White NAACP Leader Who Passed As Black

[Dawnlight]

Black people have been passing for centuries. After the Civil War, many former slaves that were able to pass did just that.

Excellent point. It was beneficial then to be white, maybe it even still is, but I think in some aspects it's beneficial to be minority, so it's much less prevalent in today's society.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Some of the older Diser will remember the first white person to pull that off (flawlessly) was Gene Wilder in " Silverstreak"

Well, actually, there was journalist who did it in 1961:
Black Like Me is a nonfiction book by journalist John Howard Griffin first published in 1961. Griffin was a white native of Dallas, Texas and the book describes his six-week experience travelling on Greyhound buses (occasionally hitchhiking) throughout the racially segregated states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia passing as a black man. Sepia Magazine financed the project in exchange for the right to print the account first as a series of articles.

Griffin kept a journal of his experiences; the 188-page diary was the genesis of the book.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Like_Me

 

[low-key]

Well, actually, there was journalist who did it in 1961:
Black Like Me is a nonfiction book by journalist John Howard Griffin first published in 1961. Griffin was a white native of Dallas, Texas and the book describes his six-week experience travelling on Greyhound buses (occasionally hitchhiking) throughout the racially segregated states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia passing as a black man. Sepia Magazine financed the project in exchange for the right to print the account first as a series of articles.

Griffin kept a journal of his experiences; the 188-page diary was the genesis of the book.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Like_Me

I was teasing, it was a silly movie

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I was teasing, it was a silly movie

OK, I never saw it.

 

[Dawnlight]

I would bet someone who is transgender would not define it as an abnormality or want to be compared to someone with a chromosomal defect.

No, I wouldn't expect they would (though, really, what is the definition of "abnormal"?); I was trying to be careful with my words to try to express that in the formation of babies many variances can happen, and I gave a few examples. Those are biological differences, and perhaps a similar difference occurs in transgender people.

You don't think they'd appreciate science finding a biological reason for it happening? It wouldn't change anything, just as having a biological reason for Down Syndrome occurring doesn't change anything. We've come far as society to accept and appreciate the biological differences; I see a similar acceptance happening with transgender people.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Excellent point. It was beneficial then to be white, maybe it even still is, but I think in some aspects it's beneficial to be minority, so it's much less prevalent in today's society.

I can't figure out why she would pretend to be black at Howard University. A white person with great grades is pretty guaranteed a free ride at any HBCU.

 

[LisaR]

But people on here said Caitlyn Jenner is a woman even though she hasn't had surgery. She feels like a woman, so that makes her a woman.

At no point did Bruce Jenner tell anyone he was a she BEFORE she was actually transitioning. As Bruce Jenner, he didn't apply for a scholarship as a female. He didn't get a job as a female and pretend that he was born that way. He made a conscience decision to become a she. She has been very honest about the process ever since. Wouldn't it be really strange if one day the guy we knew as Bruce Jenner turned up as Caitlyn Jenner, insisted she was born this way, and never lived life as a male? That's what this woman did. If she wants to be black, have at it. But don't lie about it. Don't apply for a scholarship because you "feel" black. The whole point of transgender is one sex to the other so it is a given that the female applying was formally a male. When an application asks for your race, they don't mean just pick one that you'd like to be.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I'm torn on whether or not it does a disservice to black people. What about people who convert to religions other than what they were born into? Jewish converts identify with that culture, heritage, and history even though they weren't brought up with Judaism and didn't live through the experiences. Same for those who convert to Islam, I would assume. Does that make them fraudulent?

It's all about pretense.

