Woman discovers she's white after 70 years


The mere mention of Rachel Dolezal's name sets Verda Byrd off like a stick of dynamite. "She lied about her race," Byrd said. "I didn't lie about my race because I didn't know."

Dolezal's much publicized choice to identify herself as black has been under scrutiny. The former NAACP President in Spokane, Wash. is accused of deceiving the public by insisting she was not only of black descent but black herself.
Byrd considers herself African-American. Her preference in race comes through an incredible set of circumstances. She was born to Earl and Daisy Beagle in September 1942. They named her Jeanette. She describes her parents as white transients.

Earl walked out on his family. At the time, Daisy had five children to take care of. The struggling mother had to get a job to feed her kids and keep a roof over their heads. The woman fell 30 feet to the ground in a trolley accident. The state of Missouri took her children because she was in no shape to care for them.

Jeanette was adopted by a financially strong African-American family who lived in Newton, Kansas. Ray and Edwinna changed Jeanette's name to Verda. As an only child, she lived a good life on her father's salary as a railroad porter. Verda Ann Wagner was seen and treated as a fair skinned black child.

"My adoptive mother, Edwinna Wagner, never told me that she had adopted a white baby," she said. "She took it to her grave that she had a white daughter."

Meantime, Verda grew up living the black experience. She married twice and even gave birth to a daughter. Things would change for the child of the trans-ethinic adoption in 2013 when she started searching for her biological parents. Her adoptive mother had come clean about the adoption. Edwinna shared no other details.

"It's was unbelievable," said Byrd.

Verda made a shocking discovery. Earl, Daisy, and her siblings were white. She had lived 70 years with no clue of her true heritage. She, however, has claimed no status as a victim.

"Jeanette Beagle does not fit Verda Byrd,"" she said. "Jeanette Beagle does not have an education. Jeanette Beagle has no social security money because she does not work. She never went to kindergarten."

Verda Byrd, her married name, does have great layers in life never afforded to Jeanette. The allotment includes a unique and critical perspective on Dolezal.

Byrd has reunited with her living siblings. Her mother had a total of ten children. She said they don't discuss race.

Of Dolezal, she admits they both made the same decision about race under different circumstances and for personal reasons.

http://www.wfaa.com/story/news/local/2015/06/22/verda-byrd-jeanette-beagle-adoption-newton-kansas-converse-texas/29099023/

She looks more of a Mulatto race

momma might have been lying to daddy,,lol

definitely not 'white',,, momma might have been lying to daddy,,lol

Or daddy lyin to momma. She favors him more.

Or daddy lyin to momma. She favors him more.

I dont know what has been told that girl,,but she is not 'white'

there is more to the story,,

she was 'adopted' from white parents,,,

allegedly

I suppose adoption papers could be forged,, though kind of hard for a black man back in the day

Adopted from white parents? Go figure. Possible because here daddy was black?

Adopted from white parents? Go figure. Possible because here daddy was black?