In the Jim Crow South, very few white people could imagine anything worse than being identified as “Black.” They knew that to be touched by any hint of blackness was to be tainted and stigmatized. Within this cultural climate of the 1950s-1960s, lived a woman who was hated and feared by many in New Orleans. Her name was Naomi Drake.
Naomi Ruth Mason Drake (1907-1987)
For a total of 16 years, as head of the Bureau of Vital Statistics for the city, she made it clear that there was nothing worse than to allow a person to live as white who did not deserve to do so. From 1949-1965, she scrutinized the birth and death records of generations of New Orleanians and changed the race of thousands from white to black, but almost never the other way around.
Naomi Drake often stated that she was acquainted with the names of Negro families. She kept a list of 250 family names in her office (mostly old French ones) that she believed were suspicious of racially passing. She would have her staff pull birth certificates that listed a child as white but carried a name common to blacks. Such birth certificates were checked against the “race list” maintained by her Vital Records Department. If the name appeared on the “race list,” her staff would begin to check for evidence of African ancestry. Births, marriages, death records of parents, siblings, cousins and even grandparents going back 4-5 generations were scrutinized for proof of being colored, mulatto or black.
Once the genealogical records indicated that the person had any African ancestry whatsoever, that family would be informed that a certificate would be issued declaring the person to be “colored.” If the applicant refused to accept such a certificate, the Bureau refused to issue one. As a result, parents could not get birth certificates needed to enroll their children into white segregated schools. Lawyers could not complete legal documents, and individuals had difficulties obtaining jobs and licenses to marry.
Middleweight Champion Ralph Dupas (Ralph Duplessis) (1935-2008)
One well-publicized case was that of prize-fighter Ralph Dupas. In July 1956, a state law was passed which prohibited athletic matches between whites and blacks. Mr. Dupas sought to obtain a delayed birth certificate identifying him as white. In what proved to be a three-year saga, from 1957 to 1960, Dupas fought all the way to the State Supreme Court arguing that he was born in New Orleans in October 1935 to Peter Dupas and Evelyn Foto, although he had never received a birth certificate. The city (as a party to the case via Mrs. Drake’s office) contended that Ralph had been born in October 1935 but did in fact have a birth certificate which stated he was born Ralph Duplessis in Davant in Plaquemines Parish to Peter and Evelyn Duplessis and was listed as colored.
Altered Death Certificate for Mrs. Louise Revon (Dupas) Duplessis
Though Ralph Dupas won his case and returned to the ring (even briefly holding the title of Light Middleweight Champion of the World in 1963), genealogical evidence made it clear that his direct ancestors had been identified as people of color. As an outcome of his suit, he was issued a delayed birth certificate as “white,” even though his mother’s death certificate from 1940, still lists her race (as edited by Mrs. Drake) as “Negro.”
As complaints against Mrs. Drake piled up, so did lawsuits. Finally, in 1965, the Bureau of Vital Statistics held a hearing wherein 70 individuals were subpoenaed to testify. They spoke of her arrogance, poor leadership, and refusal to release needed documents. The commission found an unreasonable preoccupation (on Mrs. Drake’s part) with the racial origins of those who came to apply for certificates. She was charged with holding up some 4,700 birth certificates and 1,000 death certificates. On August 19,1965 she was dismissed and relieved of all duties.
Unfortunately, the racial overtones did not end there. It would take until June 1983 before Governor David Treen would repeal the “one drop rule” [1/32 status] which classified any Louisianan with even one drop of “black blood” as being black. In the new ruling of 1983, parents would have more say- so in designating the race of their children on certificates.
The reality that there were deep personal, social, and economic losses attached to whether one was labeled as white or colored, is in itself the greatest rebuttal to the Supreme Court’s 1896 decision that a “separate but equal” society was lawful. Separation, in and of itself, denoted inferiority and for almost two decades that dreaded inferior status could be assigned or misassigned by the hand of Mrs. Naomi M. Drake.
