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Historical figures you didn’t know weren’t white— a thread
1. Jesus
Jesus was a jewish, middle eastern man, born in Israel— and quite obviously, being a middle-eastern man, there’s no way he was the white guy we’ve come to know.
Jesus was a jewish, middle eastern man, born in Israel— and quite obviously, being a middle-eastern man, there’s no way he was the white guy we’ve come to know.
2. Beethoven
Beethoven’s mother was an African Muslim, and every physical description of Beethoven from his time described him as dark-skinned with "no trace of the German."
Beethoven’s mother was an African Muslim, and every physical description of Beethoven from his time described him as dark-skinned with "no trace of the German."
3. Cleopatra
Just like Jesus, Cleopatra was heavily whitewashed throughout history, being portrayed in movies by actors like Elizabeth Taylor. But she was a brown Greek-Egyptian.
Just like Jesus, Cleopatra was heavily whitewashed throughout history, being portrayed in movies by actors like Elizabeth Taylor. But she was a brown Greek-Egyptian.
4. Queen Charlotte
Queen Charlotte is said to have descended directly from a black and Asian branch of the Portuguese Royal House, but British history seemed to ‘accidentally’ conceal it.
Queen Charlotte is said to have descended directly from a black and Asian branch of the Portuguese Royal House, but British history seemed to ‘accidentally’ conceal it.
5. Santa
The character he was based on, st. Nick, was a Turkish man. John Stewart joked that if St. Nicholas were still around, he'd be on Homeland Security's no-fly list.
The character he was based on, st. Nick, was a Turkish man. John Stewart joked that if St. Nicholas were still around, he'd be on Homeland Security's no-fly list.
6. Alexander Hamilton
Hamilton's mother, Rachel Faucette, was a mixed-race woman who would hide her true ethnicity in federal documents, and Alexander’s older brother was dark-skinned and treated as black. But Alexander was light enough to pass.
Hamilton's mother, Rachel Faucette, was a mixed-race woman who would hide her true ethnicity in federal documents, and Alexander’s older brother was dark-skinned and treated as black. But Alexander was light enough to pass.
7. Betty Boop
the woman Betty Boop was based on was black singer Esther Jones — “Baby Esther”, and the baby voice she used when she sang songs like “I Wanna Be Loved By You (Boop- Boop-BeDoo).
the woman Betty Boop was based on was black singer Esther Jones — “Baby Esther”, and the baby voice she used when she sang songs like “I Wanna Be Loved By You (Boop- Boop-BeDoo).
Esther inspired Betty Boop’s animator, and proceeded to try and win rights for the character of Betty until the day she died.
8. King Tut
even though I’d like to believe people here are intelligent enough to know that this Egyptian pharaoh was brown, Tut was portrayed by white actors for too long. So... He wasn’t.
even though I’d like to believe people here are intelligent enough to know that this Egyptian pharaoh was brown, Tut was portrayed by white actors for too long. So... He wasn’t.
