Jew!!!! My mother passed as a Methodist.......
@Key. I am going to write this one down, use and remembered it. This is so true. It seem like everyone wants to be white or have that lighter skin tone and black is considered ugly and bad. Now they have this new term white Hispanic/Latino. Back in my day, it was an insult for any Hispanic/Latino person to be called white. Wow! How things have changed over the years. I also heard the parents encouraged their children to marry white to whiten their lineage. IMO, Same in the Asian community too. They also skin bleached their skin to be more white. I’ve seen in documentary or read books where Hispanic/Latino clearly have dark skin, look black Afro Latino, etc but a lot of them are now claiming white on the census. Race matters! I have always been fascinated on this subject of passing since I saw the movie “Imitation of Life”. SMH.
@@dojakatt1724 I think its sad that people are so preoccupied with skin tone and race. I think Latinos, Blacks and Asian's biggest problem is that we/they struggle to be ourselves, not just in society but among our own culture group. If you like country western music, super white shows like Friends, The Big Bang Theory, or Seinfeld you are labeled as weird, out of touch or trying to be "white." If you like hip hop, or urban clothing styles you are considered a culture vulture. Rather than embrace our own individuality, we feel we have to conform to the group to stay true to the group. I am a Black woman and very happy to be so. Neither my husband who is also Black, would never encourage our beautiful Black daughters to marry white or light. Just because your skin is lighter does NOT make you a good person.
Jeannene is probably the most open to all this because she’s the darkest in her family among the grandchildren. She can’t pass at all. So this probably feels very affirming
I Didn't think Any of Becky Jo's siblings looked completely White...they All looked bi-racial to me...I would've Never thought they were All white, or even mixed with Italian...but, with them All marrying white ppl, they completely erased the Blk gene outta their heritage...bc the 2 cousin in Nebraska, didn't look Anything like they had African Ancestry...
This is so interesting, that Robin did not see the rejection coming. I knew it from the get go. How? because I am a black woman raised by my white mother in a white family, in a white environment and I just knew that any kind of embracing just wasn't going to happen. It is not that the Nebraska cousins aren't wonderful people, but that kind of generational trauma sits too deep and the risks are too big. This passing white family felt the bite of white privilege and it's complete injustice (they had no control over the genes they were given) and decided that it would be too painful to give it up. Knowing what we do about the reality racism in America, it it's quite logical.
Very interesting input and perspective bc myself being raised within black culture I was also surprised by the rejection, as naive as that may seem. Idk I assume people would want to know where they come from, at least I assume I would. But my proximity to whiteness is really really far, lol. It’s so foreign to me to not want to be black especially knowing that you are (especially in the case of the father of the cousins that wouldn’t come and meet her). That being said if I found out that same info in reverse I wouldn’t necessarily want to be part of my “long lost” white family either having identified as a black woman my whole life. So it makes sense I guess.
Can you imagine Uncle Mickey on the golf course hearing the “N” word dropping like flies today! He’d probably crawl under a rock now that the truth has been confirmed. And cousin Becky who seems like she struggles with her health, would benefit if she made peace with who she is. Forget what her kids and parents say.
A very good take. I myself found Robins attitude rather hopelessly naive. I think she couldn't understand them because it isn't about white privilege. but about being culturally caucasian in this country and that is a wholly different side of the tracks . In the end, what one sees here is that once you go white , you just stay tight.
This should make people, especially Americans, think twice before stereotyping anyone. You can’t afford to be racist, for all you know, that could be your KINFOLK.
They don't care tons of white people know they had black cousins due to slavery. My family literally worked for their great aunt post slavery and white dad lived close by.
Robin Cloud you did an amazing job. I am proud of you. What a loss for your Nebraska family. Let them be. Thank you for sharing your family history story.
I watched all 6 episodes. As a white person with Black heritage, I would love to know my Black roots and family, but I haven't been luck enough. These were amazing...
@@daughterofdiaspora I agree, I'm mixed. But it seems to be controversial when people like me that look "lilly white" claim "other". However, I"m very proud of my ancestral heritage, especially my great-great-grandmother who was Black and the struggles she probably went through although she passed as White. On forms I often put "other" when asked about race, so as an old "mixed race guy" it does get confusing when Black people criticize people like me claiming Black heritage. Maybe before I croak (LOL) there will be a term for people like me. Thanks for your comment and and for the record, I don;t consider myself White. Peace...
@@alohadave13 the reason where people don’t wanna accept you is because they want to protect their whiteness and keep it pure. Where as black people will accept anything mixed.
@@annegracyliberal7327 Agreed. I think the Jan. 6th storming of the Capitol shows the fear that White people have towards Others. I'm still very proud of my roots, although I've lived as a White person, look White, I know that my roots are anything but. Decades ago when I lived in D.C. and had tons of Black friends, they would tease me about being possibly Black because of my dancing abilities. At the time, I didn't know about my Black heritage. I often think about that. This was a great series, wasn't it. Peace and happiness to you...
Race is a social construct, if you're seen as white you are white in this society, you are a person with ancestors who would not be identified as white, but seeing that you do and look the way you look and are treated the way you are treated, do you agree that this race stuff is stupid? Stupid, but when enough stupid people accept a stupid idea it can have very real consequences.
I’m not sure what Robin was expecting and why she thought it would be an immediate 180. As much as they want to be like us...what White person, real or imagined, actually wants to be black??
We found out my grandfather and his family had passed as white. He married a white woman, and so did my dad. I’m very fair skinned. People always asked if my grandad was biracial. We found out after he passed away. When my cousins, who are Black or biracial asked how I felt, I didn’t feel any different and I felt it would be disingenuous for me to be “wow now I’m Black! Cool!” I have lived my life as a white woman, and continue to do so. And that’s why I felt it wasn’t possible for me to all of a sudden call myself Black. I hope this is understood. Also at the end when she says “what is white culture?” Europe is massive and has many different cultures. I understand that in the US it’s diluted but Americans are very US centric and very rarely look outside their own country.
There’s no such thing as “white culture” simply because all who claim to be “white” are not. Italians, Jews, Irish, and others were not accepted as white not too long ago. Not for political and power purposes, they are. Claiming to be white is just attempting to be on the top tier of the caste system in America.
I'm 1st generation Jamaican American and even though my direct lineage is predominantly unambiguously Black, my mom's family had a story like this of an Uncle coming to America and passing for white an never being heard from again... I always wondered
As an adopted child (now 59 years old) who has sought out my biological family, there is alot to take in when you discover your roots. It is very surreal because it's about you but not your experience. Everyone processes it differently too.
My husband who is German came here to the room and said you have to watch this series! He said it reminds me of your family....so I watched and yes totally related to the content. My maternal side of the family for as long as I can remember said that three of my GGGgrandfather’s 13 children left home for Detroit and passed as white never to be seen or heard from. We just celebrated our 42nd family reunion and are diligent in searching for “lost” family members and bringing them into the fold. These new DNA websites have helped a lot with n connecting us.
I think she did do something. She got them thinking. And I wish I was a fly on the wall to see how the information has changed them. I’m sure the next time someone asks them “are you mixed” they’ll have to pause for the right answer.
If you mean the last two cousins, she talk to when they were outside of the café? No one’s gonna ask them if they are mixed. Your father was asked, but no one’s gonna ask them honey. Sorry, those are white people.
I have been asked if I'm black my whole life. Black friends knew because they had to help me with my hair. Hairdressers knew, too, since I had to go to black women for this. I was SO happy to find out that I was black. Have always felt a bond with the community and have gotten "the nod" since I was a child. Just sad the choice of knowing was taken from me until two years ago. My black family have welcomed me with open arms. Hoping to make it out to the family reunion in Dallas in October (if I can afford it)! Everyone has different reactions to news like this. Growing up in San Diego with a very mixed race family and knowing I'm Mexican impacts my reaction. Growing up in uber white Nebraska most likely impacts the reaction of your cousins.
This is true. It's also why many mixed heritage people who are as every bit as white-passing as the nebraska cousins, are in different cultural contexts, legitimately a part of the African-American/Mixed community while they are not. I have a mom who is African-American & part White, my father was White of Italian-American descent & my experience couldn't be more different than theirs. I knew practically from the time I could speak what I was. I grew up visiting my Black family nearly every summer, being exposed to Black history, culture, entertainment, community. My white family also had very little to do with either me or my mother. So even though I'm not much physically different from these guys, our worlds were entirely separate. I've seen the same with other bi/multiracial/mixed black people. The way they were raised, what community they had 'membership' in shaped their entire identity. It's not mere ancestry. It's the whole package.