Sources: Virginia R. Dominguez, White by Definition: Social Classification in Creole Louisiana (1997), p. 36-55; Susan Tucker, City of Remembering: A History of Genealogy in New Orleans (2016), p.70-74; Bliss Broyard, One Drop (2007), p.67, 264; New York Times, 5 July 1983; States-Item, 23 March 1965 p.8; 14 May 1965, p.15; 26 May 1965, 19 August 1965; 30 August 1957 p.7.
Lolita Villavasso Cherrie
We have a certificate that was changed from white to colored by the hand oh Naomi Blake.
I remember this case very well as Mr Dupas would pass my house on North Dorgenois St near Elysian Fields and folks would make comments about him being “Colored”!! Good to know who was behind all this!
Thanks for sharing this story. Ralph was my uncle.
Naomi looked as if she had some beautiful “Black Color” in her also.
She looks black to me.
MY THOUGHT AS WELL!!!
RIGHT!!!
Wow!!! Just wow! We as a people have been through way too much. All the layers of injustice is mind blowing .
Amazing! However, if you look at the picture of Ms. Drake, she looks physically and culturally black. Anybody trace her genealogy?
YEP!
I too thought that Naomi had at least “one drop” of African blood. I wonder if she claimed to be Italian. That’s what Johnny Cash said about his wife who was actually Black.
Vivian. Ash WAS half Italian and didn’t make it up! That’s been verified do to OCD forensic genealogy by both white and Black One drop fanatics. She was a true one drop. Literally almost no black ancestry. If you had to go down to eugenic fractions, it would be about 1/64; phenotype not heritage. Speaking of which Drake (like one of Emmett Till’s killers) looks to have Black ancestry. Certainly more recent than Vivian Cash’s ONE multi racial great-great-grandmother out of 32.
Thanks for sharing this story.
Interesting article. I don’t remember this case.
This is a very interesting article. I have ancestors passed for white in New Orleans as far back as 1820. Some of their descendants are passing to this day. I wonder if Naomi came across their information. Interesting but alarming at the same time.
Wouldn’t doubt that she used what she was doing to also change her own family’s birth and death certificates.
Sorry it took16 long years for her to get fired! Look how many lives she impacted! She probably was on the race list changing herself from black to white 😡
Great article, Lolita!
Some Louisiana census forms list families as Negro one year then White 10 years later and then Mulatto. Who decided?
In many cases it was the census taker who came to the home that determined the race of the individuals as he saw them…Lolita
In 1950 a enumerator came to our Berkeley, California home that was in an integrated neighborhood. The only people at the house were 1-month old me and my fair-skinned “Negro” mother. My darker skinned father was at his office while my also darker sister was at school. The census taker asked some questions, but only glanced at my mom. He listed our family as white.
The dumb people collecting the information decided who was White and who was “mulatto.” My two great aunts lived on the same block in the 7th Ward, a couple of houses down during the 1900 Census. One of them was listed as White along with everyone in her family, the other aunt was listed as “mulatto” along with everyone in HER family. I could only conclude that my “White” aunt AND her husband, and children looked White to the Census taker. The other aunt was married to a Mexican/Spanish man who must have been brown skinned. Go figure.
Great article and research! Thanks for sharing! As a young boy growing up in New Orleans, my dad, Allen Page, took me to several Ralph Dupas’ fights at the Municipal Auditorium. I also saw the legendary Joe Brown fight at the MA.
Keep up your great work!
Did not DESERVE to live as white. What a statement that is!
All my family is from New Orleans. I was born in Washington State. I was born in 1946. Many times I have said I’m glad my parents didn’t raise me in the segregated South. My daddy said I was so headstrong they probably would’ve killed me in the South.
I love your website. History is great! it should all be known.
I agree with those who think Naomi may have had some “colored” blood in her as well! That was the first thing I thought about when I saw the picture!
