I am highly offended the host described Clarence King as highly sexualized for being attracted to women of color. They are beautiful queens and are deserving of love, honor, and respect.
This happened in my family. My uncle and aunt married in 1934. My aunt was black and we always believed my uncle was just a very light-skinned black man because he and everyone else said he was black. Okay, no problem. It wasn't until after both of them died and their children searched for some of his relatives that the truth came out. Who would think a white man would give up all that privilege and pass for black for love?
he didn’t give up any privilege bc he was only Black to YALL. when he wasn’t with y’all and out in the world, that man was white. y’all romanticizing white peoples lies and it’s weird
@@ToriUptown No doubt when "in the world" by himself he had freedoms his darker skinned relatives didn't have but how he chose to identify restricted where he and his family could live and vacation. He worked as a house painter and musician but who knows if his choice of vocation was limited by his racial identification. He watched his children experience discrimination and educational opportunities denied them because of their race. Finally, how many ties with his family of birth did he give up when he decided to pass for black? Nobody said he was a hero but I'm guessing he experienced certain pains by living this "lie" that you know nothing about.
What I don't like about the man conducting this interview is that he prefaces his remarks by saying that Copeland was highly sexed, in order to explain his attraction to Black women. This was racist and an offensive statement. Someone needs to call him on that.
I was wondering if anyone else noticed this and was bothered by it. He was "sexually energetic" and "liked Native American and Black women"? Why did he feel the need to say that & how the hell does he know? Is he implying that he passed as black because he was too horny to marry a white woman?
The storyteller has romanticized this story but the only thing we know for sure is Clarence King lied to this woman about his name, his family, his job, his finances and his ancestry for their entire "marriage". Then left her with nothing except 5 kids and a letter owning the con. I'm sure she didn't feel she'd been romanticized when got that letter. Something tells me any man this secretive and sneaky wasn't romantic or charming as much as he was mentally abusive and emotionally manipulative. A true narcissist. What little we know about this story is due to the fact his wife sued his estate, not because she willingly told her story.
He did not abandon her. He did not have another wife and family. He changed his race for her. She had a party with the press there. That he was bad with money is nothing new. While money was coming in, I would have hoped she put some aside.
He didnt change his race for her. He changed his race to sleep with her and live in her house. When he left her house he was a white man. She didnt learn who he was until he died. That’s not a good marriage. He could have been straight up with her BUT it order to have his way he SCAMMED her. Don’t romanticize it as love. Imagine if EVERYTHING you know about your mate was a lie.
As many people have pointed out before me, saying that Clarence King was "sexually energetic" so as to explain why he prefered native american women and more so black women is highly racist!
@Koriander Yander I don't know why being nothing but a sex object or sex toy in the eyes of men just because of our mostly curvy bodies and "exoticness," EVEN with LITTLE BLACK GIRLS who are oversexualized on many many accounts and with many examples is a good thing for you, but take a stroll through the comments under this video and see that you're in the minor, or perhaps, educate yourself on the subject.
it is now that's for sure. if anything this needs to be taught in schools! this guy was way ahead of his time. he put aside his pride for love. he didn't try to make her his Mistress, he married her properly. He let his white friends think he was a dog or a dandy, so they would leave his family alone. that was brave back then. He should have made better previsions for her in his will. but he may just not have known how to. bad case of Afflu-insa.
For some reason the Loving v. Virginia story comes to mind. It is one of the best love documentaries in America history. It’s because of the Loving couple that interracial marriage is legal in America.❤❤❤Imagine someone ready to risk it all just to be with you that tears me up and I pray everyone find that kind of love❤❤❤
The subtle insults. If Caucasians hadn't been depraved but pretending their behavior toward Africans didn't count, there would be no depravity to shift onto Black women. Annoying.
Probably more likely that his actual legal name was Terrance King and she only knew him as James Todd and could not collect anything without the bank being able to find account for his fake name.
@@denicewms He wrote a letter on his deathbed explaining his true identity. His name was Clarence. She carried his real name King. I believe the court stole her money that he left for her because he was white and well known. They didn't want her to have it and lied. She spent 30 years fighting it and they refused to give it her.
I’m highly offended that the narrator thought to explain “James Todd” attraction to his future black wife was because he was highly sexualized. Very offensive! Perhaps he was attracted to her because she was a beautiful woman and not because he was sexually energetic.
I thought he said he was a highly sexed individual BUT didn’t like WW. Either way, you’re right, though. It’s still racist to imply that WW are more desirable and act as if it’s surprising he wouldn’t like them.
@Jordan Blackit is our job to point out conscious/subconscious error. We don't live in a bubble. This is a global mindset that seeks to dehuminiaze and de value people of color. It must be addressed so it can stop happening.
@@dr.joanmalcolm97: You have the title "Dr." May I ask you in what? People of Color specifically referred to the Europeans because France, Italy, Portugal, and Spain were known for being tawny complexioned while the rest of Europe considered themselves to be swarthy complexioned = "People Of Color". The so-called: African area was known as the land of the Ebony complexioned people and once the Moors had surrendered to the Europeans, they promised Cristoforo Colombo that they knew where the ancient world lies, it's the same place where Mansa Musa hid his gold. Cristoforo (because it was the era of discovery) "Discovered" our ancestors here in 1492, and said our people, the Arawak/Carib Indians were of COPPER TONED complexioned. They were more concerned about the complexion of a people.
I’m saddened by this story, frustrated over the fact that he put this beautiful woman and his family he claimed to love through this LIE. Love doesn’t lie, love is courageous. His lust lead him to lie. He could have righted his wrong long before his death. He was a very SELFISH and a COWARD
@Jordan Black we have no idea what James Todd thought. Maybe he just fell in love with Ada and wanted to be with her. The fetishising comes with other people retelling the story. It's very interesting to me that between 1930 to 2000 the only option available to people in the census was to designate themselves either as black or white.
@Jordan Black there may have been a degree of fetishising involved although it's sort of difficult to avoid I think. Judy look how blondes are fetishised in Western cultures. But he married the young women at a time when it would have been illegal. What stands out to me is the way present day commentators feel they know everything about it: as if it was some kind of kink. It's highly insulting to the young lady. After all, if he was that way inclined he didn't have to marry her
@Jordan Black You're really not even helping black people feel better, by trying to make yourself sound better as if you never wanted to feel accepted before by anyone not just white people. Everyone wants to feel harmonious not paranoid everyday. You don't think lightskin humans could be attracted or sexually attracted to darkskin humans? Then that makes you the racist. Because it has nothing to do with skin color or fetishizing, but who a person wants to be in life and what they see fit.
If he'd really loved her as much as he claimed, he would have provided for her by opening an account in her name and putting money there for her to use after his death. He had to know that his friends and family would do all they could to keep her away from his fortune.
@@Belinda204 Unfortunately, there are people today ( my father was one) who make no arrangements at all for their deaths, leaving their family to do the best they can. Not everyone thinks ahead, sad to say. I wonder if it's a fear of death, ignorance or just lack of knowledge. smh
@@Belinda204, today yes that can be done but not then. I take it your elders didn't teach history to you too well? Ever hear of "Jim Crow Laws?" How about a laughing bucket? If they were somewhere in Europe he most likely could have given her her own bank account but NOT then in the U.S. of A. and live to tell about it. I was born in the mid 1950's and still recall how people of color were treated then.
The same way they did black women on the plantations. It's just like how they tried to make Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemmings a love story when she and her children with him were still enslaved by him.
I don't believe he was broke. The courts just didn't want to give her the money. That money that she received monthly was probably a part of his estate.
@@jessicaandersson4313 they did say he borrowed money from his friend. It did say that.... How so renowned yet no money all while still working which is why my thinking was along the lines of he had money. Was he a spend thrift? Did he not get paid for his work? We know he wasn't traveling across country like he pretended.
@@staceyranee5756He might have been famous but that doesn't always mean a high income and some people spend all the money they have. Just look at the number of "celebrities" that go bankrupt every year despite having earned millions. There was also a bit more info under the the clip. - "Devoted to his mother and his half-siblings, restless and constantly in need of money, King relied on the largesse of his wealthy friends to help him support both families" So he supported like 7 people in one family and who knows how many in the other...
@@jessicaandersson4313 ah I didn't read the info section. Thanks 😊 Definitely you can be famous and broke or rich and end up broke, just seemed a bit off. His friend seemed to be a really good one to take care of his wife after his death.
I find it interesting that someone would go to the lengths he did to date and marry someone he was truly attracted to instead of allowing society dictate to him who to love. I think there were many white men who were attracted to black women for centuries but could not openly have a relationship with a black woman because the law and society dictated against it. I respect this man for being brave enough to make the move, I just wish he did it in his true identity. That would have taken a tremendous amount of courage back then.
"Sexually energetic but he didn't like white women he loved Native American women and he loved black women".... He passed for black because he fell in love, beautiful. But the description given, in my opinion, described a fetish.
I too didn’t like that the first speaker called his life peculiar. So because he was attracted to Black Women he is peculiar? Yeah that part didn’t sit well with me. I know his feelings weren’t the norm, but I say he was one of few men who had the guts to do whatever it took to follow his heart.
There's a difference between being open to loving any race versus having a thing for one or two particular group/s. Still, he must have loved his wife to marry her.
@Discreetly Observing No not necessarily. Some people date outside their race due to bad experiences they had in their race. Some do it because they don't see color. Some do it for mixed children or for their bodies (so like you said a fetish) Some people date outside their race just not to seem racist or maybe it was a dare. You'll never know.
It’s the odd matching of words like “man of peculiar tastes, sexually energetic and woman of my dreams.” This kind of languaging is so subtle. But trust me - it lands loudly on the psyche
Just to play the devil's advocate here...considering the times (where women of color were EXTREMELY disadvantaged socioeconomically) perhaps these adjectives are not so far off (though "gross"). I always find it a little "off" or question WHY men (particularly of higher status, educated, rich, etc...) are interested in women who are disadvantaged (here her being born into slavery, most likely poor, and legally unequal). I DO NOT MEAN TO SAY SHE CANNOT BE BEAUTIFUL, ETC...SHE WAS! But, there is a creepy sort of man, even today, that prefers women in a weakened state (regardless of race, etc...). Does this make sense? This vastly unequal stance also disturbs me...even today. i.e. he could have been a power freak too!
@@SussexInspiration Yeah I am glad you can see that too (though I cannot say for SURE this is the case here). But I have seen it even today...those "elite" wealthy, educated (typically white, though may not be) men who are openly bigoted but yet marry women of color. Lou Dobbs is a great example of this. He built a career on smearing Latinos who travel across the border (overwhelmingly Mexicans), BUT YET, his wife of many years is Mexican!! Sometimes I think these men do not "revere" these women, but rather use them to feel superior about themselves. Likewise, I suspect these women caught on to that and take advantage of the "perks" that come along with these men (money, status, etc...)(Yeah, I know, that is weird...but I swear I have seen this in life, unfortunately!)
I'm not surprised that the court denied her money promised by her husband which she had the legal rights to claim. They couldn't bear passing on his wealth to a black woman so kept it for themselves 🙄
Sickening. But courts and the legal cartel today are doing heinous stuff like this to vulnerable white women. (It's a DIRTY LITTLE SECRET...and I was threatened re talking about things done to me. And retaliated against. My life has been essentially GANG-Raped by the "legal"cartel) They are psychopath vultures and have DESIGNED laws to plunder people. Lawyers ( i.e.judges, too?) are #2 on Top 10 List of Psychopath occupations.
Im a light skinned Puerto Rican and I’ve always preferred my darker skinned men! I taught my children that love comes from the heart. So now I have Trinidadian and Philippine son and daughter in law! I’m blessed😍
Inagine living during those years...from the 1860s when there was no electricity, cars, TV, through the early 20th century when cars, electricity, trains, tv, planes and industrialization come to be normal. So interesting!