Maybe for Becky-Jo (and the others), it's not them rejecting their blackness. Maybe....just MAYBE it has nothing to do with the color aspect. Maybe they just don't care to start new relationships with family they have spent their whole lives not knowing. For example, when someone finds long lost siblings. Some people love it, embrace it, and others don't. Some people are content with their lives the way they are.
Unfortunately I had to depart from my brainwashed family and lead my own path. I'm proud to be mixrace and I'm married to my beautiful dark skin king 👏🏼💯😊💜
I am very curious to know how the passing family members' neighbors treat them now after this documentary. It has to be rough on them with the prejudices of the town and the racist rhetoric of this nation. Their Blackness must scare the heck out of them. I found the series very interesting. I wish it was longer.
I think the ones who actually look black are elderly by now and the ones who are young enough to have a social outcome look so white that now it doesn't matter.
@@nyctravis3381 Yes, over the past two generations of marrying whites, the younger children tend to look white. However, you can still see the African ancestry roots.
I feel like the one name Janine her features were so obvious to me and I noticed the body posture in video six at the table was turned away with their legs and arms. That spoke so loud but was silent.
Becky Jo seemed to struggle with the entire situation. The two cousins in Nebraska seemed open to speaking about it but wasn't willing to take it any further. They clearly were comfortable with where they were and how they were perceived in their whiteness, ie.. passing for Italian, Sad but again it reinforce white is right, black stay back. At least Robin did her best to provide some answers for the Nebraska side of the family if they were willing.
or Bohemian. 😁 Btw Bohemia is a region within present day Czechia. So being of Bohemian descent would mean you're either of Czech or German descent as Bohemia had been inhabited by Germans before WWII ended.
@@xolang It's also a term to call gypsies aka Roma and Sinti. They came from North India in the 1400's . They still face discrimination in Europe and were also prosecuted during World War II
Here's what I think happened with Robin. She has a close and firm family traditionand thought this would continue with her passing relatives. She didnt realize and understand what her other relatives did: it was Will a Mae and John's choice. Once that choice happened, it was too late.
I have no doubt there are people who fear being labeled as black. I wonder though, for folks who have only 8, 10, or 15% African DNA, and look white, how they could ever identify with the black experience if they’ve never been perceived in society as black. I also wonder, how accepting other black people would be, outside of this family, of someone who is so light skinned, they don’t appear black but try to identify as black. Between accusations of appropriation and the very real fallout of cancel culture, it must be very scary for someone who looks white to try and reclaim that aspect of their heritage.
I don’t know if it’s so much scary as just a turn off. Who would want to be part of the confusing bigoted construct you describe? And there’s so much anger coming from people like cloud, and so much “you can’t do this, but you can do this, but then if you do that your appropriating “ something?
My DNA results mirrors the slave experience- 22% (European/Scottish/Wales/Ireland/Sweden/Denmark). I don’t run around shouting it from roof tops that I’m part this or that. I’m 1% indigenous and 77% African. I will always claim my blackness and PROUD of it.
As someone who has been researching family history for the past few years-- my own family's and another family's-- I feel like I can recognize the hurt/surprise/disappointment when you realize others are not excited or interested in the things you have discovered. I know I'm missing the racial understanding and I'm not meaning to belittle that. But I can relate to being really excited and profoundly moved and hoping others will, too-- and being stunned when people aren't even really curious about their own family history/families. Researching is a form of love and caring-- it isn't always accepted, but I believe it's valuable and a gift to future generations. You never know how reaching out/research/documentation will change the lives of and inform future generations. This was a great series.
I do genealogy for my family and attend these genealogy society meetings to get more information on how to find ancestors. It is said that white people from the south are too scared to do genealogy/DNA because they could find black people in the family. White people from the northeast are scared to do their genealogy/DNA because they could find Jewish people. From my experience, which is unscientific, white people just aren't interested in doing genealogy/DNA because of what they may find. They know that white privilege is valuable and anything that could jeopardize that privilege is a cost that is too high a price. Again, the white people that I know who do their family's genealogy are from a long line of Greeks or Irish-Americans who always tell me that their ancestors got off the boat in NYC and stayed in the north until they landed in the upper Midwest. (They say this to me to inform that there was no stop off in the south to mix with black people) Lastly, like other people who have posted in this comment section, I know of 2 of my G-Gma's sisters who passed. My G-Gma (middle sister) was light brown in color but her two sisters were very light-skinned. All of their birth cert stated "C" for colored. I found the death cert for one of the sisters, which my G-Gma had to claim her body and signed the death cert. The sister died a widow having married a white man and her census records during her marriage listed her as "W" -white. They had no children. My G-Gma made sure the death cert said "N" for negro. I'm still looking for the other sister's descendants.
A few years ago my friend found out that she was mixed-race. She was delighted, excited ... and thrilled to meet the black side of her family. I loved your film -- and I wish that you had had the same experience with your family.
This was the most interesting series I have watched on RUclips in a very long time! Excellent work! It’s sad that the Nebraska family had to live those many generations without knowing where their parents come from. But is also interesting that the series spotlighted how very pale Blacks moved through the American landscape. Many black families have these tales where some or all went by the motto “if you’re black, get on back; but if you’re white, you’re all right!”
I enjoyed all episodes. You reminded me of my eldest sister very much. My family...didn't pass...could have passed...but didn't and I am proud of that.
I have watched all 6 episodes and am sad for the way Nebraska relatives behave and happy you found them ,my hope is one day everyone can come together and celebrate as one family. ❤️
This was so sad. I often wonder when I see whites with thick course hear were they git it from and I say to myself, I bet they have black ancestry. I girl finally said to me after multiple comments about her hair over years, she said your right my family is from South Carolina and we are told NOT TO SPEAK OF IT. She said, I love you, but I CAN NOT CLAIM my BLACKNESS. She said it would cause too much pain and she hurts just imagining it. Oh my ... I loved at her very different from that point and our friendship died because she could no longer face me.
Robin missed the perfect opportunity at 4:18 - “eerm we’ll pass thank you” Amazing documentary watched all 6 - you come across as such a grounded intelligent and cultured person. I hope everyone is living their life as they see best 🤷🏿♀️
Their features are also very strong. Man of them look phenotypically Black. Their hair also is an indication. You can see half of them are straightening the hell out of their hair to look more white.
I confess that this was difficult and raw to watch but I thank you for sharing your experience. You have a wonderful outlook and I feel that the loss is entirely theirs. It also illustrates the racial divide in the USA. My daughter who is biracial and totally identifies Black was too uncomfortable to watch it but I shared it with a new friend who found out at 15 that her mother was passing and has embraced her Black roots.
This was a great series. My cousin was raised white. She was a cheerleader and became Mayor of a small Texas town that is now a large suburb of Dallas. It was a family secret hermom was from Louisiana and was Creole. We all thought she was Italian.
Well the one cousin...I forget her name...didn't seem well. So I would not hold it against her. She had more pressing matters...her life...but hold on to the fact she came to the reunion. So I think that is worth quite a lot. She will carry that with her when she transitions.
Right!?...she'd rather embrace that cigarette and oxygen tank than embrace the past. Actually, I can somewhat understand that she had more pressing issues though. 👍🏽💯😄
She said her passing family members were always questioned about their race, and I thought the whole purpose of passing is that you wouldn’t be questioned. It sounds like they couldn’t completely run hide from their past. But I see why they were questioned because you could just see it..I saw it through the photos she showed, they say photos don’t lie, so truth ,when it comes to seeing the very soul of you, melanin always shows it’s true color in a photo.
Some of the black and white photos from like the 50's some of the members looked ambiguous. But as time went on and technology got better, with the color photos you could tell. They have thick noses and the lips. The African genes in the family are strong.
Hate to break it to you, but millions of Italians, Greek, Portuguese, Spanish, and even western European look like this family. I’m not talking about people from southern Europe or western Europe that have black ancestry, but people with lineage that goes back centuries. Those people get teased growing up to for hair texture, no shape, etc. No one is pure. You can dissect their features and point out this and that, but they’re white lives have been lived or they are living them. The bigger question is why is it so important to you? Why are you keeping the one drop rule alive?
