My Extra-credit presentation for english class

1. Kate Chopin
It’s more common
than you know

2. The Story
 Desiree was found and adopted by Madame
Valmondé, a wealthy lady who did not have kids
 She grew up and married a man named Armand
 They had a baby
 People started noticing the baby was not 100% White
 Armand rejected her and the baby
 She killed herself and the child
 Armand discovers he is black

3. If you were in Desiree's position
what would you do?

4. Why People Did It
Social Equality Employment
White
Privilege Opportunities

5. Anita Florence Hemmings
•1983. Vassar University
• her parents were
“mulattoes” Bi-racial
•Passed for white
•“Exotic brunette beauty”

6. David Matthews
•a son of a Black American man
and a Jewish woman. He
documents his „passing‟
experiences in his book „Ace of
Spades‟.
•Pass a white for 20 years of his
life.
•“the path of least resistance”

7. Jo Raquel Tejada AKA “Raquel Welch”
•Born Jo Raquel Tejada to a
Bolivian father and an Anglo
mother, Welch grew up in a
house where her Latin
ancestry was ignored.
•Fit in she lightened her skin
and hair.
•“She had to become white
because that is what
Hollywood knew how to
sell”

8. Johnny Otis
•American rhythm and blues
musician
•Greek parents
He changed his name from John
Veliotes to Johnny Otis, passed
for black, and even married a
black woman.

9. Fredi Washington
 She turned down many opportunities to
pass for white as an actress. She wore
heavy makeup to darken her skin when
playing roles in movies directed at black
audiences.