@@alicenathalienala5139 Your so right .....but maybe they die of other things ....that we in the technological world take for granted ....but on a whole ...i agree!!!
She must have been one incredible woman to drive a man to such lengths for her. On the one hand to learn that your husband is not who you thought he was must have been traumatic but on the other I can only dream of being loved that deeply.
@@sherylfluence9278 How was he not going to have white privilege being that he was white. How was that his fault? You act as if he could have changed his skin color.
@@shelleyharris4176 The writer said that, not him. I don't even think they used that word back then. Also a fetish is when you obsess over something, for example being obsessed with dating only black women. He apparently was only with her, so it was not a fetish.
I hope no one learns of this and romanticizes the relationship between Clarence & Ada. Dude lied to her the entirety of their relationship. He spread falsehoods about his race, his lineage, his profession, his finances, probably everything. Worst yet, he effectively left Ada in a position similar to that of a discarded mistress. Their marriage was only "common law" and NY state abolished those in 1933, which could've made Ms. King's battle for the Trust she deserved even more difficult. While I'm sure the court dealings were shady, even now, a death bed letter of confession could be contested and the deceased mental clarity due to declining health at the time questioned. An educated man like Clarence King should've created a legally binding Last Will & Testament with the names of his wife & 5 children. Even if their last names were listed as Todd in that document, they would've been covered. Sure he promised Ms. King (name could only have been changed after she knew of her husband's true identity) a Trust, but promises and handshakes don't hold up as well has certified documents in court. Ada deserved to be protected, she deserved better from Clarence King.
@@YA-qj8fx Geez...if that was what the video was about, then we would've said that. A video about poverty in China doesn't mean there's no poverty in India.
She was very pretty. That's a big reason why he lied and said he was black. He had to compete with black men. He wouldn't have had a chance if he admitted he was white.
God made one race the human race God is love he loves all his children and he approves of his children falling in love one another why it a problem about color The only one that opposes is the devil so whose side are you on . The Lord is coming for his children those who love him and love one another
*The courts back then took her widow's inheritance to leave her penniless but for a stipend and her daughter's helped.* Keeping Generational wealth out of mothers hands is real.
I would love to see it, Like Mr. & Mrs. Lovingly. I thought my father and step mother were the first mr and mrs lovingly. Seem like it, it was SOooo racist back then......smdh
This is a very shallow statement even though you mean well with it. She is very beautiful but he definitely risked his/her life and freedom for something more than outward appearance that will fade one day. I salute this man for his genuine love which is so hard to find even today.
@@joyandpeacefullaughter5307 While I get where you're coming from u must understand men are VISUAL. So if she wasn't physically his type first, I doubt he would have gone that far.
Clarence King’s “sexual energy” has nothing to do with his taste in women, it’s the lying about his ethnicity just to be with a black woman that did it for me.
You need to study black history. Back then it was illegal in a lot of states to date or marry interracially and it was common to get killed if you dated or married interracially.
You do realize for that time period he vehemently chose to live as a black man was like a social death sentence. He must've REALLY loved this woman to actually choose to be black during this time period. Everyone black was trying to pass as white and he reversed that shit and was like "I'm passing as black fuck it cause I am in love with this woman!". He married her and had 5 kids with her and lived half of his life until his death living this lie to keep the love of his life. Only telling her the truth on his death bed. That is bittersweet as hell and if this was told today he WOULDN'T have to hide the fact that he was white to marry a black woman cause its more accepted but back then he had too. How tf can you not see that and demonize him when he was actually way ahead of his time??
@Frida Kahlo You think she wouldn't have been punished as well. Being innocent has never protected Black people, especially back then. Ever heard of Emmitt Till?
"Sexually very energetic"... what does that mean exactly? And what's the correlation between that and his attraction towards black and native American women?
There are only two races of people on planet Earth many different cultures but only two races you are either Jew or gentile on my senses that you fill out when it came to race it listed all the different so-called racist and that's what race I was I wrote human
I feel so sorry for Ms Ada and all the legal and personal strife she had to endure after her husband died. An unbreakable trust should have been prepared and there should have been no question as to Ada's inheritance. So many ugly things such as this only because she was African-American! By the way, I am Caucasian and sincerely and deeply believe we are all Americans and deserve equal treatment and respect from the law!!
@@carimamcdwyer5327 no. calling people slaves denies the fact that it was FORCED upon them. therefore, they were enslaved by those who had self-serving intentions. calling people slaves removes their humanity and infers responsibility for their condition.
@@TheHOUSEofALEijUAN I disagree. If you check the Oxford dictionary you will see that the word slave by definition implies the force involved in slavery. Removing people's humanity would imply also removing their responsibility therefore what you wrote is actually illogical forming a contradiction.
@@carimamcdwyer5327 why would I respect the Oxford dictionary when it is the western world that tries to define non-white folks as inferior? #partoftheproblem of course, u would deflect on the side of oppressors. that gives u a sense of belonging and safety. whether u are in denial or not it does not negate the history, experience or perspective of others. the oxford dictionary was written by racists and misogynistic european men. i won't give u anymore energy. u seem kind of enslaved. ✌🏿😎
@@chrissimpson6701 So simple but we dum humans ....make everything difficult .....it's like we were created to fail ....most of us ...we segregate this ...and divide that ....and by the time you have done that ...your dead and there was no time for love ...we spend too much time in our heads !!!!
Clarence King sent lots of love letters to his wife Ada expressing his love...these two in 1896 "My darling, i knew all your feelings. I knew just how you love me how you miss me and how you long for the days and nights to come again when we can lie together and let our love flow out to each other and full hearts have their way. Your letter gave me true joy. I read it over and over and felt like a new man." - - - - - ".... i have the daily comfort of remembering that far away in the east there is a dear brown woman who loves me and whom i love beyond the power of words to describe. If it were not for the vision of your dear self, and my absolute confidence in your love and your being true to me in act and thought at all times i fear i should not have the faith and courage to struggle [work, earn money] on away from you."
Daddy? Black daddies have nothing to do with it. It was the other way around. African Americans of mixed heritage historically were of black mothers and white men. The one-drop rule as a historical application is a way for society to reconcile that.
@@yupitsme9713 Taken quite literally because its the sort of statement that affects perceptions history. This video dealt with the matter. No shade, just gentle correction.
@@theoreticalviews2939 dont think you're throwing shade, just didn't see anything to correct. My gma was born in 1897 & my gpa passed for white. It allowed him to work in another city & provide for 12 kids. My statement came from someone who lived this life & that was her personal thought process along with many others born at that time. My parents made sure I knew gma was incorrect.
Why? Are you that thirsty for W Validation? Sadly it would only show how even your identity as B people was stolen .Furthermore, it's just Another Rachel Dolesa and We've already seen that movie
It's a damn shame she died penniless. Reminds me of Malcolm X's mother after insurance refused to pay after her husband was killed. The courts refused Ada Copeland King the Trust Clarence King left for his family. What a shame!
This would be a very interesting movie and it should be a movie about Mr. Clarence king and his wife Miss Ada it would be like another Bridgeton. They should make a movie I would love to see this movie.🦋
I recently saw the Bridgerton's. I simply loved that movie. I love all the English movies with the nobles and such. The woman they chose to play Queen Charlotte was something else. Her and her "attitude" made me laugh through out the movie.
My white 3rd GG Father passed for black to marry his black maids daughter. I’m glad to see that my 3rd GG wasn’t the only person in history who did this.
The times were different back then for sure. White society put white women up on pedestals. It was considered depraved for a so called "gentile" white women to actually enjoy sex. My mother told me that she was raised believing that sex within marriage was just for the man's pleasure. Sex was a wife's duty to her husband, she did not have to enjoy it. My white mother-in- law confided in me that she never..you know...never ever ever had the big One in nearly 40 years of marriage. My mouth just fell open. Times are definitely different these days. Maybe the man just wanted to cut loose and be with someone who wasn't a saint up on a pedestal.
Black women aren't fast like the media portrays and are difficult to get. If he was "sexually energetic" he would've stayed with his kind. We've seen the commercials for Girls Gone Wild. Not a black chick in sight there. In his own prejudice he can't figure out how this man could simply love a black woman. They are the most loveable people.
Let's not go krazy now. Blk Women are not Saints and perfect. They portray themselves as they are. Go Google Ghetto Gaggers. U will see the RAW REALITY.They are no different than any other women except for the indoctrinated hatred for their male counterparts especially here but yes many BW are easy and whorish its and uncomfortable truth just like many BM are criminal minded but God loves us and we always have a 2nd chance called tomorrow but let's not be disingenuous and create a false narrative that doesn't line up with what our eyes see. The BW of that time are NOT equivalent of the BW of today and to be fair the same on the BM side
Simon Winchester has mentioned based on study of Sadweiss and other documents : "He (Clarence King) then developed a life where neither side knew anything about the other. He never told. For all of the rest of his life, 20 more years, he would spend his time with Ada Todd and the children in Queens, New York, and then would say to her, "Well, darling, I've got to go and catch the Twentieth Century Limited and take the train over to the West Coast. See you in two weeks." And he'd walk over the newly built Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan to the offices of the U.S. Geological Survey and say, "Well, that was a complicated field trip. I'll be here for two weeks writing up my notes." He wrote up his notes, two weeks later walked back across the Brooklyn Bridge, became Mr. Todd. Twenty years it went on. It drove him completely potty [crazy], as you might imagine. He was once arrested for assaulting someone outside the lion cage in the Central Park Zoo. He had to borrow hundreds of thousands of dollars from his friend John Hay, the U.S. secretary of state at the time. But he never let on to anybody, not until he was on his deathbed in Albuquerque-he was struck down by tuberculosis-when he said to his doctor, "I think I ought to come clean. My name is Clarence King. You know that. But over in Queens there's someone who thinks she's Mrs. Todd, but she's not. She's Mrs. King. She should be told and she should be explained to why two of her children are white." So the word went out. But he then died. Playing into this book, ironically, the doctor-and I've seen the death certificate-when he was writing out the race of the deceased, he scored out the word "black" and he scored out the word "white" and in handwriting wrote simply the word "American." It seemed to me to sum it all up."
On every census and *all* other forms I draw my own box and write the word *American* next to it. There are choices for Chinese, Japanese and so on which are not colors but based on known or supposed heredity. For many reasons I reject being labeled a color but if a label must be had then know me by my birth or legally chosen citizenship...American. 💪🇺🇸
He had enough money and influence to move out of the country with his black family, why live between two worlds? Since he lived as a black train porter, did he have his black family live in poverty, while he lived the other part of his life as a rich influential white man? And it's amazing that he married a black woman, but viewed his children as white, even though he had them living in the black world. Something about this is romantic but also selfish, his actions could've bought death to his wife and children. But, this should be made into a movie.
He was not sexed he was in love. I don’t think a sexed man would stay married to a woman all his life if truly that was his intention. She was a beautiful lady and he fell in love at first sight.
My mother always said, "If someone tells you they want to leave you an inheritance and they are old when they say it, tell them to give it to you now, or you may not get it". Mom had already been burned by a relative like that!
I would never tell anyone that I'm leaving him/her an inheritance, since that may hasten my demise. Many wicked people these days, even among family members.
I'd assume that they are probably considered to be "white" now like many descendants of mixed people. This couple's grandchildren would be considered "Quadroon" and probably just "passed" into white society as time went on.
@@ilovelife3328 That doesn't mean they unaware. There's a documentary of British Blacks and Whites finding each other and acknowledging they share common ancestry through slave logs of the West Indies. If such can occur, with similar occurrences of Thomas Jefferson family, it goes back to the question of why this couples descendants are so quiet an private about beautiful love story that transcends racial barriers.