Finding family and reaching out to them is one thing, but trying to make them identify as something different than how they were taught to believe is another. They have to do that on their own terms. I'm Black. Was told my whole life we were part Cherokee, Spanish, Caribbean etc. Took an DNA test and was totally different from what I was told. Outside of African, the only other ancestry was British/Scandinavian. So basically I'm African American. So why couldn't my parents just say that. And after my mom took the test herself, she still identifies as part Spanish/Caribbean even though her test says different because that's what her mother told her, her whole life. So you can make someone identify as something other than what they know. Only you can change how you identify. Hell, most Black people think they are part Cherokee and how often is it really so???
Aleq, to answer your question, if you've ever watched that show, Finding your Roots, Dr Gates has said that it is very common for blacks to say that they've heard they had native ancestry, but very rare for it actually to be true.
Both whites and Black people in this country have Cherokee princess Indian fantasies. It’s usually to cover up either a slavery narrative or for white people to cover a black ancestry. More white people of claim Cherokee grandmothers, and his demographically possible.
Wow seeing this is eye-opening. Seeing people reject the obvious truth can be hurtful in a lot of ways. But it's no different that any other relationships.
My mother was mixed raced she grew up owning that fact her brother chose at 17 to be white. They had been given up by their white mother and raised in foster. My mother was raised by a black family and her brother a white family. My mother died at 36 and never saw her brother again. I found her brother a few years ago is still has trouble owning the fact he is mixed raced.
I really think this woman has this all wrong. I am 100% European, but if I found out I had African DNA, that WOULD be dope. But it still wouldn't really change my life. Not because I was rejecting blackness, just that....I don't look black so it is not my place to claim it. That is all your Nebraska family is saying. You may see blackness in them....but I see whiteness. They could just be Italian or something southern European. And that is what they are used to seeing in themselves. It is no rejection if blackness. Though you are right about one thing: culture is everything.
The reason why some Italian having darker complexion and darker eye color, because some have African DNA. She can not expect any of the younger generation to change who they believe they are. I am from Jamaican and I have so may culture of people in me I would not even care. Too many black and white issues in this country. I sometimes hear people said " the white people do not want to be black". I have NEVER heard a black person said that they wanted to me white. Think people want to be respected and given the same opportunity as any human being.
As someone who was raise white but has never really passed to the people who encounter me in daily life, a lot like your older cousins, I would give anything to discover a lost family that could affirm and explain my experience in a way that is understandable and easy to digest. Im a dark featured Ashkenazi Jew, but people don’t like that answer (even though they demand to know why I look ~insert ethnicity or race here~). When I finally tell folks I’m Jewish, I leave those conversations feeling like who I am isn’t enough. I’m sorry your cousins couldn’t see the value in the tremendous gift you offered them, that would affirm their experiences and bring them into a large, vibrant family with a rich history. Some people look for that the whole lives.
This is an amazing story. I think you summarized the perspective of how you interpreted the feelings of your passing family members with care and respect. They are perfectly suited in their identity, why would they care to return to the fold. They benefit from the risk of their ancestors.
Thank you for sharing❣️. I recently put things together that my mother’s small family was probably because a significant number of family passed and her side didn’t. There were so many indicators, my mother’s complexion and hair texture, as a young girl I never met any one who was like my mother until I saw “Driving Ms Daisy” with Jennifer Tandy and Morgan Freeman and I realized my mother was “Ms Daisy” among other things my genealogy research indicated that my mothers grandmother was european woman married to my black educator and plantation owner, last name, Jacobs. So many clues, so little time. I’m sure your family is grateful that you thought enough to embrace them and definitely need time to process this new info. Because it’s a lot. One of the greatest privileges of whiteness is having everything fit into a neat little box. The opposite is our lives are full of unknowns. Like for instance, in the late twenties, my mother’s uncle was taken from his families farm as a young boy never to be seen again. Today, the same thing can happen daily to any of our family members. I mention that because I believe this is our African ancestory’s SuperPower!!! “Resilience” and the ability to make a difference where ever we go. Give them time to discover their “resilience”. We’ve all got it❣️
An amazing story, very intersting...I have always identified as Aboriginal Australian even though my skin is white. I know my Aboriginal side more than my European side. The only people who question my Aboriginal are the white people.
I love your honesty about how your family’s responses made you feel because as I watched each encounter you had with the white ones I felt that apprehension on embracing their Blackness. It appears they don’t view it as adding any benefit to their lives but would likely add confusion along with unwanted questions. Bravo for you being brave enough to seek them out! You rock... I love your spirit!!! Continue to own and walk in who you are.
Brilliant family documentary. I was looking forward to the next episode. Only to find that this was the last one. Thank you for sharing something so personal.
I’ve watched all six episodes and I am now hooked on the series. Your skills as a filmmaker are impeccable and I look forward to watching and finding more stuff that you have produced.
This is such a great docuseries. I recently found out I’m almost 40% Black and Creole (my maternal gramps made the same decision Robin’s as Nebraska fam to pass as a white man, as did my other maternal great-grandma 😭😭😭). I’M SO PROUD TO BE MIXED!!!! I can’t thank you enough for this content. 🖤🖤🖤 I feel whole for the first time in my life (at 38) bc I finally know where I came from. 🙌😭🙏🙏🙏🥰🥰🥰
This has been on my mind for over a week now. I’m black and always looking into my ancestry. It’s a process lol. The thing that has been irking me about this is that you only really see it from Robins side, hugely neglecting the perspective of the older family members from the passing side. Robin was seeking acceptance for some reason and feeling rejected. Feels a bit misplaced in the grand scheme. They now have a whole lifetime to process why their parents did something without thinking of the future generational consequences and now there’s no one to bring all of these questions to because they’re dead. They can only get that sides perspective and not “real” answers. It’s gotta feel crazy, maybe not for a majority of the younger ones but the kids of the lady who left and their kids. And yes, those pictures were dead give aways, especially that military pic lol. BUT if you were raised and told you were one thing, eventually you’d accept it and believe your parents BUT that itch would probably be there in the back of your mind. To be validated on knowing something was up and THEN be alone (without parent’s explanations) would piss me off. And then you’re making a documentary of MY story? Girl, what? You’re my cousin who doesn’t even know me as a person but as “that” side of the family. I’m thinking of Becky Jo and them mostly, not the younger ones. I wouldn’t want a camera up in my face while I was processing. I understood why she went with her niece alone on that second day. They probably had a load of questions. I wouldn’t have open arms for a long time til I processed a lot of things. Again, not even thinking about the younger cousins Robins age. That’s like a DNA test Buzzfeed video, “We’re black? Ok cool” Yeah, no shit, what else would you say when you’re so far removed? Becky Jo is old as hell but she still came and visited, what do you want Robin? The one I expected to keep in touch did. Now she can take everything to that side and teach them what she knows or have that for herself. Robin made it a HER thing when really, she’s related but that’s it. Can’t take that personal.
I loved getting to know this family. I would never want to turn my back on them, not for all the jobs and money in Nebraska. I'm not sure it was fair to ask the "white" family members if knowing they are part Black changes their relationship with Black people (or something like that, I don't recall exactly how the question was posed). People in homogeneous populations like that are not thinking about race like the rest of us. Furthermore, they may never have given their relationship to Black people much thought so they likely didn't understand the question. They were probably just happy to meet Robin and may have felt the question was too awkward to answer on camera. If this were my family, i would have been more protective of them. They have no experience being Black or mixed race. I feel, if you're going to do this type of thing, tread carefully. There's bound to be a lot of grief, loss, regret, and feelings of betrayal to experience during this process.
The second I saw the fiancée, I knew someone will go for the jugular in the comment section. 💀🍵 Who knows maybe no *black person* has loved her like this *white person* 🤷🏽♀️
Robin also strikes me as someone who wanted her passing relatives to accept her and her family. She went about this in a rather obvious and overt way without considering the feelings and even traditions of this family. It came off as disrespectful to her passing relatives. No wonder they were wary and hesitant.
This series was so awesome. Great job Robin! Being a Black person what baffles me is, how did they NOT know just by looks? We come in so many shades and I guess when you have used that lens your entire life you just can tell. But i understand why “choosing” passing or white is easier in today’s society but I wouldn’t change my Blackness for the world.