WOW! I CHAMPION HER- AS IT WAS NOT RIGHT FOR THOSE WHO PASSED TO DO SO FOR MANY REASONS 1) DENYING THEIR KIN LITERALLY AND THEIR ANCESTRY (SHOULD BE PROUD OF THAT STRUGGLE AND THE AFRICAN CONTRIBUTIONS CULTURALLY TO THE WORLD AS WELL AS THE AFRICAN AMERICAN ECONOMC, POLITICAL AND CULTURAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO AMERICA 2) THE LADY W/ NEW ORLEANS CREOLE ROOTS WHO DID THE BOOK ON ONE DROP WHOSE DAD PASSED IN NEW YORK-GAINED A LOT FINANCIALLY SINCE BIRTH AND FROM THE BOOK SHE WROTE. A BLACK PERSON WITH THE SAME DNA IDENTIFYING THAT BLACKNESS WHOULD NOT GET THE FINANCIAL BOOK SUPPORT AS SHE DID 3) PSYCHOLOGICALLY- THIS DESTROYS PEOPLE IN MANY WAYS-EVEN THOSE WHO STILL SAY THEY ARE BLACK CREOLE AND LOOK DOWN ON THOSE WHO ARE BLACKER IN SKIN COLOR- SUCH CAN DESTROY FAMILIES-WITH JEALOUSY AND EVEN SELF HATE, RECREATING ONESELF, FALSE PRIDE AND SO MUCH MORE. WELL DONE LOLITA!
The shape of Naomi Drake’s nose is the same as my New Orleans born and bred great grandmother, Flavia Fernandes. She was of African origin with Portuguese and Choctaw ancestry. She had a beautiful caramel complexion. I’m her name sake.
Peace Be With Us All, Flavia
Naomi Drake’s racial profiling continued way past her termination. I’m August of 1977, after applying for my son’s birth certificate by mail on three occasions, my husband and I went to the Vital Statistics office in New Orleans to get the certificate. We were kept waiting for over an hour while other applicants came and went. My husband finally demanded that we be served. We were told that we had to go to an upper floor. There, my husband was called into a small office where a woman had several large ledgers open. She asked him if certain ancestors were indeed related to him. His answers were “yes, why?” The woman’s response was that those people were Negro which meant that he was also! He said that he knew that and what was the big deal. Her response was that I was listed as Caucasian on the registration of my son’s birth; which I am, and they wanted to clarify that my son was not white but Negro!! She demanded to see my New York birth certificate, that I had learned to carry with me always since moving to Louisiana. New York birth certificates do not list race!! At this point my husband lost his temper completely and demanded that she issue us the certificate immediately.
Obviously, this practice had continued for many years after Mrs. Drakes supposed departure!
This is the first time I’ve seen this article. Ralph Dupas was my uncle. The death certificate is of my great grandmother Louise Revon. My great grandfather was Jean Seymour Duplessis but he went by John Simon Dupas…who was “Negro”. I have seen his race and last name changed so many times. The one thing I should say is that they considered themselves Creole…
Despite the times they lived in it still is a pathetic way to live.
I don’t understand for the life of me why those of us who are Creole of Color namely the ones that are racially ambiguous, want to be labeled white like someone as Administrator Drake? Without a doubt she was a Black Woman! LOL! How do you think she knew the game? You do not realize the power you had then to be able to switch from one world to the other ! You had the Blessing Of God to fight for your unique place to where you didn’t have to lie… if you would have trusted Him in the first place…
I have news for any of you that remain living passe en Blanc, when it is time for reparations to hit your state… because FBA’s will get them… don’t try and apply for them… if being the descendant of African Origin could have “hurt” you socially, economically and psychologically then, PLEASE CONTINUE TO STAY WHITE on paper and identity now! You have been put on NOTICE: There are hundreds of thousands of Naomi/Nate Drakes in US government right now and the near future, to deny your petition and …Rightfully so…
Reparations is a “Pie in the Sky,” dream. Will never happen. I have no hatred for those who passed for White back in the day. Life is short, and Black people HAD A HARD WAY TO GO. Most did so just to be able to have a better life.