@@ilovelife3328 or they could have continued to live as Black people. It would depend on what the children looked like. If they could pass for White then yes your statement would most likely be true, but if they looked mixed or more Black than White. Then there is no way they could pass for White.
@@szasfriend_gina when you travel in non western's countries you will see color it is not as important like religion,ethnie,region,language etc... Yes America is too obsess with race
@@kingpauljoel6827 yes it is.The bleaching industry is big in Africa,Asia,South America.People will always say you look so dark,or your should bleach your skin,or don’t go outside you will get dark.Everyone is color-struck
@@szasfriend_gina i did not say colourism or racsim it is non existant,i just said it is less important than in america,for exemple in america you are a part of ethnic group by how you look, redlining and others systematic racist policies did really have a big impact on how americans lives and define themselve. I grow up in both india and DR congo,yes colourism do exist, But people dont create communities based on skin color,the majority of people dont see themselve as a part of a one community based on colors. Example in india religion,caste system,regionalism,tribalism are bigger issue than colourism, In india you will see muslim area,hindu area, and how people from a particular region or caste have a hard time to live with others etc In DR congo and most of african countries(except south africa a race and ethnic based society due to apartheid) Tribalism,regionalism,language barrier,effect on people lifes are 100 times bigger than colourism. Being light or Dark can impact on how attractive or unattractive people may rate you and also it can have an impact in the entertainement industry ,expecially modeling,but 99 % of africans are not in modeling industry or in others entertainement sectors and it is less of their worries ,in many african countries and according to my own experience, having the right name,coming from the same tribe or region with those in power,speaking the right language , will facilitate your social ascension bigly. Yes americans are more obsess with skin colors.
The way they tell this story is very condescending and insulting. The man met a beautiful woman, fell in love, racism made it complicated, he did what he felt he had to do to be with her.
Wow, that's incredible. The things men will do for their desires. She was absolutely stunning. I had a great, great Uncle, half Native American, and he used to pass for white with his red hair, green eyes, olive skin, but when employers caught on to his family who all looked Native American, they would fire him. He used to pass so he could feed his family. Passing for white was the only way he could get enough work to support his family of five. He was nearly hanged twice by angry white men, who wanted his daughter (my Great aunt Rebecca-who matured early and was very beautiful) who like her father had flaming red hair and beautiful green eyes, but she was white a snow like me. I'm 1/4 Hawaiian, I look just like my mother, except her bone structure was medium, mine is small, and she had light brown skin, and used to get the most awesome tans-I can't get a tan to save my life, lol. When the white men would realize my Uncle was Indian mixed, they did not believe she was his daughter, and were certain he was taking advantage of a white woman. It was a very trying situation. One that put the whole family in peril because of prejudice and racism. The whole term of Race is crap, race and racism is a made up convention used by one group of people to exercise power and control over other people they want to take advantage of. There is not "Race" only differing Ethnicities based on local, and cultural differences. When you track the genetics back far enough, we are all mixed up. There is only one race, the Human Race. I am proud to be of mixed ethnicity
Hello decoednt of Irish and native mixes. I'm about half native blood quantum wise and with teaching back. From what iv learned is north American indigenous and Celtics decent share any features. It is really interesting to see now. Looking st old pictures and of when I tan. How hard did si to truly tell if you skin is light wnoguh even with black hair. You can't be swayed one way or another with race. But also befoee the 50's Irish where nto considered white either
I'm African American, White and Indigenious....I literally have the same face as all the black family members in my family.... but Light skin, red hair and freckles... it happens....but these instances are super problematic towards mixed/biracial people ...our stories are already oppressed and forgotten or placed in stereotyped boxes... its sad...
I read the book more than ten years ago..he didn’t (couldn’t) even tell his friends, family or colleagues about the way he felt and cared for women of color..He learned that lesson very early! An interesting story and thinking of “racism and gang” mentality. Read along with “Bad Blood “ story about the Tuskegee experiment..eye opening.
My take on this is how sad that we, who are all of the human race, are so splintered that a man was reduced to lies and deception to be with and marry a woman who left his very soul thunderstruck at the first sight of her.
There’s people half black who look predominantly white so it’s not hard to believe there was some people born to a black and white parent who looked predominantly white and could pass as white along with those 3/4th black and so on and so forth so saying he doesn’t look black didn’t matter in those times cause even if you were 1/8th black meaning your basically white with black blood cause of a black ancestor you were declared black which is downright stupid cause they were in fact white not black but that’s how strong the hatred for blackness by white Americans was
My daughter is half black and doesn’t look it at all other than having brown eyes and curly hair . The other black kids in her school think she’s Hispanic and the Hispanic kids think she’s white .
There are a lot of black people that don’t look black or mixed. For example: Congressman G. K. Butterfield (D- NC). He could easily pass for white, but is black & proud of it.
How the hell is this romantic?! He straight up lied to a woman to get her go out with him and then married her! He built a whole relationship and alternative life based on lies. Honesty and truth should be the foundation of a healthy relationship but people are seriously calling this mess romantic. He didn't even have the guts to fully own her as his wife publicly.
Tatlone, you have a good point, but what about the time of this marriage? At that time it was unlawful for blacks and whites to marry each other. They could have been killed if discovered. Not that I approve of a lie, but it is possible that he wanted to protect her and avoid a lifetime of severe racism. I knew a mixed couple years back. The white man tried and failed to convince someone white that he was a black albino. I also know of mixed couples who married before the law changed. Apparently, they lied, too, or married in a state that permitted it. Such marriages probably happened in greater numbers than many people think.
@@carolynsteele1465 I don't get it. If he wanted to protect her his best bet was to leave her alone. By deceptively entangling her he literally put her in danger.
My great-grandparents did that same thing. My great grandfather passed for black to marry my great Grandmother who was already considered an octoroon and came from one of those families in Louisiana that lived in that craziness.
I so wish I knew my grandfather’s history. He was from Louisiana. Very light. I didnt know his family until his funeral. His siblings didnt even look black.
To think, a white man passed for black to marry a woman who probably could have passed for white... I wish I could see the day when we're all better than this.
@@oOLycorishOo Apparently he did that so that she didn't have to give up family that she loved who could not pass for white because once she declared she was white, there would have been cousins and other relatives whom a woman, in particular, would not have been able to be seen with. And no one would question his presence with either race, particularly with someone of the opposite sex.
@@robbey10 Sad that there even had to be a "choice" made. But hats off to them both for being strong enough to choose each other regardless of all else.
The court determined he was penniless? B.S. Then, a friend cared enough to give her a stipend? More B.S. That was probably her husband's money they were giving her over the years. They just didn't want to give a black woman all that money at one time, scared it would put her and her kids in a better position. SMH. Amerikkka!!
He “loved” her so much he lied to her and left her and HIS children NOTHING! All he had to do was put something aside and leave a “love letter” detailing where to find it after his passing. This may have been a “love” story for her but it seems like “LUST” story for him.
He did leave everything to his family, but the courts were so pissed that he tricked the system of prohibiting interracial marriage, that they decided to punish his family by denying their inheritance.
It wasn't a love story for her, it was survival. You can tell by her clothes she was living better than a porter's wife. She had to known light-skinned or white, this man had dark-skin fetish&probably made her do untoward things. This was not uncommon. Life was rough and women did what they must to survive. Especially as he left her nothing&kept her modestly(in terms of white) in the 1st place story comes across as typical fetish. Even his role play. There were interracial marriages in NYC at that time. The South was more complicated, you'd have to move to places with a history of placage,etc&even then it'd be unusual for a man not to leave his wife anything if he truly loved her. Sounds like he gave his trust to white heirs possibly nieces and nephews, or even friends. As one might expect of a fetishist to a deviant. Sure they'd get their play in but when it came to money-they'd show their true colors.
@@MM-vs2yu I wrote this above...I think you picked upon this too... Just to play the devil's advocate here...considering the times (where women of color were EXTREMELY disadvantaged socioeconomically) perhaps these adjectives are not so far off (though "gross"). I always find it a little "off" or question WHY men (particularly of higher status, educated, rich, etc...) are interested in women who are disadvantaged (here her being born into slavery, most likely poor, illiterate, and legally unequal). I DO NOT MEAN TO SAY SHE CANNOT BE BEAUTIFUL, ETC...SHE WAS! But, there is a creepy sort of man, even today, that prefers women in a weakened state (regardless of race, etc...). Does this make sense? This vastly unequal stance also disturbs me...even today. i.e. he could have been a power freak too!
@@MM-vs2yu no one got his trust funds bc the courts wouldn't allow it. Are you trying to say that it is unthinkable for a black woman to be loved by someone outside their race? That only women from other races can truly be loved by men of other races? Because that sounds exactly like what society has been hammering into our minds. The black woman is not lovable, maybe desired sexually, but no true love could happen for a black woman especially back then, despite the fact that laws were specifically placed even before that time to discourage Irish men from marrying black women as far back as slavery. Yes, know your history.
There was always a lot of mixing going on back then. For some reason, we don't like to tell the real history of the US. There was so much mixing on that they created the anti-miscegenation laws. This is a fact: slavery didn't exist at first in the US. They first used indentured servitude which was carried over from Europe. The first indentured servants were all European (usually Irish). (They started out Native Americans that already came from the land but it didn't work out well at all). Well, the Europeans were not physically equipped to keep up with the type of labor needed to keep up a plantation so they sought help elsewhere. That's when they traveled to Africa. The early Africans were treated the same as the Irish indentured servants. There was no slavery just yet. Well, the Irish women who worked right alongside the Africans started getting involved with the men. This started to become an issue. Even though they were Irish and not treated well...they were still kind of thought of as better and it was horrible that these white women were getting involved and making babies with these African men. So, that's why anti-miscegenation laws were created. It was supposed to "protect" white women from African men. White men were angry with all the offspring coming from these "relations". Unfortunately, non-white women didn't get the same type of protection.
Saying 'mixing' hides what was really going on during those days: rape. Women of color faced very dire consequences for failing to submit to rape quietly (as in beatings, death, reigns of terror or children being sold). This story was consensual-ish but the big lie about his identity, race, and background... and racial fetish... Definitely gag worthy. We can look to the present for romantic stories. I don't think the 1800s are going to deliver on that front.
My great grandma passed in reverse.. After WWI she met her husband my great grandpa. She was Spaniard/chinese (filipino) she passed as white sometimes. she was racially ambiguous. She got on a boat passed as white. once landed in NY she passed as black to marry my great papa. Yes there are many stories like this
Someone correct me if I am wrong. But I had the feeling that they kind of deprived her from her inheritance ,and not only her but her children as well, because she was a black woman. Had it been a white lady ,would it had been like that ? Lucky ,Mr King had good friends that took care of her after he passed. Those were real good friends and good people.
Kaouter Mousl haliba That’s exactly what they did! And had it been a white woman, she would have gotten All of her inheritance, that was due to her. It is a crying shame and a disgrace before God of what they did to this black woman and her children.
Yes, he left her in good hands after his death. That meant that he would always live her even after his death. Wow! His love was so deep for his wife. He had such love and admiration for his wife, abd her for him. Wow, such a beautiful love story.