Race is such a tragedy in the US and it's had a detrimental and generational divide. I feel for Robin that she wanted her Nebraska relatives to embrace the news of their heritage but what she has done for the families is stop the silence and disinformation. She's done more for the family than she or they will ever know.
I think a big reason why her "passing" family doesn't really want much to do with her was because they not only profited off the whiteness but also were able to separate themselves from their perceived blackness (maybe by repeating racist rhetoric at times to draw the line that they were not black). Like the one cousin who refused to believe it and her body language throughout the video is clearly showing it. Plus the whole situation with her Dad and how he was perceived as black but felt anger around it. I feel like it is much deeper than just the surface level we got to see and some unspoken guilt is happening too. Overall, great docuseries!
You hit the nail on the head! It was glaringly obvious her cousin, was very uncomfortable during that lunch. I remember watching a documentary about the descendants of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings. One of their descendants was white, and had no idea she had black ancestors. Once she found out and attended the reunion at Monticello, she accepted it. The news didn’t change her identity and culture as a white woman but she began to identify herself as a white woman with black ancestry. Something this filmmaker’s white family is refusing to do because they have an issue with blackness.
Did you watch it? She had one aunt who married a man and they were both multi racial Black people. They decided to self ID as white and moved out of Harlem and get their children away from a very polluted very dangerous area. That part of New York destroyed much of my Afro Caribbean ancestors after they arrived. The children were not given their entire racial narrative, so how are they in denial? And then all of the children married white people so the grandchildren of the aunt and the great grandchildren are white. Why is anyone to “blame” Narratives, get truncated and lost all the time. but raising kids somewhere horrible like the Bronx would have been the real tragedy. Framing the great Aunt’s Self ID as some “horrible, evil, deceptive way of life” when there’s nothing horrible evil, or deceptive of any of her relatives, regardless of how they racially identified/ identify. They simply made choices she doesn’t like. What I found compelling is it begs the question, who gives anyone the right to make someone else’s decisions for them? Especially almost a century later?
Hope springs eternal and I can appreciate the director’s hope the Nebraska clan would join the family. If they had, that would have been a welcome surprise. It ended as I thought. Now Robin Cloud knows as does her family. Sadly, we reach out but others just aren’t as welcoming or as appreciative. Particularly when race is involved.
I would like to not criticize her on this view that her "white" family would not embrace BLACK culture. In the end she said it Culture is more important than blood. SHe still hold on to the notion of "one drop "rule and thats the tragedy of both Black and White society. 'Why cant people be both? Why cant those who can choose make those choices? Why cant those people who made those choices be respected and be embraced?
This is confusing. The old photographs show black/biracial people. Becky Jo clearly is biracial and Janine!! I have black members of my family lighter skinned than her. The photo of all the kids shows mixed race kids. Think I'm missing something. How on earth did they pass for white? Funny.😁🤔😁
but you looked at tinted photographs from the 70s 80s. people didn't look pasty in those.why are y'all always saying " i have a relative with skin lighter", when we've established that even tanned caucasians sit neatly into whiteness .their tan ain't like the "dimmed light" brown of people of color , not even indians.
This was an awesome update. And I love how there was a conversation about what they will impart on the children they have one day. Wished we all thought about things like.
Sis, this was an Excellent story...and I'm so glad you were able to reach out to your extended family...I know you were expecting more from them...but, like you said...''White Privilege is a Big commodity in this country''...and there are those who wouldn't trade it for Anything in the World...even if it meant disowning your Blk relatives...I was so invested in your story, that I actually got in My feelings when they didn't reciprocate the Genuine Love back...honestly, it's very few white ppl in this day-n-age who wouldn't be super stoked to find out they had Blk heritage...Unless of course, you grow up somewhere like Nebraska where there's not a whole lot of diversity...and you're able to piggy back off that White Privilege even if you achieved it dishonestly...I'm from NY, and most of the white ppl I know would give their right arm to find out they had Blk ancestry...
Not black nor mix but I’ve always been fascinated by the history of Passing. I think a lot about important figures like WEB Dubois and Fredi Washington who could have passed for white but chose to identify as black. As seen in comments section. People are saying why identify as black when all the benefits come from being white? We could ask the same question to those of mix race but chose to be black. Even if there is white privilege, owning and knowing your own roots and culture gives you so much self acknowledgement and empowerment. On a personal level, I always thought being multiracial would be so cool. You would be literally metropolitan and share cultures from around the world. Alas when I did genetic testing and found I was 100% Chinese, I was bummed a little but I’ve also learned to embrace being more Chinese than before when I wasn’t positive if I had other ethnic background. People sometimes ask if I was mixed so I always thought maybe I had a distant relative who was non Chinese. My doctor believes my traits (light eye color) were due to genetic mutation.
Chris Rock said it best: no white man would want to be him and HE'S RICH.
Lydia Waweru-Morgan yes. Is the racist institution and history of this country. As Robin says in her video. White privilege is a great asset in this country 🙁
@@mrjamila88 you got it. It's a joke that casts a true light on some sad conditions.
Yep
Chris was right but I think his more exact words were "no white man in America would trade places with me"
100% true! 🤣🤣🤣
It's often said everyone wants to be Black until it's time to be Black. She spoke the true - culture is stronger than blood.
very true...and what she said about ''culture being stronger then blood'' is a life lesson I'll take with me to the bitter end...no truer words have been spoken...
Very true
I was a little white girl in the rural South in Kentucky.
We had "the help" vibe going.
But my best memories are being at her house and dancing to Micheal Jackson and eat some awesome food. I Love the culture of Black families. I used to go to the black church in our town on Sundays. The Potlucks were off the chain. Then when I did my DNA, I found out that I was half Ashkenazi Jew!!!!
My mother passed as a Methodist.......
“White Privilege is the most valuable asset in America.” ...Damn, 🙁 true, but it hurts to hear it said out loud.
White people would never be this truthful to themselves because comfort.
@Key. I am going to write this one down, use and remembered it. This is so true. It seem like everyone wants to be white or have that lighter skin tone and black is considered ugly and bad. Now they have this new term white Hispanic/Latino. Back in my day, it was an insult for any Hispanic/Latino person to be called white. Wow! How things have changed over the years. I also heard the parents encouraged their children to marry white to whiten their lineage. IMO, Same in the Asian community too. They also skin bleached their skin to be more white. I’ve seen in documentary or read books where Hispanic/Latino clearly have dark skin, look black Afro Latino, etc but a lot of them are now claiming white on the census. Race matters! I have always been fascinated on this subject of passing since I saw the movie “Imitation of Life”. SMH.
@@dojakatt1724 I think its sad that people are so preoccupied with skin tone and race. I think Latinos, Blacks and Asian's biggest problem is that we/they struggle to be ourselves, not just in society but among our own culture group. If you like country western music, super white shows like Friends, The Big Bang Theory, or Seinfeld you are labeled as weird, out of touch or trying to be "white." If you like hip hop, or urban clothing styles you are considered a culture vulture. Rather than embrace our own individuality, we feel we have to conform to the group to stay true to the group. I am a Black woman and very happy to be so. Neither my husband who is also Black, would never encourage our beautiful Black daughters to marry white or light. Just because your skin is lighter does NOT make you a good person.
Agreed. Heartbreaking. 😭😭😭
Most valuable asset worldwide more than being rich of colour particularly black. But that’s the truth
Jeannene is probably the most open to all this because she’s the darkest in her family among the grandchildren. She can’t pass at all. So this probably feels very affirming
And she is gorgeous she looks a lot like many of the black cousins
And yet she believed she was white
I Didn't think Any of Becky Jo's siblings looked completely White...they All looked bi-racial to me...I would've Never thought they were All white, or even mixed with Italian...but, with them All marrying white ppl, they completely erased the Blk gene outta their heritage...bc the 2 cousin in Nebraska, didn't look Anything like they had African Ancestry...
She fits into the new world… biracial.
When we look at her she doesn't, yet she has been defacto passing because she didn't know what she was and her family was raised white.
