Was Babe Ruth Passing for White?

#baberuth #findingyourroots #nytn #ancestry #findingyourroots #familyhistory #genealogy
Many speculate that Babe Ruth, one of baseball's greatest legends, may have had African American ancestry, a secret he kept hidden due to the racial prejudices of his time. This possibility raises questions about the intersection of race and identity in American sports history, challenging the narrative of Ruth's legacy.

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Come join me on a new docu-series that explores identity, racial tensions in the South during the 20th century, and the unique experiences of those who historically called Louisiana home.
My name is Danielle Romero, and all my life, I have romanticized Louisiana.
Growing up in New York, it represented a place where I could step back the sepia-toned life of my great grandmother, Lola Perot, who died before I was born.
Now, it was time to go back to Louisiana--although I had no idea what the truth would be or what questions to ask---who was Lola really? Who were we?

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[exclamationpointman]

J. Edgar Hoover's black cousins said he threatened to kill them if they told others about their blood relation.

Really astonishing.

The devil only sow division

[pabloalvez]

Babe Ruth's features were like those of someone of mixed Black and Irish ancestry.
Saying this because I've met people from the Caribbean (Barbados) some of them had these features.

[FrankBrocato]

Danielle, your work intrigues this old sicilian from New Orleans.

[Tina-moik]

I'm related to Babe Ruth, we are considered Melungeon or Red Bone
aka 3 races

[mrstevens]

He's definitely of mix race.

Not that it mattered, but he loved the Sistahs.😏

[andreadaley]

I saw this once before and actually looked him up on ancestry. On paper his parents look very much of German ancestry. However that doesn't account for if he had a father or grandfather that was not the actual husband. Nowadays people seem to get a parent not expected in about 1% of cases so it's totally plausible too. People just kept secrets back then a lot too. My grandmother was in her 80s when we found out her sister was actually her mother. She's of the same vintage as babe ruth

[kimweidner]

I have heard he was partially black my entire life, I’m 56. So, yeah, the rumor has been around for decades. I’m biracial and I can tell you with certainty that someone with black ancestry does not have to be too far removed from the individual to “pass for white”. In fact, in my own family, I have relatives that you would not and could not see their African ancestry. This is why the whole “passing” saying is sad, as humans, we have many ethnic and phono differences that define us for who we are. Being partially black is simply partially who we are. We are other tho far too. But because “what you see is what you get”, people get all foolish about the matter.
Be who you are! Accept fully all the beautiful things he that make you who you are.

And for those who look white but want to claim they are black because of their ancestors, LET THEM! And for those who prefer to identify that they are white because that is how they look, LET THEM! And for those who look biracial and they want to claim both sides equally (like me ❤🤗), LET THEM 😀

[lepoetress]

Damn, Ty Cobb was outta line for that.

[michaelmoore]

Herb Jeffries was a singer actor with an Irish mother and a Sicilian father and one grandparent who was Ethiopian he was a singing cowboy in the movies with an all black cast he also sang with Duke Ellingtons band no one knew

[vieblu]

Lots of famous Americans had mixed race heritage. The melting pot is a real thing. That is why the laws were so strict. Everyone knew what was happening, it just wasn't to be spoken of. Unfortunately those rules and laws just created a lot of loss and confusion.

[Cat-ikwo]

Of course, women keeping the secret about the children belonging to the husband. Thats common too

[Asereht]

My family is from Spring Hope Wilson County NC we are mixed with Indigenous, Slave, white master... alot of our ppl went north or to the midwest and passed, ain't nothing new under the sun.

[annabizaro-doo-dah]

Lots of northern europeans have that look. Polish, in particular and Dutch people.

[ECLUB]

I always thought that the same way I knew Steve Tyler had black in him until just recently he found out he did. Hi can the BR’s DNA be checked?

[Kendell]

Elvis Presley had the same question asked about him and he went on a radio broadcast in Memphis and there he was asked " What high school did you go to in Memphis? And he told them and it was a white high school and questions about his race stopped.

[Attributed]

His whole family looks really white... he looks exactly like his Dad. If their family is mixed it was probably far back.

[crypto_que]

Read the Biography. Babe’s mother and father had a very “modern” relationship. She was fond of roughneck bars, & her husband minded his own business. It is very likely Babe’s father was black. When he was a very large adolescent his father* took him to an orphanage for incorrigible boys. As his father was leaving Babe still didn’t know what was going on. He didn’t know he was being left there for good. 😔…

The priest at the orphanage introduced Babe to baseball, where the large teenager naturally excelled! And the rest is history!

[FreespiritRbelle]

He clearly doesn't look "white."
But don't say I said it

[pamelaolson]

I had an uncle who zi thought was part black. I wouldnt care if he was but it was just never talked about in our family. There are other races that share those features though.

[irenebaldwin]

Wow.
I mean it's a much nicer world now.
And country ...
Some of my oldest relatives from my youngest years -- declined to talk about their earliest years because, they said, "It's not what younger people need to know about" and "nothing to speak of" . My parents knew some of it.