@@tabathadavis2917 Yes your right, he lied to her. He led a double life but his love for her wasn't a lie. He lied about his skin colour, his heritage and his job but it wasn't to elevate his status in society as so many people did with "passing". He risked his illustrious career and his social standing for his love and he married her in a holy ceremony, in the eyes of God. King finally revealed his true identity to his wife in a letter he wrote to her while on his deathbed in Arizona. We will never know how she felt. Did she feel betrayal for such a deception or was she faltered that a powerful, well-connected influential, handsome white man who produced one of the great scientific works of the late nineteenth century fell in love with a black woman and former slave. King moved in the highest circles of New York City society, dined at the White House and counted among his intimate friends great American luminaries and he risked it all for her. Maybe she felt both honour and pain in this revelation, who knows. For a former slave she lived a prosperous, respectful life where she no longer had to work menial jobs. Her daughters passed for white and married white men, thereby elevating their quality of life. Because being black was regarded as being an animal, their humanity was not valued or recognized. He could have told her the truth sooner and he didn't. He could have had a mistress, and he didn’t. He gave his wife and his children everything, he provided for them. He hired piano teachers and tutors for the children, he found them homes, and it came at a tremendous personal cost. King was deeply in debt for years, and at one point he suffered a nervous breakdown. Lying to a loved one comes at a great cost. Ada knew that her daughters were lying about their race and even told her granddaughter to always conceal her black ancestry from everyone. The laws were very different and there was so much anxiety about race. Whites feared blacks trying to pass as white, but they could not even imagine the reverse.
The white women of King's own social set seemed repellent. He explained to his friend famous John Hay: "you know type - caramels, matinees, and E.P. Rice's novels, the last slang, a good dress and bad hat - fine eyes and unDarwinized mouth." And then there was "Sarah" local woman who greeted him with the a kiss. "It was revelation" King wrote to Hay, "so thin and cold, so dreary and colorless." He'd walk up to the "cannon mouth," he wrote, "but i refuse to ever again march up to mouth of a New Hampshire (white) woman."
My great grandfather (white) was ostracized by his family for marrying an ex slave. They lived happily, had many children, and thrived. This guy could really have been considering the social ramifications for her. He was a notable guy and so the social fallout for her would really have been unbearable. I don't doubt that he really loved her. It's not impossible. He could have been trying to protect her. Indeed he was an advocate for social change. Part of his motivation could have been to make society more accepting of his family situation. This could not have been easy for him either. It's sad, but understandable that many would see this love story through racist lenses only.
@@Justrelaxx101 They did because they didn’t want to see a black women with that kind of money. That man had money frfr what they considered back then but whatever they did with his money Karma got them good I have no doubt 🤞🏽
We can all learn from this, get LIFE INSURANCE!!! The person you are insurance does NOT have to be a family member. I have an older gentleman friend, he allowed me to purchase life insurance on him. We're all gonna die! Why not benefit from it?
Not really all that surprising when you see some light skinned folks. I've seen old photos. In the South he might have been found out as white Southerners tended to notice the difference, but Northerners not so much.
Trust me it can happen! I had a high school teacher who, if you saw, you would’ve sworn was white. He showed us a picture of his parents (mother was white and father was dark skinned black) and we legitimately did not believe him. DNA is funny that way 🤷🏽♀️
Wow he did that! Damn most black men won't even acknowledge black women are human let alone a wife for his future. He traded his whiteness for a black woman he loved. Very interesting.
My godfather was by all appearances, a white man. He grew up in and spent his entire lifetime in Black communities; married Black women and identified as 'African American". As a child, I asked my parents if "Uncle Charlie" was white and got a resounding "No. He's Black." For me, that settled it and I don't recall it coming up ever again. My godfather was orphaned early and he never spoke of his parents or family history. All I cared about was that he loved the heck out of me. I was a teenager when a friend of mine saw him come over for a visit and later asked me, "Who was that white man?" I remember that I was initially confused until I figured out she was talking about my godfather. "He's not white!" I said. "He's BLACK!" and that, was the end...of that.
This happens more than people knew. My 3 greats grandfather passed as light skinned black in order to marry my 3 greats grandmother (yes my grandmother knew) when after years of marriage two kids and relatives poking around the local KKK started harassing them. Ultimately he was run out of town (threatened to be killed and have his wife and children killed if he didn’t leave) my 3 greats grandmother was left to raise her two biracial children on her own. She did remarry a black man and my 3 greats grandfather remarried a white woman.
“Passing Strange”, wow, what a title...I’m reading a book right now “strange the dreamer”. Great story...I love how he knew the right way to convince this woman to go on a date with him. I love how when you know, you just know. Thanks so much for sharing this story with the world. 💗😊💕
I am highly offended the host described Clarence King as highly sexualized for being attracted to women of color. They are beautiful queens and are deserving of love, honor, and respect.
Finally, the voice of reason. Thank you.
I know. How moronic!
He's speaking from a historical outlook, not for the present tense values. All women are queen's, all women are equal
@@cathycabricesm sounded to me like he had a fetish. In my experience a lot of yt me do…
@@cathycabricesm agreed but it was a bad segway between both statements.
This happened in my family. My uncle and aunt married in 1934. My aunt was black and we always believed my uncle was just a very light-skinned black man because he and everyone else said he was black. Okay, no problem. It wasn't until after both of them died and their children searched for some of his relatives that the truth came out. Who would think a white man would give up all that privilege and pass for black for love?
😆 Thanks for your story.
Interesting indeed.
he didn’t give up any privilege bc he was only Black to YALL. when he wasn’t with y’all and out in the world, that man was white. y’all romanticizing white peoples lies and it’s weird
@@ToriUptown No doubt when "in the world" by himself he had freedoms his darker skinned relatives didn't have but how he chose to identify restricted where he and his family could live and vacation. He worked as a house painter and musician but who knows if his choice of vocation was limited by his racial identification. He watched his children experience discrimination and educational opportunities denied them because of their race. Finally, how many ties with his family of birth did he give up when he decided to pass for black? Nobody said he was a hero but I'm guessing he experienced certain pains by living this "lie" that you know nothing about.
@Sparks Penney In Texas, by any chance???? Sounds like my Great Auntie's storyline, too....
@@ToriUptown bingo !!!
What I don't like about the man conducting this interview is that he prefaces his remarks by saying that Copeland was highly sexed, in order to explain his attraction to Black women. This was racist and an offensive statement. Someone needs to call him on that.
U got a point!
That why i listen these people talk BS all the time with no sense about what they really talking about or have real knowledge of it
Exactly. It plays into the stereotype of Black people having high sex drives. Horrible remark.
I caught that comment as well and was a bit surprised no one addressed it. They made several racist and stereotypical comments here.
I was wondering if anyone else noticed this and was bothered by it. He was "sexually energetic" and "liked Native American and Black women"? Why did he feel the need to say that & how the hell does he know? Is he implying that he passed as black because he was too horny to marry a white woman?
The storyteller has romanticized this story but the only thing we know for sure is Clarence King lied to this woman about his name, his family, his job, his finances and his ancestry for their entire "marriage". Then left her with nothing except 5 kids and a letter owning the con. I'm sure she didn't feel she'd been romanticized when got that letter. Something tells me any man this secretive and sneaky wasn't romantic or charming as much as he was mentally abusive and emotionally manipulative. A true narcissist. What little we know about this story is due to the fact his wife sued his estate, not because she willingly told her story.
I can see this.
He did not abandon her. He did not have another wife and family. He changed his race for her. She had a party with the press there. That he was bad with money is nothing new. While money was coming in, I would have hoped she put some aside.
He didnt change his race for her. He changed his race to sleep with her and live in her house. When he left her house he was a white man. She didnt learn who he was until he died. That’s not a good marriage. He could have been straight up with her BUT it order to have his way he SCAMMED her. Don’t romanticize it as love. Imagine if EVERYTHING you know about your mate was a lie.
Anyone who believed him to be black saw what they wanted to.
You just cut right through the crap!😅
Passing for Black and marrying an exception, beautiful, intelligent, courageous,
formerly enslaved Black woman was a step UP for Clarence King.
Yep, and unlike the masses he knew it.
@@sujane1984 Yes, he did.
Imagine how her black boyfriend felt
Exactly!!! Thats a serious lie he told. Just to be with a black woman. That says alot!
AMEN
As many people have pointed out before me, saying that Clarence King was "sexually energetic" so as to explain why he prefered native american women and more so black women is highly racist!
Yes! Fetishizing us is disgusting.
Yes!!! Demons!
It is very likely that he had stereotyped ideas about sexual behavior of people of color. That is the idea I got when I read the book Passing Strange.
@Koriander Yander I don't know why being nothing but a sex object or sex toy in the eyes of men just because of our mostly curvy bodies and "exoticness," EVEN with LITTLE BLACK GIRLS who are oversexualized on many many accounts and with many examples is a good thing for you, but take a stroll through the comments under this video and see that you're in the minor, or perhaps, educate yourself on the subject.
Yeah the way he worded that it really did make this man seem like he was a fetish or just plain out cringe.😬🤷🏾♀️
Ironically, Clarence King is one of the "blackest" names that I've ever heard.
🤣
Istg😂😂😂
🤣🤣🤣
Ikr 😄
it is now that's for sure. if anything this needs to be taught in schools! this guy was way ahead of his time. he put aside his pride for love.
he didn't try to make her his Mistress, he married her properly. He let his white friends think he was a dog or a dandy, so they would leave his family alone. that was brave back then.
He should have made better previsions for her in his will. but he may just not have known how to. bad case of Afflu-insa.
For some reason the Loving v. Virginia story comes to mind. It is one of the best love documentaries in America history. It’s because of the Loving couple that interracial marriage is legal in America.❤❤❤Imagine someone ready to risk it all just to be with you that tears me up and I pray everyone find that kind of love❤❤❤
Right. Also it's like divine providence that their name was Loving.
Yes indeed. I am truly a hopeless romantic. Up in age and single and believe it will still happen for me!
Just finished watching the Loving documentary some minutes ago. It's touching 🥺
@@januarytwothousand 🛏️👩🏿🔧🤡
"Sexually energetic" really! I'm insulted!
The subtle insults. If Caucasians hadn't been depraved but pretending their behavior toward Africans didn't count, there would be no depravity to shift onto Black women. Annoying.
You too, I'm pasted insulted, but for lack of another word I guess I would have to go with insulted.
Ahhhh not playing “ the plank”. 🤫🤭🙈.
Maybe he meant virile.
Men are seriously driven by sex 🤷🏾♀️
So because she was black she didn't get her inheritance but if he owe debts she would have got that inheritance
Exactly
uh oh one sentence sermon alert! alert alert alert!
Probably more likely that his actual legal name was Terrance King and she only knew him as James Todd and could not collect anything without the bank being able to find account for his fake name.
@@denicewms He wrote a letter on his deathbed explaining his true identity. His name was Clarence. She carried his real name King. I believe the court stole her money that he left for her because he was white and well known. They didn't want her to have it and lied. She spent 30 years fighting it and they refused to give it her.
@@frankieallen4900 That's a dang shame..
I’m highly offended that the narrator thought to explain “James Todd” attraction to his future black wife was because he was highly sexualized. Very offensive! Perhaps he was attracted to her because she was a beautiful woman and not because he was sexually energetic.
I thought he said he was a highly sexed individual BUT didn’t like WW. Either way, you’re right, though. It’s still racist to imply that WW are more desirable and act as if it’s surprising he wouldn’t like them.
@@TiaHayes I heard the same thing.... he was highly sexual period. Just preferred black women
@Jordan Blackit is our job to point out conscious/subconscious error. We don't live in a bubble. This is a global mindset that seeks to dehuminiaze and de value people of color. It must be addressed so it can stop happening.
@@dr.joanmalcolm97 wisdom ✨
@@dr.joanmalcolm97:
You have the title "Dr." May I ask you in what? People of Color specifically referred to the Europeans because France, Italy, Portugal, and Spain were known for being tawny complexioned while the rest of Europe considered themselves to be swarthy complexioned = "People Of Color".
The so-called: African area was known as the land of the Ebony complexioned people and once the Moors had surrendered to the Europeans, they promised Cristoforo Colombo that they knew where the ancient world lies, it's the same place where Mansa Musa hid his gold.
Cristoforo (because it was the era of discovery) "Discovered" our ancestors here in 1492, and said our people, the Arawak/Carib Indians were of COPPER TONED complexioned. They were more concerned about the complexion of a people.