This is so interesting, that Robin did not see the rejection coming. I knew it from the get go. How? because I am a black woman raised by my white mother in a white family, in a white environment and I just knew that any kind of embracing just wasn't going to happen. It is not that the Nebraska cousins aren't wonderful people, but that kind of generational trauma sits too deep and the risks are too big. This passing white family felt the bite of white privilege and it's complete injustice (they had no control over the genes they were given) and decided that it would be too painful to give it up. Knowing what we do about the reality racism in America, it it's quite logical.
Only God knows what they've been up to growing up in the name whiteness.
That's enough to shy away from the cameras.
Very interesting input and perspective bc myself being raised within black culture I was also surprised by the rejection, as naive as that may seem. Idk I assume people would want to know where they come from, at least I assume I would. But my proximity to whiteness is really really far, lol. It’s so foreign to me to not want to be black especially knowing that you are (especially in the case of the father of the cousins that wouldn’t come and meet her). That being said if I found out that same info in reverse I wouldn’t necessarily want to be part of my “long lost” white family either having identified as a black woman my whole life. So it makes sense I guess.
@@---re9jc 😭😭😭😭 you right, sis
Can you imagine Uncle Mickey on the golf course hearing the “N” word dropping like flies today! He’d probably crawl under a rock now that the truth has been confirmed. And cousin Becky who seems like she struggles with her health, would benefit if she made peace with who she is. Forget what her kids and parents say.
A very good take.
I myself found Robins attitude rather hopelessly naive.
I think she couldn't understand them because it isn't about white privilege. but about being culturally caucasian in this country and that is a wholly different side of the tracks .
In the end, what one sees here is that once you go white , you just stay tight.
This should make people, especially Americans, think twice before stereotyping anyone. You can’t afford to be racist, for all you know, that could be your KINFOLK.
Word
All these white people out here being racist most likely have some African DNA which is funny. Not really but you know.
They don't care tons of white people know they had black cousins due to slavery. My family literally worked for their great aunt post slavery and white dad lived close by.
Robin Cloud you did an amazing job.
I am proud of you. What a loss for your Nebraska family. Let them be.
Thank you for sharing your family history story.
Truly their loss as welcoming and loving the black family was the rest of willie mae’s family WOULDNT be to their black family
I watched all 6 episodes. As a white person with Black heritage, I would love to know my Black roots and family, but I haven't been luck enough. These were amazing...
*As a “white identifying person”
If you have Black heritage, your mixed. Not white.
@@daughterofdiaspora I agree, I'm mixed. But it seems to be controversial when people like me that look "lilly white" claim "other". However, I"m very proud of my ancestral heritage, especially my great-great-grandmother who was Black and the struggles she probably went through although she passed as White. On forms I often put "other" when asked about race, so as an old "mixed race guy" it does get confusing when Black people criticize people like me claiming Black heritage. Maybe before I croak (LOL) there will be a term for people like me. Thanks for your comment and and for the record, I don;t consider myself White. Peace...
@@alohadave13 the reason where people don’t wanna accept you is because they want to protect their whiteness and keep it pure. Where as black people will accept anything mixed.
@@annegracyliberal7327 Agreed. I think the Jan. 6th storming of the Capitol shows the fear that White people have towards Others. I'm still very proud of my roots, although I've lived as a White person, look White, I know that my roots are anything but. Decades ago when I lived in D.C. and had tons of Black friends, they would tease me about being possibly Black because of my dancing abilities. At the time, I didn't know about my Black heritage. I often think about that. This was a great series, wasn't it. Peace and happiness to you...
Race is a social construct, if you're seen as white you are white in this society, you are a person with ancestors who would not be identified as white, but seeing that you do and look the way you look and are treated the way you are treated, do you agree that this race stuff is stupid? Stupid, but when enough stupid people accept a stupid idea it can have very real consequences.
I’m not sure what Robin was expecting and why she thought it would be an immediate 180. As much as they want to be like us...what White person, real or imagined, actually wants to be black??
None
Me
Exactly 💯
@@radicalrealtor2118 lol stop lying
but why would they want to be? Do you want to be white?
We found out my grandfather and his family had passed as white. He married a white woman, and so did my dad. I’m very fair skinned. People always asked if my grandad was biracial. We found out after he passed away. When my cousins, who are Black or biracial asked how I felt, I didn’t feel any different and I felt it would be disingenuous for me to be “wow now I’m Black! Cool!” I have lived my life as a white woman, and continue to do so. And that’s why I felt it wasn’t possible for me to all of a sudden call myself Black. I hope this is understood.
Also at the end when she says “what is white culture?” Europe is massive and has many different cultures. I understand that in the US it’s diluted but Americans are very US centric and very rarely look outside their own country.
There’s no such thing as “white culture” simply because all who claim to be “white” are not. Italians, Jews, Irish, and others were not accepted as white not too long ago. Not for political and power purposes, they are. Claiming to be white is just attempting to be on the top tier of the caste system in America.
@@daughterofdiaspora there's no such thing as black culture by that same logic.
@@vashposh “black” culture exists because African Americans were stripped of their history/ancestry/language and given a skin color identity.
you're not fair skinned, you're white with a little bit of black ancestry. Like cut this one drop rule sh*t out.
@@HoneybeeAwning that’s literally what I said.
I'm 1st generation Jamaican American and even though my direct lineage is predominantly unambiguously Black, my mom's family had a story like this of an Uncle coming to America and passing for white an never being heard from again... I always wondered
As an adopted child (now 59 years old) who has sought out my biological family, there is alot to take in when you discover your roots. It is very surreal because it's about you but not your experience. Everyone processes it differently too.
My husband who is German came here to the room and said you have to watch this series! He said it reminds me of your family....so I watched and yes totally related to the content. My maternal side of the family for as long as I can remember said that three of my GGGgrandfather’s 13 children left home for Detroit and passed as white never to be seen or heard from.
We just celebrated our 42nd family reunion and are diligent in searching for “lost” family members and bringing them into the fold. These new DNA websites have helped a lot with n connecting us.
You should vlog your journey
Wow!! My family has this story as well. It is amazing how so many black people have this same story. Very interesting!!!
Sad.
Yup
Same here. Just found out my grandmother is 50/50 black and white so it makes sense.
I think she did do something. She got them thinking. And I wish I was a fly on the wall to see how the information has changed them. I’m sure the next time someone asks them “are you mixed” they’ll have to pause for the right answer.
If you mean the last two cousins, she talk to when they were outside of the café? No one’s gonna ask them if they are mixed. Your father was asked, but no one’s gonna ask them honey. Sorry, those are white people.
I have been asked if I'm black my whole life. Black friends knew because they had to help me with my hair. Hairdressers knew, too, since I had to go to black women for this. I was SO happy to find out that I was black. Have always felt a bond with the community and have gotten "the nod" since I was a child. Just sad the choice of knowing was taken from me until two years ago. My black family have welcomed me with open arms. Hoping to make it out to the family reunion in Dallas in October (if I can afford it)! Everyone has different reactions to news like this. Growing up in San Diego with a very mixed race family and knowing I'm Mexican impacts my reaction. Growing up in uber white Nebraska most likely impacts the reaction of your cousins.
Playing the Field Productions Tina Thompson ❤️❤️
Yesss it definitely would affect their reactions. I'm so glad for you though... 😊
@@shalanathomas7751 me, too! Proud to be part of such an intelligent, hard working, loving and open minded community.
Do you have 2 black parents tho?
@@firstladychosen1371 I have a black dad and a white/Mexican mom. I never met my dad, only found him recently and he died 15 years ago.
The culture of how you were raised...says a lot.
I wonder if some of them would've been more open if they hadn't grown up in Nebraska....
This is true. It's also why many mixed heritage people who are as every bit as white-passing as the nebraska cousins, are in different cultural contexts, legitimately a part of the African-American/Mixed community while they are not. I have a mom who is African-American & part White, my father was White of Italian-American descent & my experience couldn't be more different than theirs. I knew practically from the time I could speak what I was. I grew up visiting my Black family nearly every summer, being exposed to Black history, culture, entertainment, community. My white family also had very little to do with either me or my mother. So even though I'm not much physically different from these guys, our worlds were entirely separate. I've seen the same with other bi/multiracial/mixed black people. The way they were raised, what community they had 'membership' in shaped their entire identity. It's not mere ancestry. It's the whole package.
