Nicole Hill

Lulu is so sad. I'm picturing her, like, running upstairs and then flinging herself on the bed and crying and crying and crying, and Dion's trying to console her, but she's also maybe breathing a little sigh of relief, along with Richard, Lulu's dad, and the rest of the First families, because Lulu was probably going to end up like Lucinda Seaton anyway.

Allow me to tell you the cautionary tale of Lucinda Seaton. Oh. 30 years before Lulu's forbidden love, the DMV had another it girl, and her name was Lucinda Seaton. When a famous German-American painter came to D.C. looking to paint the portrait of the quintessential African-American lady to be displayed across Europe, do you know who he chose?

Allow me to tell you the cautionary tale of Lucinda Seaton. Oh. 30 years before Lulu's forbidden love, the DMV had another it girl, and her name was Lucinda Seaton. When a famous German-American painter came to D.C. looking to paint the portrait of the quintessential African-American lady to be displayed across Europe, do you know who he chose?

Allow me to tell you the cautionary tale of Lucinda Seaton. Oh. 30 years before Lulu's forbidden love, the DMV had another it girl, and her name was Lucinda Seaton. When a famous German-American painter came to D.C. looking to paint the portrait of the quintessential African-American lady to be displayed across Europe, do you know who he chose?

So Lucinda's, all this happening with her, her like time to shine, it's 1850. So the Civil War is 10 years off. Slavery is in full effect. It's the culture. But also we have a community of free Black people and that's what her family is. But that year the census was taken and for the first time it recognized and counted as separate Africans and mixed race people. So half white, half Black. Right.

So Lucinda's, all this happening with her, her like time to shine, it's 1850. So the Civil War is 10 years off. Slavery is in full effect. It's the culture. But also we have a community of free Black people and that's what her family is. But that year the census was taken and for the first time it recognized and counted as separate Africans and mixed race people. So half white, half Black. Right.

So Lucinda's, all this happening with her, her like time to shine, it's 1850. So the Civil War is 10 years off. Slavery is in full effect. It's the culture. But also we have a community of free Black people and that's what her family is. But that year the census was taken and for the first time it recognized and counted as separate Africans and mixed race people. So half white, half Black. Right.

So it was reported that there were a little over 3 million enslaved Black people in America at that time. And 250,000 of them were mixed race. So these 250,000 people, for the most part, they're not born of, you know, like loving, consensual relationships. No, not at all. You know what I mean? So we're talking about horrible mass rape from white enslavers of Black women.

So it was reported that there were a little over 3 million enslaved Black people in America at that time. And 250,000 of them were mixed race. So these 250,000 people, for the most part, they're not born of, you know, like loving, consensual relationships. No, not at all. You know what I mean? So we're talking about horrible mass rape from white enslavers of Black women.

So it was reported that there were a little over 3 million enslaved Black people in America at that time. And 250,000 of them were mixed race. So these 250,000 people, for the most part, they're not born of, you know, like loving, consensual relationships. No, not at all. You know what I mean? So we're talking about horrible mass rape from white enslavers of Black women.

And then Black women are giving birth to these hundreds of thousands of people. These are just the people that they counted. So the white men who fathered these children, at that time, there was a culture among some of them of claiming these children and either giving them better jobs on the plantation, like in the house.

And then Black women are giving birth to these hundreds of thousands of people. These are just the people that they counted. So the white men who fathered these children, at that time, there was a culture among some of them of claiming these children and either giving them better jobs on the plantation, like in the house.

And then Black women are giving birth to these hundreds of thousands of people. These are just the people that they counted. So the white men who fathered these children, at that time, there was a culture among some of them of claiming these children and either giving them better jobs on the plantation, like in the house.

We know what this does to our community, but they're bringing their children inside.

We know what this does to our community, but they're bringing their children inside.

We know what this does to our community, but they're bringing their children inside.

Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. But they're like, you know, you are my son, you are my daughter, you work inside. It's disgusting and weird, but this is what they're doing. Or they're freeing them after a certain age or sending them off to Europe to be educated or even sometimes leaving them inheritances.

Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. But they're like, you know, you are my son, you are my daughter, you work inside. It's disgusting and weird, but this is what they're doing. Or they're freeing them after a certain age or sending them off to Europe to be educated or even sometimes leaving them inheritances.

Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. But they're like, you know, you are my son, you are my daughter, you work inside. It's disgusting and weird, but this is what they're doing. Or they're freeing them after a certain age or sending them off to Europe to be educated or even sometimes leaving them inheritances.

Some of the elite families got their start this way, or they claimed to have gotten their start this way because it was seen as a respectable thing. It was like, you were special to your dad. Obviously, we know this is how we came by being light-skinned, which is among the most important qualities a member of the Black elite could ever possess. Horrible beginnings.