TRANSCRIPT:
FANSHEN: Recently I asked my friends, when was the first time they heard about the one-drop rule – and their answers were really incredible, so we’re sharing them here, and we’d like to hear yours. So send us an email, tweet us, anything and let us know: when was the first time that you learned about the one-drop rule?
BETSY: I first read Absalom, Absalom! in high school back in 1965, which began my love of Faulkner. As a 15-year-old, I could not believe that discovering your child is 1/16th Black would be grounds for abandoning your child. Also I’d never heard the word ‘octoroon’ so…that meant one of your great grandparents was Black. It also seemed like anyone at any time could be accused of having one drop of ‘negro’ blood. Sort of like being accused of being a witch in Salem. It made no sense. Charles’ half brother, who was 100% white, kills him on his father’s orders when he is told of his brother’s tainted history. He kills the half brother that he loves because of this One-Drop Rule.
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One Drop of Love is a multimedia one-woman show exploring the intersections of race, class, gender, justice and LOVE.
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