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Re: Need name for a cunning half brother...
Consider looking at some established literature set around this time by Black writers to give you a good idea of names used. Maybe Kidred by Octavia E Butler. I think your best options here are Gabriel and Luke, as they’re Biblical, and Biblical names are generally very good options for novels set in this period/context.
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He's only ¼ African & prefers to "pass" as white for its ease.
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I’m not sure what your point is?
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You still need to be sensitive to the fact that you are writing about a character of African American heritage/descent in a time of legal slavery which is why I recommended Black authors specifically. Please be aware of racist racial categorisation and hypodescent. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quadroon I don’t have any sources right now (read: I am tired and have a lot of writing of my own to be doing) but I have read historic accounts of people who were only 1/8 Black being removed from Whites-only spaces. This is one of my current areas of study in literature :)
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The character himself does not identify as black. His race has nearly zero bearing on his personality. He views his white presenting skin as a leg up that makes his vendetta easy.
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So why are you writing him as having this particular identity?Again you are writing about a person of African American heritage during slavery. Please write sensitively.

This message was edited 8/18/2021, 1:05 PM

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