I’m saddened by this story, frustrated over the fact that he put this beautiful woman and his family he claimed to love through this LIE. Love doesn’t lie, love is courageous. His lust lead him to lie. He could have righted his wrong long before his death. He was a very SELFISH and a COWARD
Why make it an issue of sex? Why can't it just be attraction?
@Jordan Black we have no idea what James Todd thought. Maybe he just fell in love with Ada and wanted to be with her. The fetishising comes with other people retelling the story. It's very interesting to me that between 1930 to 2000 the only option available to people in the census was to designate themselves either as black or white.
@Jordan Black there may have been a degree of fetishising involved although it's sort of difficult to avoid I think. Judy look how blondes are fetishised in Western cultures. But he married the young women at a time when it would have been illegal. What stands out to me is the way present day commentators feel they know everything about it: as if it was some kind of kink. It's highly insulting to the young lady. After all, if he was that way inclined he didn't have to marry her
@Jordan Black You're really not even helping black people feel better, by trying to make yourself sound better as if you never wanted to feel accepted before by anyone not just white people. Everyone wants to feel harmonious not paranoid everyday. You don't think lightskin humans could be attracted or sexually attracted to darkskin humans? Then that makes you the racist. Because it has nothing to do with skin color or fetishizing, but who a person wants to be in life and what they see fit.
Oh come, they are not going into a platonic sibling relationship, are they?
Look up Sarah bartman
“He had a peculiar personal life” and was “sexually energetic” - this isn’t a micro aggression but full on macro aggression.
SMDH
It made me sick to my stomach when I heard that. Same justifications that were used to victimize enslaved women during slavery
If he'd really loved her as much as he claimed, he would have provided for her by opening an account in her name and putting money there for her to use after his death. He had to know that his friends and family would do all they could to keep her away from his fortune.
@@Belinda204 Unfortunately, there are people today ( my father was one) who make no arrangements at all for their deaths, leaving their family to do the best they can. Not everyone thinks ahead, sad to say. I wonder if it's a fear of death, ignorance or just lack of knowledge. smh
@@Belinda204, today yes that can be done but not then. I take it your elders didn't teach history to you too well? Ever hear of "Jim Crow Laws?" How about a laughing bucket? If they were somewhere in Europe he most likely could have given her her own bank account but NOT then in the U.S. of A. and live to tell about it. I was born in the mid 1950's and still recall how people of color were treated then.
The same way they did black women on the plantations. It's just like how they tried to make Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemmings a love story when she and her children with him were still enslaved by him.
I don't believe he was broke. The courts just didn't want to give her the money. That money that she received monthly was probably a part of his estate.
I was thinking the exact same thing. smh
But his bio also states he was alwas in need of money throughout his life and relied on his friends to get by.
@@jessicaandersson4313 they did say he borrowed money from his friend. It did say that....
How so renowned yet no money all while still working which is why my thinking was along the lines of he had money.
Was he a spend thrift? Did he not get paid for his work? We know he wasn't traveling across country like he pretended.
@@staceyranee5756He might have been famous but that doesn't always mean a high income and some people spend all the money they have. Just look at the number of "celebrities" that go bankrupt every year despite having earned millions.
There was also a bit more info under the the clip. - "Devoted to his mother and his half-siblings, restless and constantly in need of money, King relied on the largesse of his wealthy friends to help him support both families" So he supported like 7 people in one family and who knows how many in the other...
@@jessicaandersson4313 ah I didn't read the info section. Thanks 😊
Definitely you can be famous and broke or rich and end up broke, just seemed a bit off. His friend seemed to be a really good one to take care of his wife after his death.
I find it interesting that someone would go to the lengths he did to date and marry someone he was truly attracted to instead of allowing society dictate to him who to love. I think there were many white men who were attracted to black women for centuries but could not openly have a relationship with a black woman because the law and society dictated against it. I respect this man for being brave enough to make the move, I just wish he did it in his true identity. That would have taken a tremendous amount of courage back then.
Mite have put BOTH of their lives in danger..sometimes lowkey is the KEY
"Sexually energetic but he didn't like white women he loved Native American women and he loved black women".... He passed for black because he fell in love, beautiful. But the description given, in my opinion, described a fetish.
Well, FACTS!!! We are the ORIGINAL WOMAN!!! All others are poor copies!!!
I too didn’t like that the first speaker called his life peculiar. So because he was attracted to Black Women he is peculiar? Yeah that part didn’t sit well with me. I know his feelings weren’t the norm, but I say he was one of few men who had the guts to do whatever it took to follow his heart.
There's a difference between being open to loving any race versus having a thing for one or two particular group/s. Still, he must have loved his wife to marry her.
If black men like white women, it’s normal. If white men like black women, it must be fetish.🙄
@Discreetly Observing No not necessarily. Some people date outside their race due to bad experiences they had in their race.
Some do it because they don't see color.
Some do it for mixed children or for their bodies (so like you said a fetish)
Some people date outside their race just not to seem racist or maybe it was a dare. You'll never know.
It’s the odd matching of words like “man of peculiar tastes, sexually energetic and woman of my dreams.” This kind of languaging is so subtle. But trust me - it lands loudly on the psyche
Yeah. He’s gross
Just to play the devil's advocate here...considering the times (where women of color were EXTREMELY disadvantaged socioeconomically) perhaps these adjectives are not so far off (though "gross"). I always find it a little "off" or question WHY men (particularly of higher status, educated, rich, etc...) are interested in women who are disadvantaged (here her being born into slavery, most likely poor, and legally unequal). I DO NOT MEAN TO SAY SHE CANNOT BE BEAUTIFUL, ETC...SHE WAS! But, there is a creepy sort of man, even today, that prefers women in a weakened state (regardless of race, etc...). Does this make sense? This vastly unequal stance also disturbs me...even today. i.e. he could have been a power freak too!
@@NicoleM2108 you make A LOT of sense.
@@SussexInspiration Yeah I am glad you can see that too (though I cannot say for SURE this is the case here). But I have seen it even today...those "elite" wealthy, educated (typically white, though may not be) men who are openly bigoted but yet marry women of color. Lou Dobbs is a great example of this. He built a career on smearing Latinos who travel across the border (overwhelmingly Mexicans), BUT YET, his wife of many years is Mexican!! Sometimes I think these men do not "revere" these women, but rather use them to feel superior about themselves. Likewise, I suspect these women caught on to that and take advantage of the "perks" that come along with these men (money, status, etc...)(Yeah, I know, that is weird...but I swear I have seen this in life, unfortunately!)
It’s just plain racist
I'm not surprised that the court denied her money promised by her husband which she had the legal rights to claim. They couldn't bear passing on his wealth to a black woman so kept it for themselves 🙄
Nothing new!
No surprise, Same sad story
They still do this till this day. Pay attention!
Right!!
Sickening. But courts and the legal cartel today are doing heinous stuff like this to vulnerable white women. (It's a DIRTY LITTLE SECRET...and I was threatened re talking about things done to me. And retaliated against. My life has been essentially GANG-Raped by the "legal"cartel) They are psychopath vultures and have DESIGNED laws to plunder people. Lawyers ( i.e.judges, too?) are #2 on Top 10 List of Psychopath occupations.
Im a light skinned Puerto Rican and I’ve always preferred my darker skinned men! I taught my children that love comes from the heart. So now I have Trinidadian and Philippine son and daughter in law! I’m blessed😍
Okay...
I don't get you black men love light skin women that normal we talking about black skin women let them shine for once
Girl stfu
She lived a long life! 103 years!
Inagine living during those years...from the 1860s when there was no electricity, cars, TV, through the early 20th century when cars, electricity, trains, tv, planes and industrialization come to be normal. So interesting!
@@Abena425 Right! I am so dependent on technology but we really don't need it.
Same as my Grandma. RIP
We dont really need technology. Many people live without it. They're happier than us. They can easily avoid brains and breast cancers.
@@alicenathalienala5139 Your so right .....but maybe they die of other things ....that we in the technological world take for granted ....but on a whole ...i agree!!!
“White explorer” or “white missionary” is a code word for “coloniser”.
Truuuuuuu!!!!
ABSOUTELY FABULOUS!
And whoop there it is
Ha! Aho! 👏🏼👏🏼
Hello!
This actually happened more than history shows
Yea but usually with women, I never heard of a man doing this! 👀
Yes
Yes indeed
We have a lot of very Light People
In our Race some of my Aunts
The Human Race!
She must have been one incredible woman to drive a man to such lengths for her. On the one hand to learn that your husband is not who you thought he was must have been traumatic but on the other I can only dream of being loved that deeply.
Being loved deeply would have been him not living a double life.. still embracing his white privileges.
But it is how he treated her
Disgusting he talks how he had a fedish
@@sherylfluence9278 How was he not going to have white privilege being that he was white. How was that his fault? You act as if he could have changed his skin color.
@@shelleyharris4176 The writer said that, not him. I don't even think they used that word back then. Also a fetish is when you obsess over something, for example being obsessed with dating only black women. He apparently was only with her, so it was not a fetish.
I hope no one learns of this and romanticizes the relationship between Clarence & Ada. Dude lied to her the entirety of their relationship. He spread falsehoods about his race, his lineage, his profession, his finances, probably everything. Worst yet, he effectively left Ada in a position similar to that of a discarded mistress. Their marriage was only "common law" and NY state abolished those in 1933, which could've made Ms. King's battle for the Trust she deserved even more difficult.
While I'm sure the court dealings were shady, even now, a death bed letter of confession could be contested and the deceased mental clarity due to declining health at the time questioned. An educated man like Clarence King should've created a legally binding Last Will & Testament with the names of his wife & 5 children. Even if their last names were listed as Todd in that document, they would've been covered. Sure he promised Ms. King (name could only have been changed after she knew of her husband's true identity) a Trust, but promises and handshakes don't hold up as well has certified documents in court. Ada deserved to be protected, she deserved better from Clarence King.
Thank you for articulating my thoughts
Yes, we know no black man has EVER lied to a white woman.
Agreed
@@YA-qj8fx Geez...if that was what the video was about, then we would've said that. A video about poverty in China doesn't mean there's no poverty in India.
Agree. Its sad and frustrating to read. I wonder what happened to their living generation rn? If there's any left..
Can we acknowledge how beautiful his wife was? My goodness. Now I want to know about her interests, work, spirit, educational pursuits or beliefs....
She was very pretty. That's a big reason why he lied and said he was black. He had to compete with black men. He wouldn't have had a chance if he admitted he was white.
God made one race the human race God is love he loves all his children and he approves of his children falling in love one another why it a problem about color The only one that opposes is the devil so whose side are you on . The Lord is coming for his children those who love him and love one another
@@aimlessbauer9082 that is the dumbest ish I have ever heard, he said he was black cuz it would be easier on both him and her socially
but every black woman they show in this video is a picture of someone else. They are all different. Which one is she?
Calm down, she's not alive XD
The first "Catfish" recorded in history. 😀
😂🤣🤣
UNDERATED COMMENT!
Pretty close 🤣🤣🤣🤣
And white people in America pretending to be native Americans: pretendians or $5 Indians
@@monnieeeeyt7037 drinking beer 🍺 disrespecting the hell out of nature I seen it all
*The courts back then took her widow's inheritance to leave her penniless but for a stipend and her daughter's helped.* Keeping Generational wealth out of mothers hands is real.
Too real and too wrong. It has devastated Black lives and continues to do so
Could Netflix PLEASE pick this up?! Can you imagine the sets , the costumes , the storyline 😍
I would love to see it, Like Mr. & Mrs. Lovingly. I thought my father and step mother were the first mr and mrs lovingly. Seem like it, it was SOooo racist back then......smdh
Yesss
Great idea
Netflix will NOT do this story justice
Throughout the film I'd love for her family to be whispering on the side every scene, "Girrrrrl you sure he black????" lol
She was beautiful I see why he lied
Exactly 🥰
This is a very shallow statement even though you mean well with it.
