How did mixed-race families navigate identity and survival in the U. S. during and after the Civil War?

[MotherEarth2020]

My ancestors were mixed-race in the 1860s. Did others pass as white, stay together, or split apart to survive?

[beefcakebradybatson]

Some "passed" for white because of the racial hierarchy which placed whites on top, blacks on the bottom ;the darker-skinned, unmistakably black ones were shunned by both groups and, being regarded black, were subject to the same atrocities all presumed blacks endured.

[strateguy632]

Oh they mentioned that in jango! In tennessee mixed was considered slave. In north mixed had no problem same as pure.

[Anonymous]

Mixed kids were usually killed or sold to pleasure plantations, the blacks were usually just hung or whipped to death and the whites were usually shamed and shunned

[CupcakeTheDestroyer]

Girl, those are your ancestors. Shouldn’t you know?

[MotherEarth2020]

No, No I don't know. I just know I have a checkered family tree

[CupcakeTheDestroyer]

Have you thought about actually researching your family’s genealogy?

[MotherEarth2020]

That's what were in the middle of doing and that's what lead to this post.

[CupcakeTheDestroyer]

I more meant like going to a library or something

[Grond21]

I suspect a lot of it had to do with where they lived, but I don't know for certain.

[Dargil]

They went north.