Hi Denise,

The articles were all interesting, particularly "The Rate of Black-to-White 'Passing,' Essays on the Color Line and the One-Drop Rule" by Frank W Sweet, September 15, 2004. However, I found one of Sweet's conclusions was questionable. He said, "In one generation, a Black family of strongly European appearance could join the Melungeons, Lumbees, Redbones, or one of the other maroon groups. Then, in a subsequent generation, the descendants of the same family could leave Appalachia and join the White endogamous group in the anonymous cities of the North." I thought it was not so easy to join one of these groups, at least traditionally and for the time to which Sweet was referring--the Jim Crow era. Were not these tri-racial groups called isolates precisely because they isolated themselves from other groups? I'm a bit confused. Can you clarify, please.

Thanks.

Regards,
Sandra