She is very beautiful but he definitely risked his/her life and freedom for something more than outward appearance that will fade one day.
I salute this man for his genuine love which is so hard to find even today.
I was thinking
@@joyandpeacefullaughter5307 While I get where you're coming from u must understand men are VISUAL. So if she wasn't physically his type first, I doubt he would have gone that far.
So now people like to be lied to what the hell is wrong with people
I would love to know where their children, grandchildren, great-grand children are.
Me too!
@@ms.teetee6913 Same here.
I believe that she knew and that her friends knew.
Right me too
Maybe Oprah can find them for us.
What a disservice to not ensure that your wife and children are taken care of, especially when you lied to begin with.
Clarence King’s “sexual energy” has nothing to do with his taste in women, it’s the lying about his ethnicity just to be with a black woman that did it for me.
You need to study black history. Back then it was illegal in a lot of states to date or marry interracially and it was common to get killed if you dated or married interracially.
You do realize for that time period he vehemently chose to live as a black man was like a social death sentence. He must've REALLY loved this woman to actually choose to be black during this time period. Everyone black was trying to pass as white and he reversed that shit and was like "I'm passing as black fuck it cause I am in love with this woman!". He married her and had 5 kids with her and lived half of his life until his death living this lie to keep the love of his life. Only telling her the truth on his death bed. That is bittersweet as hell and if this was told today he WOULDN'T have to hide the fact that he was white to marry a black woman cause its more accepted but back then he had too. How tf can you not see that and demonize him when he was actually way ahead of his time??
@@Risingofthephoenix Finally someone who knows Black American History.
@Frida Kahlo You think she wouldn't have been punished as well. Being innocent has never protected Black people, especially back then. Ever heard of Emmitt Till?
U know t was illegal to date and marry interracially back then…right?
"Sexually very energetic"... what does that mean exactly? And what's the correlation between that and his attraction towards black and native American women?
I caught that too. I thought that was very bad taste
Racist statements
I think it just meant he was a typical man..but his preference was black/native women..he just phrased it badly.
I was so confused too....🤔
cough>dog whistle< Those types of clowns always come from a place of superiority syndrome.
This is racist and condescending. I am very familiar with this story and this is the most disrespectful retelling of this narrative.
Where can learn of a more balanced retelling of their story?
@@joyoliver6346 - google it, and go to the public library, old archives, hope this helps.😁🤔🤨🙄😶😑😬
@Granville Roedolph Please stop throwing around Fox News versions of the phrase snd actually look up what it means.
There are only two races of people on planet Earth many different cultures but only two races you are either Jew or gentile on my senses that you fill out when it came to race it listed all the different so-called racist and that's what race I was I wrote human
I feel so sorry for Ms Ada and all the legal and personal strife she had to endure after her husband died. An unbreakable trust should have been prepared and there should have been no question as to Ada's inheritance. So many ugly things such as this only because she was African-American! By the way, I am Caucasian and sincerely and deeply believe we are all Americans and deserve equal treatment and respect from the law!!
love that she says "ENSLAVED PEOPLE." Never slaves. 👁️
They were enslaved!
Why is that significant? Don't they mean the same thing?
@@carimamcdwyer5327 no. calling people slaves denies the fact that it was FORCED upon them. therefore, they were enslaved by those who had self-serving intentions. calling people slaves removes their humanity and infers responsibility for their condition.
@@TheHOUSEofALEijUAN I disagree. If you check the Oxford dictionary you will see that the word slave by definition implies the force involved in slavery. Removing people's humanity would imply also removing their responsibility therefore what you wrote is actually illogical forming a contradiction.
@@carimamcdwyer5327 why would I respect the Oxford dictionary when it is the western world that tries to define non-white folks as inferior? #partoftheproblem of course, u would deflect on the side of oppressors. that gives u a sense of belonging and safety. whether u are in denial or not it does not negate the history, experience or perspective of others. the oxford dictionary was written by racists and misogynistic european men. i won't give u anymore energy. u seem kind of enslaved. ✌🏿😎
It’s sad ppl had to sneak, lie, and even die to follow they’re hearts
Damn, people should just be with who they love.
Truth 🤞🏽❤️
@@chrissimpson6701 So simple but we dum humans ....make everything difficult .....it's like we were created to fail ....most of us ...we segregate this ...and divide that ....and by the time you have done that ...your dead and there was no time for love ...we spend too much time in our heads !!!!
@@devogrant2817 SMFH
@@chrissimpson6701 And a good day to you !!!!
I love how we are catching certain code "words" and unwrapping them.
Me too. I've been reading the comments for a while now lol
Yup. We read right between those lines!!
I used to be a porter on a train, and was told that it was a historically AA job. Very moving story, thanks.
Yes and back in those days for blacks it was a highly sought out occupation. Especially because the pay was good & they traveled and saw the country.
Clarence King sent lots of love letters to his wife Ada expressing his love...these two in 1896
"My darling, i knew all your feelings. I knew just how you love me how you miss me and how you long for the days and nights to come again when we can lie together and let our love flow out to each other and full hearts have their way. Your letter gave me true joy. I read it over and over and felt like a new man."
- - - - -
".... i have the daily comfort of remembering that far away in the east there is a dear brown woman who loves me and whom i love beyond the power of words to describe. If it were not for the vision of your dear self, and my absolute confidence in your love and your being true to me in act and thought at all times i fear i should not have the faith and courage to struggle [work, earn money] on away from you."
Totally beautiful brought tears to my eyes that's true love 🤗🤗🤗💯💝
💞💞💞
Swoon!
That’s beautiful
Hahahahahah!! 4 little romantic ladies. Huugggg.
He passed for black because there are about 13 shades of black. And if "ya daddy black, ya black" was probably the attitude at the time.
Definitely
More than 13 shades. We are the rainbow of the world. Hence why civilization was born from our loins
Daddy? Black daddies have nothing to do with it. It was the other way around. African Americans of mixed heritage historically were of black mothers and white men. The one-drop rule as a historical application is a way for society to reconcile that.
@@theoreticalviews2939 its just a quote i heard from my gma. I didn't think anyone would take it literally
@@yupitsme9713 Taken quite literally because its the sort of statement that affects perceptions history. This video dealt with the matter. No shade, just gentle correction.
@@theoreticalviews2939 dont think you're throwing shade, just didn't see anything to correct. My gma was born in 1897 & my gpa passed for white. It allowed him to work in another city & provide for 12 kids. My statement came from someone who lived this life & that was her personal thought process along with many others born at that time. My parents made sure I knew gma was incorrect.
Someone make this into a MOVIE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE. This would be great as hell to watch
Agree
Just thinking this would make a great movie.
OK.
Gugu Mbata-Raw as Ada Copeland.
Michael Fassbender as Clarence King.
Any other idea?
Why? Are you that thirsty for W Validation? Sadly it would only show how even your identity as B people was stolen .Furthermore, it's just Another Rachel Dolesa and We've already seen that movie
NETFLIX- come on!
Wow, I really enjoyed this! When the narrators are truly interested in the subject , it makes it so much better! 😊
It's a damn shame she died penniless. Reminds me of Malcolm X's mother after insurance refused to pay after her husband was killed. The courts refused Ada Copeland King the Trust Clarence King left for his family. What a shame!
They're doing that today to...don't won't our people with nothing.
Ancient catfishing!
Bwahhahaha 😂😂😂
First Rachel Dolezal
And very successful too. 😂😂😂
You do it now and get busted on the first date.
😂😂
😂😂
"Sexually energetic...".....CRINGE
🤣
😂 sounds like my black husband, so 🤷🏾♀️
You are gorgeous, 😍
So cringe... And the I don't want to offend anyone because it's early morning. Yet, you did, dude. You did. SMH.
My 7th grandmother did the same. She was an Irish woman who gave up her freedom to married my enslaved grandfather. Her name is Irish Nelle
This would be a very interesting movie and it should be a movie about Mr. Clarence king and his wife Miss Ada it would be like another Bridgeton. They should make a movie I would love to see this movie.🦋
That is love.
Agree
I recently saw the Bridgerton's. I simply loved that movie. I love all the English movies with the nobles and such. The woman they chose to play Queen Charlotte was something else. Her and her "attitude" made me laugh through out the movie.
Me too..
That would be beautiful but they’d probably cast a biracial to play her as per usual 💀
My white 3rd GG Father passed for black to marry his black maids daughter. I’m glad to see that my 3rd GG wasn’t the only person in history who did this.
Wow.
It is hard to believe that you have white blood since you are dark-skinned.
@@mrsr4640 Lots of dark skinned people who mixed ancestry. It doesn't always show up in your skin tone, features or hair texture.
edit: have not who
And you think that's romantic ?? His black maids daughter .....its actually sickening.
Very racist remark."sexually energetic". He could've left that out. He was simply in love with a beautiful black woman
Racist against whom?
The times were different back then for sure. White society put white women up on pedestals. It was considered depraved for a so called "gentile" white women to actually enjoy sex. My mother told me that she was raised believing that sex within marriage was just for the man's pleasure. Sex was a wife's duty to her husband, she did not have to enjoy it.
My white mother-in- law confided in me that she never..you know...never ever ever had the big One in nearly 40 years of marriage. My mouth just fell open. Times are definitely different these days.
Maybe the man just wanted to cut loose and be with someone who wasn't a saint up on a pedestal.
Exactly, the term "sexual energy " has always been an insult to color people.
@@kfenton4154 against black people.
The power of the beauty of black women👍🏽
Nice story. I luv how the women and men dressed in those day. Most had class and respected for each other. Now... most are a hot mess.
I have to agree with you regarding "a hot mess".
HILARIOUS...
You didn't lie...
@@omggiiirl2077 LOL...BE&STAY SAFE...MASK ☝ UP...
It would take a lot of effort, but we can make this sort of dressing fashionable again.
Black women aren't fast like the media portrays and are difficult to get. If he was "sexually energetic" he would've stayed with his kind. We've seen the commercials for Girls Gone Wild. Not a black chick in sight there. In his own prejudice he can't figure out how this man could simply love a black woman. They are the most loveable people.
You hit the nail right on the head. This guy is projecting his on thoughts onto the other man. His revealing his own attitudes. Disgusting
@avid book reader. You’ve explained the situation perfectly.
Let's not go krazy now. Blk Women are not Saints and perfect. They portray themselves as they are. Go Google Ghetto Gaggers. U will see the RAW REALITY.They are no different than any other women except for the indoctrinated hatred for their male counterparts especially here but yes many BW are easy and whorish its and uncomfortable truth just like many BM are criminal minded but God loves us and we always have a 2nd chance called tomorrow but let's not be disingenuous and create a false narrative that doesn't line up with what our eyes see. The BW of that time are NOT equivalent of the BW of today and to be fair the same on the BM side
Simon Winchester has mentioned based on study of Sadweiss and other documents : "He (Clarence King) then developed a life where neither side knew anything about the other. He never told. For all of the rest of his life, 20 more years, he would spend his time with Ada Todd and the children in Queens, New York, and then would say to her, "Well, darling, I've got to go and catch the Twentieth Century Limited and take the train over to the West Coast. See you in two weeks." And he'd walk over the newly built Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan to the offices of the U.S. Geological Survey and say, "Well, that was a complicated field trip. I'll be here for two weeks writing up my notes." He wrote up his notes, two weeks later walked back across the Brooklyn Bridge, became Mr. Todd.
Twenty years it went on. It drove him completely potty [crazy], as you might imagine. He was once arrested for assaulting someone outside the lion cage in the Central Park Zoo. He had to borrow hundreds of thousands of dollars from his friend John Hay, the U.S. secretary of state at the time.