Maybe for Becky-Jo (and the others), it's not them rejecting their blackness. Maybe....just MAYBE it has nothing to do with the color aspect. Maybe they just don't care to start new relationships with family they have spent their whole lives not knowing. For example, when someone finds long lost siblings. Some people love it, embrace it, and others don't. Some people are content with their lives the way they are.
That's the reality some black people have to live with that the passing family members don't want to be found in most cases.
Unfortunately I had to depart from my brainwashed family and lead my own path. I'm proud to be mixrace and I'm married to my beautiful dark skin king 👏🏼💯😊💜
I am very curious to know how the passing family members' neighbors treat them now after this documentary. It has to be rough on them with the prejudices of the town and the racist rhetoric of this nation. Their Blackness must scare the heck out of them. I found the series very interesting. I wish it was longer.
I think the ones who actually look black are elderly by now and the ones who are young enough to have a social outcome look so white that now it doesn't matter.
@@nyctravis3381 Yes, over the past two generations of marrying whites, the younger children tend to look white. However, you can still see the African ancestry roots.
@@shawnee1895 I’ll leave you with the words of wisdom of my great grandmother don’t be surprise what come out the pot it’s not the Milkman’s baby.
I feel like the one name Janine her features were so obvious to me and I noticed the body posture in video six at the table was turned away with their legs and arms. That spoke so loud but was silent.
@@shawnee1895 Personally I don't see any African feature looking at the young woman she met with in Nebraska. but that's just me.
Becky Jo seemed to struggle with the entire situation. The two cousins in Nebraska seemed open to speaking about it but wasn't willing to take it any further. They clearly were comfortable with where they were and how they were perceived in their whiteness, ie.. passing for Italian, Sad but again it reinforce white is right, black stay back. At least Robin did her best to provide some answers for the Nebraska side of the family if they were willing.
or Bohemian. 😁
Btw Bohemia is a region within present day Czechia.
So being of Bohemian descent would mean you're either of Czech or German descent as Bohemia had been inhabited by Germans before WWII ended.
@@xolang It's also a term to call gypsies aka Roma and Sinti. They came from North India in the 1400's . They still face discrimination in Europe and were also prosecuted during World War II
Here's what I think happened with Robin. She has a close and firm family traditionand thought this would continue with her passing relatives. She didnt realize and understand what her other relatives did: it was Will a Mae and John's choice. Once that choice happened, it was too late.
I have no doubt there are people who fear being labeled as black. I wonder though, for folks who have only 8, 10, or 15% African DNA, and look white, how they could ever identify with the black experience if they’ve never been perceived in society as black. I also wonder, how accepting other black people would be, outside of this family, of someone who is so light skinned, they don’t appear black but try to identify as black. Between accusations of appropriation and the very real fallout of cancel culture, it must be very scary for someone who looks white to try and reclaim that aspect of their heritage.
I don’t know if it’s so much scary as just a turn off. Who would want to be part of the confusing bigoted construct you describe? And there’s so much anger coming from people like cloud, and so much “you can’t do this, but you can do this, but then if you do that your appropriating “ something?
My DNA results mirrors the slave experience- 22% (European/Scottish/Wales/Ireland/Sweden/Denmark). I don’t run around shouting it from roof tops that I’m part this or that. I’m 1% indigenous and 77% African. I will always claim my blackness and PROUD of it.
As someone who has been researching family history for the past few years-- my own family's and another family's-- I feel like I can recognize the hurt/surprise/disappointment when you realize others are not excited or interested in the things you have discovered. I know I'm missing the racial understanding and I'm not meaning to belittle that. But I can relate to being really excited and profoundly moved and hoping others will, too-- and being stunned when people aren't even really curious about their own family history/families. Researching is a form of love and caring-- it isn't always accepted, but I believe it's valuable and a gift to future generations. You never know how reaching out/research/documentation will change the lives of and inform future generations. This was a great series.
Mandy you articulated this so well hon.
I do genealogy for my family and attend these genealogy society meetings to get more information on how to find ancestors. It is said that white people from the south are too scared to do genealogy/DNA because they could find black people in the family. White people from the northeast are scared to do their genealogy/DNA because they could find Jewish people. From my experience, which is unscientific, white people just aren't interested in doing genealogy/DNA because of what they may find. They know that white privilege is valuable and anything that could jeopardize that privilege is a cost that is too high a price. Again, the white people that I know who do their family's genealogy are from a long line of Greeks or Irish-Americans who always tell me that their ancestors got off the boat in NYC and stayed in the north until they landed in the upper Midwest. (They say this to me to inform that there was no stop off in the south to mix with black people) Lastly, like other people who have posted in this comment section, I know of 2 of my G-Gma's sisters who passed. My G-Gma (middle sister) was light brown in color but her two sisters were very light-skinned. All of their birth cert stated "C" for colored. I found the death cert for one of the sisters, which my G-Gma had to claim her body and signed the death cert. The sister died a widow having married a white man and her census records during her marriage listed her as "W" -white. They had no children. My G-Gma made sure the death cert said "N" for negro. I'm still looking for the other sister's descendants.
@@la_profe_negra This comment spot on.
A few years ago my friend found out that she was mixed-race. She was delighted, excited ... and thrilled to meet the black side of her family. I loved your film -- and I wish that you had had the same experience with your family.
This was the most interesting series I have watched on RUclips in a very long time! Excellent work! It’s sad that the Nebraska family had to live those many generations without knowing where their parents come from. But is also interesting that the series spotlighted how very pale Blacks moved through the American landscape. Many black families have these tales where some or all went by the motto “if you’re black, get on back; but if you’re white, you’re all right!”
Thanks for watching!
I found this story so well done and amazing.
I had that same feeling of rejection/confusion after finding a cousin who didn't know she was half black. She was pretty much like, "I'm good".
Wow! This was very enjoyable. Enlightened!
I enjoyed all episodes. You reminded me of my eldest sister very much. My family...didn't pass...could have passed...but didn't and I am proud of that.
I have watched all 6 episodes and am sad for the way Nebraska relatives behave and happy you found them ,my hope is one day everyone can come together and celebrate as one family. ❤️
Jeananne and Robin's mother look so much alike.
This was so sad. I often wonder when I see whites with thick course hear were they git it from and I say to myself, I bet they have black ancestry. I girl finally said to me after multiple comments about her hair over years, she said your right my family is from South Carolina and we are told NOT TO SPEAK OF IT. She said, I love you, but I CAN NOT CLAIM my BLACKNESS. She said it would cause too much pain and she hurts just imagining it. Oh my ... I loved at her very different from that point and our friendship died because she could no longer face me.
Me too.
Wow. I hope u heal. That is traumatizing. People DO abandon others for the wrong reason
Wow.....
Great to be black.
Really... With the everyday Bullshit Black People face.
@@chanelrenee9506 and that is what makes our existence and our joy in spite of all that, so damn beautiful!
Yes, it is!
It's awesome being White
Robin missed the perfect opportunity at 4:18 - “eerm we’ll pass thank you” Amazing documentary watched all 6 - you come across as such a grounded intelligent and cultured person. I hope everyone is living their life as they see best 🤷🏿♀️
You can see how they’re related through certain features...their noses, their teeth, eyes
Cheeks
Yes.. the nose is what stood out to me. It’s a very consistent feature throughout the family
Their features are also very strong. Man of them look phenotypically Black. Their hair also is an indication. You can see half of them are straightening the hell out of their hair to look more white.
She and her wife are lovely it gives me hope for the future, they'll raise great children who will see humanity in all.
I confess that this was difficult and raw to watch but I thank you for sharing your experience. You have a wonderful outlook and I feel that the loss is entirely theirs. It also illustrates the racial divide in the USA. My daughter who is biracial and totally identifies Black was too uncomfortable to watch it but I shared it with a new friend who found out at 15 that her mother was passing and has embraced her Black roots.
This was a great series. My cousin was raised white. She was a cheerleader and became Mayor of a small Texas town that is now a large suburb of Dallas. It was a family secret hermom was from Louisiana and was Creole. We all thought she was Italian.
Well the one cousin...I forget her name...didn't seem well. So I would not hold it against her. She had more pressing matters...her life...but hold on to the fact she came to the reunion. So I think that is worth quite a lot. She will carry that with her when she transitions.
Hear! Hear!
