Every year I learn about more historical figures that were never taught to me in school. Daily Kos recently had a post about Joseph Bologne, the Chevalier de Saint-Georges, also known as the "Black Mozart." Though he was an illegitimate son, his father acknowledged him and took him to France for an upperclass education. His African mother even got to join him later and stay with him rather than continue being a slave on Guadeloupe. This accomplished violinist, composer, and swordsman earned his own title of chevalier, though he could not inherit his father's title. When I read more about him on wikipedia, I then learned that Bologne even had a duel in London with the androgynous Chevalier d'Éon, who lived sometimes as man and sometimes as a woman. These are just two examples that history is way more diverse than the traditional whitewashed version of history that TV and movies perpetuate. That's why we need to correct those misconceptions with colorblind casting in period dramas such as Mr. Malcom's List or Bridgerton. At least Hollywood is planning a movie about Bologne.
I was also looking up more information about Kate Warne lately, and I found this magazine article about lady Pinkertons, which revealed that Hattie Lawton was mixed race, and she was the 2nd female agent hired by Pinkerton. Apparently she was light-skinned enough to pass for white when she went on espionage missions against the Confederacy during the Civil War. There's so much I want to know. Wasn't she afraid of being found out? If only Pinkerton records weren't wiped out by a fire in the 1930s.
Speaking of passing, I was reading about Rebecca Hall's new movie starring Tessa Thompson. Netflix is trying to buy Passing, and I would love to see it. But in reading the press about it, I learned that Rebecca Hall had white passing ancestors too. Life and people are infinitely more complex than at first glance. If only our schools actually taught the real rich history, we wouldn't have to discover everything ourselves.
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