But he never let on to anybody, not until he was on his deathbed in Albuquerque-he was struck down by tuberculosis-when he said to his doctor, "I think I ought to come clean. My name is Clarence King. You know that. But over in Queens there's someone who thinks she's Mrs. Todd, but she's not. She's Mrs. King. She should be told and she should be explained to why two of her children are white." So the word went out. But he then died.
Playing into this book, ironically, the doctor-and I've seen the death certificate-when he was writing out the race of the deceased, he scored out the word "black" and he scored out the word "white" and in handwriting wrote simply the word "American." It seemed to me to sum it all up."
I totally agree with you
On every census and *all* other forms I draw my own box and write the word *American* next to it.
There are choices for Chinese, Japanese and so on which are not colors but based on known or supposed heredity.
For many reasons I reject being labeled a color but if a label must be had then know me by my birth or legally chosen citizenship...American. 💪🇺🇸
@@mizera_mykle Well, said. Brava!
He had enough money and influence to move out of the country with his black family, why live between two worlds? Since he lived as a black train porter, did he have his black family live in poverty, while he lived the other part of his life as a rich influential white man? And it's amazing that he married a black woman, but viewed his children as white, even though he had them living in the black world. Something about this is romantic but also selfish, his actions could've bought death to his wife and children. But, this should be made into a movie.
Wow just American I love that.
He was not sexed he was in love. I don’t think a sexed man would stay married to a woman all his life if truly that was his intention. She was a beautiful lady and he fell in love at first sight.
My mother always said, "If someone tells you they want to leave you an inheritance and they are old when they say it, tell them to give it to you now, or you may not get it". Mom had already been burned by a relative like that!
I would never tell anyone that I'm leaving him/her an inheritance, since that may hasten my demise. Many wicked people these days, even among family members.
@@TheDarkDresser real talk!
He was the original Rachel Dolezal he should've chosen Ricky Dolezal as his name.
Lmao!
😅
Thanks for the laugh. 😂😂😂
My thoughts exactly. Rachel Dolezal still can't find a regular job and is still telling people she's black.
😂😂
Fascinating but a bit sad. Their descendants must be still alive. Any information about them?
Very good question!!
I'd assume that they are probably considered to be "white" now like many descendants of mixed people. This couple's grandchildren would be considered "Quadroon" and probably just "passed" into white society as time went on.
@@ilovelife3328 That doesn't mean they unaware. There's a documentary of British Blacks and Whites finding each other and acknowledging they share common ancestry through slave logs of the West Indies. If such can occur, with similar occurrences of Thomas Jefferson family, it goes back to the question of why this couples descendants are so quiet an private about beautiful love story that transcends racial barriers.
@@MrAkilwil Maybe they just don’t want to be bothered and want to live quiet lives.
@@ilovelife3328 or they could have continued to live as Black people. It would depend on what the children looked like. If they could pass for White then yes your statement would most likely be true, but if they looked mixed or more Black than White. Then there is no way they could pass for White.
Why is this not a movie. What a great story to be told.
It sure would
America's obsession with skin colour. Some ppl are just so damn wicked
The whole world is obsessed with skin colour
What country isn’t
@@szasfriend_gina when you travel in non western's countries you will see color it is not as important like religion,ethnie,region,language etc...
Yes America is too obsess with race
@@kingpauljoel6827 yes it is.The bleaching industry is big in Africa,Asia,South America.People will always say you look so dark,or your should bleach your skin,or don’t go outside you will get dark.Everyone is color-struck
@@szasfriend_gina i did not say colourism or racsim it is non existant,i just said it is less important than in america,for exemple in america you are a part of ethnic group by how you look, redlining and others systematic racist policies did really have a big impact on how americans lives and define themselve.
I grow up in both india and DR congo,yes colourism do exist,
But people dont create communities based on skin color,the majority of people dont see themselve as a part of a one community based on colors.
Example in india religion,caste system,regionalism,tribalism are bigger issue than colourism,
In india you will see muslim area,hindu area, and how people from a particular region or caste have a hard time to live with others etc
In DR congo and most of african countries(except south africa a race and ethnic based society due to apartheid)
Tribalism,regionalism,language barrier,effect on people lifes are 100 times bigger than colourism.
Being light or Dark can impact on how attractive or unattractive people may rate you and also it can have an impact in the entertainement industry ,expecially modeling,but 99 % of africans are not in modeling industry or in others entertainement sectors and it is less of their worries ,in many african countries and according to my own experience, having the right name,coming from the same tribe or region with those in power,speaking the right language , will facilitate your social ascension bigly.
Yes americans are more obsess with skin colors.
The way they tell this story is very condescending and insulting. The man met a beautiful woman, fell in love, racism made it complicated, he did what he felt he had to do to be with her.
Wow, that's incredible. The things men will do for their desires. She was absolutely stunning.
I had a great, great Uncle, half Native American, and he used to pass for white with his red hair, green eyes, olive skin, but when employers caught on to his family who all looked Native American, they would fire him. He used to pass so he could feed his family. Passing for white was the only way he could get enough work to support his family of five. He was nearly hanged twice by angry white men, who wanted his daughter (my Great aunt Rebecca-who matured early and was very beautiful) who like her father had flaming red hair and beautiful green eyes, but she was white a snow like me. I'm 1/4 Hawaiian, I look just like my mother, except her bone structure was medium, mine is small, and she had light brown skin, and used to get the most awesome tans-I can't get a tan to save my life, lol.
When the white men would realize my Uncle was Indian mixed, they did not believe she was his daughter, and were certain he was taking advantage of a white woman. It was a very trying situation. One that put the whole family in peril because of prejudice and racism. The whole term of Race is crap, race and racism is a made up convention used by one group of people to exercise power and control over other people they want to take advantage of. There is not "Race" only differing Ethnicities based on local, and cultural differences. When you track the genetics back far enough, we are all mixed up.
There is only one race, the Human Race.
I am proud to be of mixed ethnicity
Hello decoednt of Irish and native mixes. I'm about half native blood quantum wise and with teaching back. From what iv learned is north American indigenous and Celtics decent share any features.
It is really interesting to see now. Looking st old pictures and of when I tan. How hard did si to truly tell if you skin is light wnoguh even with black hair. You can't be swayed one way or another with race. But also befoee the 50's Irish where nto considered white either
Me too
I'm African American, White and Indigenious....I literally have the same face as all the black family members in my family.... but Light skin, red hair and freckles... it happens....but these instances are super problematic towards mixed/biracial people ...our stories are already oppressed and forgotten or placed in stereotyped boxes... its sad...
J. Edgar Hoover passed for a white man and was the worst nightmare towards his own people.
I read the book more than ten years ago..he didn’t (couldn’t) even tell his friends, family or colleagues about the way he felt and cared for women of color..He learned that lesson very early! An interesting story and thinking of “racism and gang” mentality. Read along with “Bad Blood “ story about the Tuskegee experiment..eye opening.
Would you please let me in on the title of the book?
I would love the name of that book to🙂
whats the name of the book
@@thisismystone9658 Passing Strange by Martha A. Sandweiss
@@stevenmotchan2048 thank you
how beautiful and
sad at same time to hide his identity from his black love
i hope they are enjoying themselves in heaven in freedom
I'm about 99.9% sure she knew.
Hello Nancy
My take on this is how sad that we, who are all of the human race, are so splintered that a man was reduced to lies and deception to be with and marry a woman who left his very soul thunderstruck at the first sight of her.
Thank you, Aunt Sara. Well stated.
Can I tell you some lie's Auntie Sara I got alot to tell you
@@petermorton301 You already did dear child, you already did.
@@courtneykirk478 🤗Thank you
But on his death left her penniless, so much for love, he was in LUST, not love.
Wow, I'm from West Point, GA and I've never heard of this story. Thanks so much for sharing it!!
He didn't look black or mixed at all.
There’s people half black who look predominantly white so it’s not hard to believe there was some people born to a black and white parent who looked predominantly white and could pass as white along with those 3/4th black and so on and so forth so saying he doesn’t look black didn’t matter in those times cause even if you were 1/8th black meaning your basically white with black blood cause of a black ancestor you were declared black which is downright stupid cause they were in fact white not black but that’s how strong the hatred for blackness by white Americans was
My daughter is half black and doesn’t look it at all other than having brown eyes and curly hair . The other black kids in her school think she’s Hispanic and the Hispanic kids think she’s white .
The lady explains why he said that.
It's called the "one drop rule."
There are a lot of black people that don’t look black or mixed. For example: Congressman G. K. Butterfield (D- NC). He could easily pass for white, but is black & proud of it.
How the hell is this romantic?! He straight up lied to a woman to get her go out with him and then married her! He built a whole relationship and alternative life based on lies. Honesty and truth should be the foundation of a healthy relationship but people are seriously calling this mess romantic. He didn't even have the guts to fully own her as his wife publicly.
aww...shut up. miserable.
And her and their kids didn't get none of his coins......because.....HE WAS WHITE. PERIOD.
Tatlone, you have a good point, but what about the time of this marriage? At that time it was unlawful for blacks and whites to marry each other. They could have been killed if discovered. Not that I approve of a lie, but it is possible that he wanted to protect her and avoid a lifetime of severe racism.
I knew a mixed couple years back. The white man tried and failed to convince someone white that he was a black albino. I also know of mixed couples who married before the law changed. Apparently, they lied, too, or married in a state that permitted it. Such marriages probably happened in greater numbers than many people think.
He even gave a fake name wtf 🤔
@@carolynsteele1465 I don't get it. If he wanted to protect her his best bet was to leave her alone. By deceptively entangling her he literally put her in danger.
My great-grandparents did that same thing. My great grandfather passed for black to marry my great Grandmother who was already considered an octoroon and came from one of those families in Louisiana that lived in that craziness.
I so wish I knew my grandfather’s history. He was from Louisiana. Very light. I didnt know his family until his funeral. His siblings didnt even look black.
To think, a white man passed for black to marry a woman who probably could have passed for white...
I wish I could see the day when we're all better than this.
@@oOLycorishOo Apparently he did that so that she didn't have to give up family that she loved who could not pass for white because once she declared she was white, there would have been cousins and other relatives whom a woman, in particular, would not have been able to be seen with. And no one would question his presence with either race, particularly with someone of the opposite sex.
@@robbey10 Sad that there even had to be a "choice" made. But hats off to them both for being strong enough to choose each other regardless of all else.
The court determined he was penniless? B.S. Then, a friend cared enough to give her a stipend? More B.S. That was probably her husband's money they were giving her over the years. They just didn't want to give a black woman all that money at one time, scared it would put her and her kids in a better position. SMH. Amerikkka!!
This is horrible. He lied to get her, he lived a double life, she couldn’t get any inheritance when he died. Smh
He left her everything the courts were mad he was living a double life and didn’t let her have it
He didn't love her enough to ensure she was set up after his death.
We have men that don't do that now....and they are of the same race.
I mean, neither does black men if thats the case. This is a baseless argument
@@LawOfAttractionExplained - It's not an argument. It's simply a statement.
@@TheBLACKboard65 Exactly
My grandfather who was Irish said the most breathtaking woman he ever saw was Creole .
Which are basically biracial.
@@creolebelle6147nah he meant biracial when he said Creole
America has an unhealthy obsession with race down to an individual’s sexual preference.
He “loved” her so much he lied to her and left her and HIS children NOTHING! All he had to do was put something aside and leave a “love letter” detailing where to find it after his passing. This may have been a “love” story for her but it seems like “LUST” story for him.
He did leave everything to his family, but the courts were so pissed that he tricked the system of prohibiting interracial marriage, that they decided to punish his family by denying their inheritance.