Right!?...she'd rather embrace that cigarette and oxygen tank than embrace the past. Actually, I can somewhat understand that she had more pressing issues though.
👍🏽💯😄
Thank You For Sharing Your Story Robin...(and thank tjms for introducing this to his audience).. best wishes in your career and future endeavors
She said her passing family members were always questioned about their race, and I thought the whole purpose of passing is that you wouldn’t be questioned. It sounds like they couldn’t completely run hide from their past. But I see why they were questioned because you could just see it..I saw it through the photos she showed, they say photos don’t lie, so truth ,when it comes to seeing the very soul of you, melanin always shows it’s true color in a photo.
Some of the black and white photos from like the 50's some of the members looked ambiguous. But as time went on and technology got better, with the color photos you could tell. They have thick noses and the lips. The African genes in the family are strong.
Hate to break it to you, but millions of Italians, Greek, Portuguese, Spanish, and even western European look like this family. I’m not talking about people from southern Europe or western Europe that have black ancestry, but people with lineage that goes back centuries. Those people get teased growing up to for hair texture, no shape, etc. No one is pure. You can dissect their features and point out this and that, but they’re white lives have been lived or they are living them. The bigger question is why is it so important to you? Why are you keeping the one drop rule alive?
This was a fascinating journey. Thanks for letting us come along for the ride! Laughed, cried, pondered a lot. Robin is one hell of a director!
Finding family and reaching out to them is one thing, but trying to make them identify as something different than how they were taught to believe is another. They have to do that on their own terms. I'm Black. Was told my whole life we were part Cherokee, Spanish, Caribbean etc. Took an DNA test and was totally different from what I was told. Outside of African, the only other ancestry was British/Scandinavian. So basically I'm African American. So why couldn't my parents just say that. And after my mom took the test herself, she still identifies as part Spanish/Caribbean even though her test says different because that's what her mother told her, her whole life. So you can make someone identify as something other than what they know. Only you can change how you identify. Hell, most Black people think they are part Cherokee and how often is it really so???
Aleq, to answer your question, if you've ever watched that show, Finding your Roots, Dr Gates has said that it is very common for blacks to say that they've heard they had native ancestry, but very rare for it actually to be true.
Both whites and Black people in this country have Cherokee princess Indian fantasies. It’s usually to cover up either a slavery narrative or for white people to cover a black ancestry. More white people of claim Cherokee grandmothers, and his demographically possible.
I know, Robin's motivations seemed unhealthy.
Well done.
Wow seeing this is eye-opening. Seeing people reject the obvious truth can be hurtful in a lot of ways. But it's no different that any other relationships.
Most didn’t reject .. they know the deal .. I’m not sure what people expected them to do .. they lived as white and feel white
This was such an amazing series to experience! Thank you so much for sharing!
You are fabulous, Robin
My mother was mixed raced she grew up owning that fact her brother chose at 17 to be white. They had been given up by their white mother and raised in foster. My mother was raised by a black family and her brother a white family. My mother died at 36 and never saw her brother again. I found her brother a few years ago is still has trouble owning the fact he is mixed raced.
Wow Excellent documentary!!!
Right on Sis✊🏿✊🏿✊🏿
I really think this woman has this all wrong. I am 100% European, but if I found out I had African DNA, that WOULD be dope. But it still wouldn't really change my life. Not because I was rejecting blackness, just that....I don't look black so it is not my place to claim it. That is all your Nebraska family is saying. You may see blackness in them....but I see whiteness. They could just be Italian or something southern European. And that is what they are used to seeing in themselves. It is no rejection if blackness. Though you are right about one thing: culture is everything.
Interesting you would say that. It's also probably a shock to them as well. Some maybe good or some maybe bad.
No one in America is 100% anything
The reason why some Italian having darker complexion and darker eye color, because some have African DNA. She can not expect any of the younger generation to change who they believe they are. I am from Jamaican and I have so may culture of people in me I would not even care. Too many black and white issues in this country. I sometimes hear people said " the white people do not want to be black". I have NEVER heard a black person said that they wanted to me white. Think people want to be respected and given the same opportunity as any human being.
As someone who was raise white but has never really passed to the people who encounter me in daily life, a lot like your older cousins, I would give anything to discover a lost family that could affirm and explain my experience in a way that is understandable and easy to digest. Im a dark featured Ashkenazi Jew, but people don’t like that answer (even though they demand to know why I look ~insert ethnicity or race here~). When I finally tell folks I’m Jewish, I leave those conversations feeling like who I am isn’t enough. I’m sorry your cousins couldn’t see the value in the tremendous gift you offered them, that would affirm their experiences and bring them into a large, vibrant family with a rich history. Some people look for that the whole lives.
What a great story! I’m so glad I stumbled upon it. 🤗
This is an amazing story. I think you summarized the perspective of how you interpreted the feelings of your passing family members with care and respect. They are perfectly suited in their identity, why would they care to return to the fold. They benefit from the risk of their ancestors.
Thank you for sharing❣️. I recently put things together that my mother’s small family was probably because a significant number of family passed and her side didn’t. There were so many indicators, my mother’s complexion and hair texture, as a young girl I never met any one who was like my mother until I saw “Driving Ms Daisy” with Jennifer Tandy and Morgan Freeman and I realized my mother was “Ms Daisy” among other things my genealogy research indicated that my mothers grandmother was european woman married to my black educator and plantation owner, last name, Jacobs. So many clues, so little time.
I’m sure your family is grateful that you thought enough to embrace them and definitely need time to process this new info.
Because it’s a lot. One of the greatest privileges of whiteness is having everything fit into a neat little box. The opposite is our lives are full of unknowns. Like for instance, in the late twenties, my mother’s uncle was taken from his families farm as a young boy never to be seen again. Today, the same thing can happen daily to any of our family members.
I mention that because I believe this is our African ancestory’s SuperPower!!! “Resilience” and the ability to make a difference where ever we go. Give them time to discover their “resilience”. We’ve all got it❣️
An amazing story, very intersting...I have always identified as Aboriginal Australian even though my skin is white. I know my Aboriginal side more than my European side. The only people who question my Aboriginal are the white people.
Thank you for a great series.
I love your honesty about how your family’s responses made you feel because as I watched each encounter you had with the white ones I felt that apprehension on embracing their Blackness. It appears they don’t view it as adding any benefit to their lives but would likely add confusion along with unwanted questions. Bravo for you being brave enough to seek them out! You rock... I love your spirit!!! Continue to own and walk in who you are.
So happy I made it to the end of the series. I loved every episode ❤❤❤❤ I love being black period!!!!
Brilliant family documentary. I was looking forward to the next episode. Only to find that this was the last one. Thank you for sharing something so personal.
Fascinating! Thanks for sharing your family story.
What an amazing project! Thank you for your labor for family and the culture!!
I’ve watched all six episodes and I am now hooked on the series. Your skills as a filmmaker are impeccable and I look forward to watching and finding more stuff that you have produced.
This is such a great docuseries. I recently found out I’m almost 40% Black and Creole (my maternal gramps made the same decision Robin’s as Nebraska fam to pass as a white man, as did my other maternal great-grandma 😭😭😭). I’M SO PROUD TO BE MIXED!!!! I can’t thank you enough for this content. 🖤🖤🖤 I feel whole for the first time in my life (at 38) bc I finally know where I came from. 🙌😭🙏🙏🙏🥰🥰🥰
This whole series was amazing. And sad. Being Black is so dope.
This is excellent. I was left with wanting more
This has been on my mind for over a week now. I’m black and always looking into my ancestry. It’s a process lol. The thing that has been irking me about this is that you only really see it from Robins side, hugely neglecting the perspective of the older family members from the passing side. Robin was seeking acceptance for some reason and feeling rejected. Feels a bit misplaced in the grand scheme. They now have a whole lifetime to process why their parents did something without thinking of the future generational consequences and now there’s no one to bring all of these questions to because they’re dead. They can only get that sides perspective and not “real” answers. It’s gotta feel crazy, maybe not for a majority of the younger ones but the kids of the lady who left and their kids. And yes, those pictures were dead give aways, especially that military pic lol. BUT if you were raised and told you were one thing, eventually you’d accept it and believe your parents BUT that itch would probably be there in the back of your mind.
