One Drop: My Father's Hidden Life--A Story of Race and Family Secrets

by Bliss Broyard

My mother decided to seek out the rector at Grace Church down the street. She’d gone to the services there once before and been impressed by his sermon. Seated in his office, she presented her problem: she’d recently learned that the man she was due to marry in a few weeks might be a Negro, although he was very light-skinned, and she was concerned about the possibility of having a dark baby. The rector smiled, laid a hand on her arm, and told her not to worry. It wasn’t possible for her to bear a child any darker in color than the darker one of the two of them. Recounting this later, my mother laughs and shakes her head. “I think that rector was a

little out of his league.” But she left his office feeling greatly relieved.

phone rang. It was my aunt calling to say that she and Frank had changed their minds. I had been working

part Mexican as she used to say to explain their dark skin tone.