Passing

History of Passing

It is believed that passing began during the antebellum period of slavery, leading up to the Civil War, with the enactment of Jim Crow laws and the one-drop rule. These laws and rules enforced segregation and ensured that any person with one drop of Black blood (i.e., with one Black ancestor) was seen as Black rather than biracial, mixed race, or white. Due to the one-drop rule, the only way to pass was for an individual seen as Black to appear outwardly and socially as white. Passing was only possible for those whose skin was light enough for them to appear white and was therefore unavailable to most of the Black population. During this time, passing as white was inherently dangerous but provided a sense of freedom not afforded to those who were immediately perceived as Black. Not only would the individual passing have the rights and opportunities afforded white people and refused to [Page 1148]Black individuals, but they could also access places that would not allow Black individuals such as, white-only restaurants and movie theaters. While there is a great focus on what was gained by a Black person who could pass as white, it is often left out that much was lost by leaving behind family and all that was familiar to participate in something unknown and unfamiliar. During the time of Jim Crow, if an individual chose to permanently pass as white, they could no longer safely interact with family and friends that were seen as Black. The individual would deny their ancestry and adopt a purely white identity. However, there were those who would occasionally pass as white for a thrill or for temporary access to white-only establishments. This was a dangerous endeavor that, if discovered, could have had deadly consequences for the participants.

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