 

[barkley]

I think she's brave. She lived who she felt she was. She looks better now than before. What if on her deathbed she looked back wishing she could have been black like her brothers and shared their experiences? Now, she's done it. She doesn't have to regret living a lie.

how is this even possible with all the lies she's made????

when she was interviewed in February for the college newspaper where she teaches she told of how she was born in a teepee in Montana then moved as a child with her family to Colorado and subsequently Cape Town South Africa where her family hunted their food with bows and arrows-SHE WAS NOT BORN IN A TEEPEE, AND HER FAMILY HAS NEVER LIVED IN COLORADO OR SOUTH AFRICA NOR HUNTED FOR FOOD WITH BOWS AND ARROWS.

in the same article she explained the blond dreadlocks (her own hair) she sometimes wears (as extensions) on campus as being blonde due to a bout with cervical cancer-NOT TRUE, HER HAIR DID NOT TURN BLOND DUE TO CANCER-IT'S FROM HER NATURAL HAIR BEFORE SHE COLORED IT.

the young man she's identified in public and the press as her "oldest son"-is NOT her son, he's her adopted brother.

on her application to serve on Spokane's Citizen Police Ombudsman Commission (of which she currently serves as Chair) she identified herself as "African American"-SHE LIED ON HER APPLICATION.

she publicly says in print and television interviews (and her professor bio on the university website reads) that she was the victim of "8 documented hate crimes in Idaho"-public records show only 3 reports-all with insufficient evidence. the entire situation she is in now came to light because she reported receiving hate mailings at the naacp p.o. box in Spokane-investigations have shown that the items (envelope she provided) were never processed by the u.s. postal service-if they were placed in the box it would have had to have been by someone who had the key-AS PRESIDENT SHE HAD THE KEY AND PICKED UP THE MAIL. the local media started digging around into her background and all of what's now known was made public.


I am horrendously offended by this woman's actions-she is a professor at the university my child attends, a university whose code of conduct (for both students and staff) prohibits deception, fraud, unauthorized representation, knowingly furnishing false representation, and disruptive conduct ("unreasonably interferes with university operations"-and if you don't think this media circus hasn't impacted graduation this weekend you are sadly mistaken). what a TERRIBLE example for the students, what a terrible waste of public resources investigating potentially fictitious claims of hate crimes. what should have been a week of our university and students celebrating the end of the school year and the accomplishments of the graduates was overshadowed by this woman's self serving LIES.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Well, actually, there was journalist who did it in 1961:
Black Like Me is a nonfiction book by journalist John Howard Griffin first published in 1961. Griffin was a white native of Dallas, Texas and the book describes his six-week experience travelling on Greyhound buses (occasionally hitchhiking) throughout the racially segregated states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia passing as a black man. Sepia Magazine financed the project in exchange for the right to print the account first as a series of articles.

Griffin kept a journal of his experiences; the 188-page diary was the genesis of the book.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Like_Me

I had never heard of it and looked it up.

While he was "successful", he also was prepared and willing to answer honestly if he was asked.

Rachel did not do this. It was not an experiment for higher learning where we could all learn something form her experiences. She dressed in costume to manipulate the public.

But now I have a face to go with Rachel from cardholder services.

 

[gwynne]

It sounds like she enjoys telling stories. How long do we think it will be before she lands a book and movie deal?
It will be interesting to see how the University that employs her handles this situation. Just a few odd details, nothing to see here? Or substantial untruths, unacceptable?

 

[JJZMgailey]

My dear friend Rene Syler of GoodEnoughMother.com wrote a great piece on this subject the other day. She shared some of her personal experiences growning up and I know she'd love you guys to weigh in. Here's a link to the piece if any of you are interested: http://www.goodenoughmother.com/2015/06/the-gem-debate-race-rachel-dolezal-and-why-it-matters/

 

[Dawnlight]

But now I have a face to go with Rachel from cardholder services.

 

[AnAmericanInDisney]

I had no idea Rachel Dolezal was being compared to Caitlyn Jenner on so many media outlets. Guess my ideas aren't very original if so many people see the comparison.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

My dear friend Rene Syler of GoodEnoughMother.com wrote a great piece on this subject the other day. She shared some of her personal experiences growning up and I know she'd love you guys to weigh in. Here's a link to the piece if any of you are interested: http://www.goodenoughmother.com/2015/06/the-gem-debate-race-rachel-dolezal-and-why-it-matters/

Your friend said it way better (great article, thanks for sharing), but this is what I meant when I said many black people would resent her.

