One Drop Rule

In 1705, Virginia passed the first law in history defining who was considered a member of the Black endogenous group. The law used a one-eighth blood-fraction rule; You belonged on the Black side of the color line if you had one or more great-grandparents who had belonged on the Black side of the color line. In addition, the fine for ministers performing interracial marriages was increased even farther beyond reach. This law was the first instance in history of legalized hypodescent. So Pearl in The March is know to be a mulatto. These rules defining race were lessened at one time. Even still I believe it was Louisiana or Mississippi that kept the rule if a person was 1/32 black then they were classified as black. These racist restrictions and oppressions against the Black Community and other non-white races continued till the Civil Rights Movement 100 years after the Civil War and the slaves were freed.