One Drop Rule: “Passing” pt 2
Last week, I wrote a post on “passing”. The response was overwhelming. There were a lot of comments that indicated the impact of “passing” was not understood. Many posts posed the question, “what’s the big deal?” I suppose that is best answered by people and families it directly affects; although, it can be argued that the implications affect all society in that it creates divisions and sometimes animosity. There have been multiple stories that incidents of “passing” have disrupted and torn apart families. Some people believe “passing” is an issue of the past that has no relevance in the present. For others, it has buried family roots and created a disconnect with heritage.
For those having difficulty understanding the concept or impact, I suggest viewing the 1959 remake of movie Imitation of Life, originally released in 1934. The 1959 version starred Lana Turner (Lora Meredith), Juanita Moor (Annie Johnson), Susan Kohner (Sarah Jane Johnson), Sandra Dee (Susie Meredith), John Gavin (Steve Archer), and Robert Alda (Allen Loomis).
The plot is centered on two mother-daughter relationships—that of Annie (mother)/Sarah Jane (daughter) and Lora (mother)/Susie (daughter)—and the friendship between Lora and Annie. The story opens with Lora and Annie meeting on the beach after Susie becomes lost and befriends Sarah Jane. The two single mothers also form a friendship, and Annie moves in with Lora to be her maid and nanny. Sarah Jane moves in as well and witnesses how Susie who is Caucasian gets treated differently from herself. Sarah Jane is fair-skinned and passes for Caucasian despite Annie’s disapproval. In order to pass, Sarah Jane must disassociate/deny her mother.
Another movie of interest is Pinky starring Jeanne Craine and Ethel Waters, released in 1949. This movie is about a woman who passes for Caucasian during nursing school. When a Caucasian doctor proposes, the woman turns to her African American grandmother for advice.
A movie that takes a secondary look at the issue is the 2016 movie, The Free State of Jones. This film stars Matthew McConaughey, Keri Russel, Gugulethu “Gugu” Sophia Mbatha-Raw, and Mahershala Ali. Although this movie primarily focuses Newton “Newt” Knight’s role in the American Civil War, it also addresses the issue of passing in relation to Newt’s great-grandson, Davis Knight. In fact, many would argue that it is Davis Knight’s court case that brought attention to events that had been forgotten.
There are plenty more movies that deal with the subject of passing, and this list is not intended to be comprehensive. Rather, these movies are just a few that provide some insight into why “passing” is considered an issue by some.
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