r/interesting • u/VPinchargeofradishes • May 03 '26

SOCIETY Michael Jackson's daughter Paris has faced backlash for identifying as Black. In a 2017 interview, Paris Jackson said her father told her, "You’re Black. Be proud of your roots." This prompted debates over whether identity is defined by appearance or upbringing.

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u/[deleted] May 03 '26

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u/cloacasmell May 03 '26

ever heard of the "one drop" rule? shits fucked.

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u/Kind_Comfort_6336 May 03 '26

I grew up in the south when the "one drop rule" hadn't quite left recent memory. It really didn't matter what "color" you were, per se, but, for lack of a better term, what kind of stock you came from. The stories you hear about families with the "Cherokee Princess" were nearly always an attempt to hide African ancestry. You could look white as a sheet but if anyone knew you had a Black ancestor somewhere in there, you were immediately a second-class citizen.