To be validated on knowing something was up and THEN be alone (without parent’s explanations) would piss me off. And then you’re making a documentary of MY story? Girl, what? You’re my cousin who doesn’t even know me as a person but as “that” side of the family. I’m thinking of Becky Jo and them mostly, not the younger ones. I wouldn’t want a camera up in my face while I was processing. I understood why she went with her niece alone on that second day. They probably had a load of questions. I wouldn’t have open arms for a long time til I processed a lot of things. Again, not even thinking about the younger cousins Robins age. That’s like a DNA test Buzzfeed video, “We’re black? Ok cool” Yeah, no shit, what else would you say when you’re so far removed? Becky Jo is old as hell but she still came and visited, what do you want Robin? The one I expected to keep in touch did. Now she can take everything to that side and teach them what she knows or have that for herself. Robin made it a HER thing when really, she’s related but that’s it. Can’t take that personal.
"What if the children were looking for us" . Well said.
I loved getting to know this family. I would never want to turn my back on them, not for all the jobs and money in Nebraska.
I'm not sure it was fair to ask the "white" family members if knowing they are part Black changes their relationship with Black people (or something like that, I don't recall exactly how the question was posed). People in homogeneous populations like that are not thinking about race like the rest of us. Furthermore, they may never have given their relationship to Black people much thought so they likely didn't understand the question. They were probably just happy to meet Robin and may have felt the question was too awkward to answer on camera. If this were my family, i would have been more protective of them. They have no experience being Black or mixed race. I feel, if you're going to do this type of thing, tread carefully. There's bound to be a lot of grief, loss, regret, and feelings of betrayal to experience during this process.
Wow this series was amazing! Thank you for sharing your story!
Her: “Blackness is DOPE.”
**marries white person**
Exactly! I was like ummmm what is the entire point of this if at the end of it you are with a white person. Confusion is real!
The second I saw the fiancée, I knew someone will go for the jugular in the comment section. 💀🍵
Who knows maybe no *black person* has loved her like this *white person* 🤷🏽♀️
Robin also strikes me as someone who wanted her passing relatives to accept her and her family. She went about this in a rather obvious and overt way without considering the feelings and even traditions of this family. It came off as disrespectful to her passing relatives. No wonder they were wary and hesitant.
I was always interested in genealogy. This makes me want to explore more with others.
Such a good series! Thank you for sharing your family story. Race is such a mind f*^%.
This series was so awesome. Great job Robin! Being a Black person what baffles me is, how did they NOT know just by looks? We come in so many shades and I guess when you have used that lens your entire life you just can tell. But i understand why “choosing” passing or white is easier in today’s society but I wouldn’t change my Blackness for the world.
Race is such a tragedy in the US and it's had a detrimental and generational divide. I feel for Robin that she wanted her Nebraska relatives to embrace the news of their heritage but what she has done for the families is stop the silence and disinformation. She's done more for the family than she or they will ever know.
Brilliant, insightful, profound. I hope your work on this topic makes it to Netflix one day. This is potentially transformative.
...courageous and joyous family ... ! Congratulations!👍🏾🎉
I think a big reason why her "passing" family doesn't really want much to do with her was because they not only profited off the whiteness but also were able to separate themselves from their perceived blackness (maybe by repeating racist rhetoric at times to draw the line that they were not black). Like the one cousin who refused to believe it and her body language throughout the video is clearly showing it. Plus the whole situation with her Dad and how he was perceived as black but felt anger around it. I feel like it is much deeper than just the surface level we got to see and some unspoken guilt is happening too. Overall, great docuseries!
You hit the nail on the head! It was glaringly obvious her cousin, was very uncomfortable during that lunch. I remember watching a documentary about the descendants of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings. One of their descendants was white, and had no idea she had black ancestors. Once she found out and attended the reunion at Monticello, she accepted it. The news didn’t change her identity and culture as a white woman but she began to identify herself as a white woman with black ancestry. Something this filmmaker’s white family is refusing to do because they have an issue with blackness.
Did you watch it? She had one aunt who married a man and they were both multi racial Black people. They decided to self ID as white and moved out of Harlem and get their children away from a very polluted very dangerous area. That part of New York destroyed much of my Afro Caribbean ancestors after they arrived. The children were not given their entire racial narrative, so how are they in denial? And then all of the children married white people so the grandchildren of the aunt and the great grandchildren are white. Why is anyone to “blame” Narratives, get truncated and lost all the time. but raising kids somewhere horrible like the Bronx would have been the real tragedy. Framing the great Aunt’s Self ID as some “horrible, evil, deceptive way of life” when there’s nothing horrible evil, or deceptive of any of her relatives, regardless of how they racially identified/ identify. They simply made choices she doesn’t like. What I found compelling is it begs the question, who gives anyone the right to make someone else’s decisions for them? Especially almost a century later?
Hope springs eternal and I can appreciate the director’s hope the Nebraska clan would join the family. If they had, that would have been a welcome surprise. It ended as I thought. Now Robin Cloud knows as does her family. Sadly, we reach out but others just aren’t as welcoming or as appreciative. Particularly when race is involved.
Thank you Robin
This was a great story, wish you the best!
I don't care about skin color.We are all humans and equal. End of story.I love all people on this planet.
I would like to not criticize her on this view that her "white" family would not embrace BLACK culture. In the end she said it Culture is more important than blood. SHe still hold on to the notion of "one drop "rule and thats the tragedy of both Black and White society. 'Why cant people be both? Why cant those who can choose make those choices? Why cant those people who made those choices be respected and be embraced?
Wow! What a story!
Thank you for sharing your story.
This is confusing. The old photographs show black/biracial people. Becky Jo clearly is biracial and Janine!! I have black members of my family lighter skinned than her. The photo of all the kids shows mixed race kids. Think I'm missing something. How on earth did they pass for white? Funny.😁🤔😁
nebraska. i'm guessing they are clueless there. intro that family to cajuns and see what happens? i too have no clue how they are passing.
but you looked at tinted photographs from the 70s 80s. people didn't look pasty in those.why are y'all always saying " i have a relative with skin lighter", when we've established that even tanned caucasians sit neatly into whiteness .their tan ain't like the "dimmed light" brown of people of color , not even indians.
Great docu series, Robin!
I knew Robin was a lesbian. Shame. I hope she heals in every way. She is such a nice person.
This was great. Thank you
Thanks for this series. Loved it.
GREAT DOC --ITS SAD WHEN LIES BECOME THE TRUTH
I enjoyed this documentary!
This resonates with me, similar story on my mum's mum's side.
I feel they need time to process all of these. It has to be hard learning all you knew was a lie even though they all qurstioned it.
Great documentary. Lots of us in the US come from mixed heritage, and have had similar situations.
This was an awesome update. And I love how there was a conversation about what they will impart on the children they have one day. Wished we all thought about things like.
Brilliant series. Thanks
Sis, this was an Excellent story...and I'm so glad you were able to reach out to your extended family...I know you were expecting more from them...but, like you said...''White Privilege is a Big commodity in this country''...and there are those who wouldn't trade it for Anything in the World...even if it meant disowning your Blk relatives...I was so invested in your story, that I actually got in My feelings when they didn't reciprocate the Genuine Love back...honestly, it's very few white ppl in this day-n-age who wouldn't be super stoked to find out they had Blk heritage...Unless of course, you grow up somewhere like Nebraska where there's not a whole lot of diversity...and you're able to piggy back off that White Privilege even if you achieved it dishonestly...I'm from NY, and most of the white ppl I know would give their right arm to find out they had Blk ancestry...
Not black nor mix but I’ve always been fascinated by the history of Passing. I think a lot about important figures like WEB Dubois and Fredi Washington who could have passed for white but chose to identify as black. As seen in comments section. People are saying why identify as black when all the benefits come from being white? We could ask the same question to those of mix race but chose to be black. Even if there is white privilege, owning and knowing your own roots and culture gives you so much self acknowledgement and empowerment.
On a personal level, I always thought being multiracial would be so cool. You would be literally metropolitan and share cultures from around the world. Alas when I did genetic testing and found I was 100% Chinese, I was bummed a little but I’ve also learned to embrace being more Chinese than before when I wasn’t positive if I had other ethnic background. People sometimes ask if I was mixed so I always thought maybe I had a distant relative who was non Chinese. My doctor believes my traits (light eye color) were due to genetic mutation.
This is interesting to think of all the possibilities.