"While the lying and level of deceit certainly needs to be examined, there’s one more thing. Rachel Dolezal, though married to a black man and the sister (but claims to be mother) of a black boy, is not African American.

She is black by choice meaning she can put it on when convenient and take it off when it’s not.

Being black is not a piece of jewelry or a leather jacket; it is an indelible part of your being.

That is the case for me and everyone in my family as well as a lot of other people I know. We are black 24 and 7 and that means being treated some kinda way by some kinda folks.

I’m not saying she cannot effectively lead the local chapter of the NAACP; in factthe organization is standing behind Dolezal. I am saying she needs to be honest about who she is (too late?) and admit that she cannot fully understand the entire black experience in America."

 

[Shmily1]

To make up so many lies, she's nuts! I certainly wouldn't want my children learning ANYTHING from her. Glad my kids didn't have her as a teacher. What does she teach? How to live a completely farce of a life?

 

[Sanchez]

I had no idea Rachel Dolezal was being compared to Caitlyn Jenner on so many media outlets. Guess my ideas aren't very original if so many people see the comparison.

In general the media tends to be intellectually lazy. The comparison is intended to cause controversy. Is that what you are doing?

 

[barkley]

It sounds like she enjoys telling stories. How long do we think it will be before she lands a book and movie deal?
It will be interesting to see how the University that employs her handles this situation. Just a few odd details, nothing to see here? Or substantial untruths, unacceptable?

here's the statement the university released friday-

"Since 2010, Rachel Dolezal has been hired at Eastern Washington University on a quarter by quarter basis as an instructor in the Africana Education program. This is a part-time position to address program needs. Dolezal is not a professor. The University does not feel it is appropriate to comment on issues involving her personal life. The university does not publicly discuss personnel issues."

I find it interesting that they are saying she's not a professor but the university website still identifies her position as "quarterly professor". the schedule for next fall which came out a couple of months ago had showed her teaching 2 classes, but since she's "quarterly" staff the university only has a quarter by quarter contract with her-so all they have to do is choose not to pick up the contact (and our quarters start LATE-so they could decide in the over 3 months before fall quarter starts to handle this very quietly and simply opt out of renewing her contract, or if it's already been renewed-opt not to use her and just let the contract end).

there's a petition that's been started by one of the local members of the naacp chapter ms. dolezal is president of, it reads-

We will not make official comments on the validity of allegations against Spokane's NAACP President. However, until the investigation is complete and her issues are resolved we recommend a leave of absence. We do not feel that she is in a position to properly reflect the values of our communities. The questions surrounding her integrity may discredit the work that has been previously done to better the movement of social justice and equality.

for a relatively small chapter it's gotten a good number of signatures. a peaceful protest is being held tonight that has been organized by members of the local chapter who support the petition.

 

[DizBelle]

I think she is a liar. So since she wants to be black can I be white??? I mean I am half white and I was adopted and raised in a white family. My husband is white and so are a lot of my friends. Does this mean I am white? Actually no it doesn't. I am half black and I would be denying a very important part of myself by saying I was white. I am not impressed with what she did. I think it is fine to identify with a culture, but you cannot change your race. You are what you are. You cannot change it. Embrace who you are.

If you are 50% black and 50% white, can you really claim to be either?

How "black" do you have to be to qualify for a scholarship intended for blacks?

I don't recall reading anything that said the scholarship she got was intended for blacks (or being black was a requirement).

 

[Dawnlight]

If you are 50% black and 50% white, can you really claim to be either?

How "black" do you have to be to qualify for a scholarship intended for blacks?

I don't recall reading anything that said the scholarship she got was intended for blacks (or being black was a requirement).

It's an interesting question. Have you heard about the family in England that has 2 sets of twins, each set having one white and one black twin? The parents are a mixed couple. I wonder if the white child still counts as black if one parent is black even though her skin shows something different.