In a message dated 3/1/2003 12:01:02 AM Eastern Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

> I would be curious to know if anyone knows of a reason a free white
> would designate himself as a free black in a US census.
>

Regarding Black Masters, JDS, I agree with Gregg.  I doubt this person was a
white person who told the census taker he was black.

Perhaps the census taker was working in a neighborhood he was not familiar
with, perhaps the white man had a sun tan and looked like a "bright" or
light-skinned Black person, perhaps he was financially disadvantaged white
person living in a mixed neighborhood with Black folks all around, and the
census taker assumed he was also Black.  Who knows!

You need to study the town and neighborhood, the family in question, read the
rules for that particular census, and perhaps learn something about the
actual census taker to learn why he did what he did.

Karen E. Sutton

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