It was the racist courts who prevented them to get the inheritance
It wasn't a love story for her, it was survival. You can tell by her clothes she was living better than a porter's wife. She had to known light-skinned or white, this man had dark-skin fetish&probably made her do untoward things. This was not uncommon. Life was rough and women did what they must to survive. Especially as he left her nothing&kept her modestly(in terms of white) in the 1st place story comes across as typical fetish. Even his role play.
There were interracial marriages in NYC at that time. The South was more complicated, you'd have to move to places with a history of placage,etc&even then it'd be unusual for a man not to leave his wife anything if he truly loved her. Sounds like he gave his trust to white heirs possibly nieces and nephews, or even friends. As one might expect of a fetishist to a deviant. Sure they'd get their play in but when it came to money-they'd show their true colors.
@@MM-vs2yu I wrote this above...I think you picked upon this too...
Just to play the devil's advocate here...considering the times (where women of color were EXTREMELY disadvantaged socioeconomically) perhaps these adjectives are not so far off (though "gross"). I always find it a little "off" or question WHY men (particularly of higher status, educated, rich, etc...) are interested in women who are disadvantaged (here her being born into slavery, most likely poor, illiterate, and legally unequal). I DO NOT MEAN TO SAY SHE CANNOT BE BEAUTIFUL, ETC...SHE WAS! But, there is a creepy sort of man, even today, that prefers women in a weakened state (regardless of race, etc...). Does this make sense? This vastly unequal stance also disturbs me...even today. i.e. he could have been a power freak too!
@@MM-vs2yu no one got his trust funds bc the courts wouldn't allow it. Are you trying to say that it is unthinkable for a black woman to be loved by someone outside their race? That only women from other races can truly be loved by men of other races? Because that sounds exactly like what society has been hammering into our minds. The black woman is not lovable, maybe desired sexually, but no true love could happen for a black woman especially back then, despite the fact that laws were specifically placed even before that time to discourage Irish men from marrying black women as far back as slavery. Yes, know your history.
For a nation, especially back then, known for it's racist nature and laws, there was sure a lot of mixing going on!
There was probably more mixing going on than we'd ever know.
There was always a lot of mixing going on back then. For some reason, we don't like to tell the real history of the US. There was so much mixing on that they created the anti-miscegenation laws. This is a fact: slavery didn't exist at first in the US. They first used indentured servitude which was carried over from Europe. The first indentured servants were all European (usually Irish). (They started out Native Americans that already came from the land but it didn't work out well at all).
Well, the Europeans were not physically equipped to keep up with the type of labor needed to keep up a plantation so they sought help elsewhere. That's when they traveled to Africa. The early Africans were treated the same as the Irish indentured servants. There was no slavery just yet. Well, the Irish women who worked right alongside the Africans started getting involved with the men. This started to become an issue.
Even though they were Irish and not treated well...they were still kind of thought of as better and it was horrible that these white women were getting involved and making babies with these African men. So, that's why anti-miscegenation laws were created. It was supposed to "protect" white women from African men. White men were angry with all the offspring coming from these "relations". Unfortunately, non-white women didn't get the same type of protection.
@@lisacox3750 for some reason? The lies keep the racist system in place.
Saying 'mixing' hides what was really going on during those days: rape. Women of color faced very dire consequences for failing to submit to rape quietly (as in beatings, death, reigns of terror or children being sold). This story was consensual-ish but the big lie about his identity, race, and background... and racial fetish... Definitely gag worthy. We can look to the present for romantic stories. I don't think the 1800s are going to deliver on that front.
In my Jeff Goldbloom voice, “life finds a way”.
My great grandma passed in reverse.. After WWI she met her husband my great grandpa. She was Spaniard/chinese (filipino) she passed as white sometimes. she was racially ambiguous. She got on a boat passed as white. once landed in NY she passed as black to marry my great papa. Yes there are many stories like this
Just come to Brazil! As mixed as can be! And much, much more tolerant!
Someone correct me if I am wrong. But I had the feeling that they kind of deprived her from her inheritance ,and not only her but her children as well, because she was a black woman. Had it been a white lady ,would it had been like that ? Lucky ,Mr King had good friends that took care of her after he passed. Those were real good friends and good people.
Kaouter Mousl haliba That’s exactly what they did! And had it been a white woman, she would have gotten All of her inheritance, that was due to her. It is a crying shame and a disgrace before God of what they did to this black woman and her children.
Yes, he left her in good hands after his death. That meant that he would always live her even after his death. Wow! His love was so deep for his wife. He had such love and admiration for his wife, abd her for him. Wow, such a beautiful love story.
Nope, you are not wrong one bit.
His wife was forced to live a lie. I wonder how she felt after being tricked for so long.
She was Catfished by her true love lool
He didn't even give her a chance to get to know and love the real him. She loved what he presented which was a lie..not cool.
She probably knew 😅.
@Tiger lily55 Ocean waves You're a romantic aren't you? I'm not saying his love was a lie. He knew the truth about her. He lied about who he was.
@@tabathadavis2917 Yes your right, he lied to her. He led a double life but his love for her wasn't a lie. He lied about his skin colour, his heritage and his job but it wasn't to elevate his status in society as so many people did with "passing". He risked his illustrious career and his social standing for his love and he married her in a holy ceremony, in the eyes of God. King finally revealed his true identity to his wife in a letter he wrote to her while on his deathbed in Arizona. We will never know how she felt. Did she feel betrayal for such a deception or was she faltered that a powerful, well-connected influential, handsome white man who produced one of the great scientific works of the late nineteenth century fell in love with a black woman and former slave. King moved in the highest circles of New York City society, dined at the White House and counted among his intimate friends great American luminaries and he risked it all for her. Maybe she felt both honour and pain in this revelation, who knows. For a former slave she lived a prosperous, respectful life where she no longer had to work menial jobs. Her daughters passed for white and married white men, thereby elevating their quality of life. Because being black was regarded as being an animal, their humanity was not valued or recognized.
He could have told her the truth sooner and he didn't. He could have had a mistress, and he didn’t. He gave his wife and his children everything, he provided for them. He hired piano teachers and tutors for the children, he found them homes, and it came at a tremendous personal cost. King was deeply in debt for years, and at one point he suffered a nervous breakdown. Lying to a loved one comes at a great cost. Ada knew that her daughters were lying about their race and even told her granddaughter to always conceal her black ancestry from everyone.
The laws were very different and there was so much anxiety about race. Whites feared blacks trying to pass as white, but they could not even imagine the reverse.
The white women of King's own social set seemed repellent. He explained to his friend famous John Hay: "you know type - caramels, matinees, and E.P. Rice's novels, the last slang, a good dress and bad hat - fine eyes and unDarwinized mouth." And then there was "Sarah" local woman who greeted him with the a kiss. "It was revelation" King wrote to Hay, "so thin and cold, so dreary and colorless." He'd walk up to the "cannon mouth," he wrote, "but i refuse to ever again march up to mouth of a New Hampshire (white) woman."
He was in a position to leave the country & move to another country with her. It wasn't real love; it was lust & obsession...
There are a whole lot of White people walking around passing.😂😂😂😂😂
Truth
@Debra Charles I've known white people who wanted to be black and who did not like other white people. You've led a sheltered life.
@Debra Charles Rachel Dolezal is an excellent example of this.
🤣
WoahVicky on Facebook telling people she black 🤦🏾♀️🤦🏾♀️🤦🏾♀️
Which image was her younger? They showed so many different women, I couldn't tell who she was.
the first one you saw
Right
I was thinking the same..I just stopped watching and started reading comments.
@@leslief2542 You mean the picture that you see when you click on the video?
A true con artist.
My great grandfather (white) was ostracized by his family for marrying an ex slave. They lived happily, had many children, and thrived. This guy could really have been considering the social ramifications for her. He was a notable guy and so the social fallout for her would really have been unbearable. I don't doubt that he really loved her. It's not impossible. He could have been trying to protect her. Indeed he was an advocate for social change. Part of his motivation could have been to make society more accepting of his family situation. This could not have been easy for him either. It's sad, but understandable that many would see this love story through racist lenses only.
Confused why she didn’t have a house when he died, why would he leave her and the children penniless, did he have 2 families??
I feel like the courts lied about the trust.
@@Justrelaxx101 i agree or they took it out. Or he was still protecting her. I think people would have went after her the haters that's a shame.
@@Justrelaxx101 +
@@Justrelaxx101 They did because they didn’t want to see a black women with that kind of money. That man had money frfr what they considered back then but whatever they did with his money Karma got them good I have no doubt 🤞🏽
We can all learn from this, get LIFE INSURANCE!!! The person you are insurance does NOT have to be a family member. I have an older gentleman friend, he allowed me to purchase life insurance on him. We're all gonna die! Why not benefit from it?
I love these juicy bits of history that often fall thru the cracks. How very interesting!
Not sure how he passed for a black man...
Not really all that surprising when you see some light skinned folks. I've seen old photos.
In the South he might have been found out as white Southerners tended to notice the difference, but Northerners not so much.
The one drop rule. Did you even watch the video?
@@BlueYellowGreenVc I believe she means phenotypically
@@TVwriter23 I don’t know where you got this from. His do you claim this!
Trust me it can happen! I had a high school teacher who, if you saw, you would’ve sworn was white. He showed us a picture of his parents (mother was white and father was dark skinned black) and we legitimately did not believe him. DNA is funny that way 🤷🏽♀️
Wow he did that! Damn most black men won't even acknowledge black women are human let alone a wife for his future. He traded his whiteness for a black woman he loved. Very interesting.
Yes he did he loved her bottom line .it was the color of skin he would have been killed for it and her too comon they loved each other .
Did King really die penniless, or did they say that to keep the trust away from Ada and her children?
BEAUTIFUL photos Wonderful film of people walking down the street.
All look lovely and proud. I am grateful for their courage.
My godfather was by all appearances, a white man. He grew up in and spent his entire lifetime in Black communities; married Black women and identified as 'African American". As a child, I asked my parents if "Uncle Charlie" was white and got a resounding "No. He's Black." For me, that settled it and I don't recall it coming up ever again. My godfather was orphaned early and he never spoke of his parents or family history. All I cared about was that he loved the heck out of me. I was a teenager when a friend of mine saw him come over for a visit and later asked me, "Who was that white man?" I remember that I was initially confused until I figured out she was talking about my godfather. "He's not white!" I said. "He's BLACK!" and that, was the end...of that.
Being white and identifying as African American makes no sense whatsoever.
WOW, this is an eye opening story in US🇺🇸 history. Thanks for sharing!
This happens more than people knew. My 3 greats grandfather passed as light skinned black in order to marry my 3 greats grandmother (yes my grandmother knew) when after years of marriage two kids and relatives poking around the local KKK started harassing them. Ultimately he was run out of town (threatened to be killed and have his wife and children killed if he didn’t leave) my 3 greats grandmother was left to raise her two biracial children on her own. She did remarry a black man and my 3 greats grandfather remarried a white woman.
Wow!
😔
That's awful...your great grandparents deserved to live their lives together...I hope they still ended up happy somehow later in life. 😢
Hello Cherry
“Passing Strange”, wow, what a title...I’m reading a book right now “strange the dreamer”. Great story...I love how he knew the right way to convince this woman to go on a date with him. I love how when you know, you just know. Thanks so much for sharing this story with the world. 💗😊💕
I can't even get a text back meanwhile Clearance is being Ada's tuexcedo mask
😂😂😂😂😂😂🤚 sis same here
Same
Not Sailor Moon! 😂😂😂😂
Loooool.
🤣😂🤣😂tuxedo mask 🤣😂🤣😂 Darian 🥰🥰 🌹 🌹
So his "heightened sexuality" caused his attraction to black women who were thought to be more "highly sexual". Such racist nonsense.