Woman Left Dazed After Finding Out She’s White, Aged 70
As we all try to understand the odd case of Rachel Dolezal and her decision to attempt to pass as black - here is another interesting case regarding racial identity.
This elderly lady had been brought up as black and unaware of her racial identity as white woman until the age of 70
Verda Byrd from Texas was born in 1942 in a family of 10 children but was placed into care after her biological father left the home.
She was then adopted by a black couple in Texas and raised as a black girl.
It was only after marrying and raising a daughter did Mrs Byrd decide to find out the identity of her parents and heritage.
Mrs Byrd was informed by her adoptive mother that her biological parents were white on the latter’s deathbed.
She told KENS 5 TV: ‘She took it to her grave that she had a white daughter, it was unbelievable.’
This extraordinary revelation, however, has not shaken how she perceives her own race as she explained to the Register: ‘I’m comfortable with being a black woman.
‘I grew up not questioning birth or anything else because it was never told to me that I was born white.’
Mrs Byrd has not appreciated comparisons with Ms Dolezal saying: ‘She lied about her race, I didn’t lie because I didn’t know.’
