A Chosen ExilePosted in Audio, History, Interviews, Media Archive, Passing, United States on 2015-10-31 01:50Z by Steven |
Think
KERA-FM
Dallas, Texas
2015-10-28
Krys Boyd, Host and Managing editor
 Dr. Albert Johnston passed in order to practice medicine. After living as leading citizens in Keene, N.H., the Johnstons revealed their true racial identity, and became national news. (Source: Historical Society of Cheshire County) |
From the founding of our nation to the Civil Rights era, many African Americans who could pass as white did so in order to improve their lot in life. And while this new identity offered increased opportunity, it also meant that cultural and familial connections were often severed. This hour, we’ll talk about picking between identity and survival with Stanford assistant history professor Allyson Hobbs, author of “A Chosen Exile: A History of Racial Passing in American Life” (Harvard University Press).
Listen to the story (00:48:15) here. Download the story here.