This beautiful classy lady loved and married him when he was nobody but a regular guy with a dollar and a dream. I'm sorry but June Carter was nowhere near as beautiful as this lady. At least Vivian got the best part of him, when they were young and in love. June ended up with a drug addict who was very damaged. John Lennon's first wife Cynthia was beautiful and he left her for a booga wolf too. Just say no to drugs and be loyal to the ones who truly love you.
Johnny Cash was taking pills to help him cope with his gruelling Tour schedule,, he was on pills way before he met June! Vivian unfortunately hardly got the best of him! They were married for 13 year's, most of which he spent away from Vivian and his girls, touring on the road! He was married to June for 35 year's, she and his mother managed to get him off the pills, June was his rock and the love of his life, without June, Rosanne said he probably would have died a lot earlier than he did. Yes I agree Vivian was beautiful but so was June. Vivian never stopped loving Johnny but he fell out of love with her long before June came along. Vivian should have moved on with her 2nd marriage, if someone doesn't love you, you have to let them go.
If you think about it ...maybe that was smart . I would too ,to protect the people I love , he probably loved her all along not that he didn't for safety reasons . I know I wouldn't want my children to be harassed because people are racist and some people are crazy and racist enough to kill and cause harm to others. In away even though it seems mean but In away it was probably a good thing !!
@@mikebattista7491 I don't think Cowgirl27 sounds racist. I'm a black woman and the insane hatred of racism that my grandparents told me of was so violent and so accepted in society. Racism is still violent today, though I like to think that is somewhat less accepted. Then, the Klan could murder with impunity. There is some accountability today, though not enough. I appreciate what you are saying - I'm just saying that life is complicated. Maybe Cash left to protect himself and to protect his first family that he had with Vivian. I hope you take no offense at this.
So what? She was beautiful, a good mother and a devoted wife to a husband who, even though he loved her, wasn't around very much as he grew his career in music. It must have been very painful and lonely for her. It's unfortunate that so many hypocritical people can't see others for their character and integrity, which is what really matters.
Yes, Vivian was all of those things and it's a shame that white people (Mostl likely, YOU people) harbored such hatred for blacks that they made race an issue. So don't come at us with that so what bullshit, because you know exavtly what the deal is.
Her father was Sicilian. But her mother's side (which was German and Irish)had black ancestry. Her 2nd great great grandmother was a slave (Sarah Shields). All this was proven and featured on Finding Your Roots Show. Roseanne Cash was featured. Her DNA also confirmed it. I knew immediately when I saw her. May she RIP. She was beautiful.
Vivian Liberto was from a well respected prosperous Italian family that owned grocery stores. The Liberto family businesses are still a topic of discussion in Texas history. A DNA analysis was performed on her daughter Rosalind and it was discovered Vivian was 96% European and 4% Black. Johnny Cash was 98% European and 2% Black. In my opinion they both are considered White because very few people are 100% anything. Dark Italians are more common up north. Down south not so much.
I took an ancestry DNA test found out I’m 75% black and 25% white all my life I’ve got the question what are you mixed with and I say I’m not mixed both of my parents are black at the end of the day if that man truly loved her career and bullying aside he would’ve stayed with her unless they had a bad marriage🤷🏾♀️
@@merchellemartin3916 But DNA proves she is 96% European. Looks can be deceiving! If you were 96% African does the 4% European make you white. No it doesn't. This woman's life was traumatized by racist based on looks.
Backwards. Liberto is siciliano. My grandmother (Geppi) was half siciliano and her sister married a liberto. They were all from Baltimore. I wonder if Vivian’s father was from Baltimore.
I remember when he was arrested back then he was so messed up he hardly know what day it was . That was not excepted back then and it isn’t today either only the government and Hollywood thanks it’s OK that’s just the way it is but I remember him well I am 80 years old
The problem with this is she wasn’t racially black nor culturally black she was a Sicilian woman much like Sophia Loren both whom had the same complexion and they made certain to take pictures and darken them which wasn’t hard back then and make her look as though she were a black woman knowing she wasn’t
Watch Finding Your Roots with June Carter. Vivian’s grandmother was born into slavery and had to be emancipated by her slave holding father. When she was old enough to get married her father paid the county clerk to record her race as white because it would have been illegal to marry a white man. That is when passing became intentional in Vivian’s ancestry. Passing is a new movie on Netflix, with all the buzz around that movie Rebecca Hall who could pass for white, explains that her mother passed for white and cut her off from her African American relatives in order to continue passing for white. Vivian probably did not know she had black ancestors because she was denied that information when she was coming up.
@@ijnamen7916You mean Rosanne Carter, one of the 4 daughters Vivian Libero and Johnny Cash had. She was in Finding your Roots|African American ancestry with Henry Louis Gates jr. in season 7, ep. 6, broadcasted february 23rd 2021. What I got from it was that Vivian's ancestors already passed for white before she was born.
There’s color pictures out there an it shows that Viviana. Looked more mixed then Sophia Loren. Vivian literally looked like my mother who is multiracial race. Her features tell the truth not skin. She was mostly white but still had black ancestry even if it was small. Genetically the genes hit her harder then the rest of the family
Too many confused folks in these comments!!!!!!! It doesnt matter what she was or her ancestry or his!!!! So what she had African ancestry and its said he did too!!!!!! I have have a combined 21 percent Northern European ancestry and I look nowhwere near it !!!! The bottomline is she was beautiful his first wife a obviously great mother and grandmother and was not portrayed in history correctly and now she is getting her rightful due!!!! Good for her family and even Mr cash cause he faltered under the scrutiny for loving her.
What matters is that people need to stop trying to make someone black, when they weren't. People (blacks) just want to swoop in when someone famous is involved.
@@babyboo3825 Vivian Libero was multi-ethnic. Mostly European e.g. Italian, Irish, German etc, ánd she had AfricanAmerican roots. Vivian's mother descends amongst others from a mixed European-AfricanAmerican family that passed the color bar early 20th century, and were officially registered as White. It is plausible that Vivian did not know, or if she did, kept it silent. Think KKK, white supremacists, one drop rule, Seperational Laws in several U.S. States, interracial marriages legally forbidden until 1967, etc. The documentary "My darling Vivian" dates 2020. Rosanne Cash was in Finding your Roots|African American ancestry with Henry Louis Gates jr. in season 7, ep. 6, broadcasted february 23rd 2021. Her DNA was analyzed, and genealogical research was done. Her DNA as well as official documents proved her to have AfricanAmerican roots. Passing is (was) a tragic thing. It usually meant a lie was passed on from generation to generation, and those who passed often had to cut the ties with their Colored and Black family and friends.
First.... she wasn't black she was Italian, so sorry.... no villainous black woman whose character must be destroyed. Why would you make such a comment without a minimal amount of research it would've taken to arrive at the truth?
When you're young you think love lasts forever. That's not the case in reality if you don't fit together at all. Should we therefore stay together and torment one another until the end of our life? John and Vivian got married far too quickly, they hardly knew each other. Vivian wanted a life that John couldn't give her and that would have made him miserable. It doesn't matter at all if Vivian was good looking or a good mother. Unlike June, she wasn't the right partner for him. June was an intelligent, gifted and independent woman who did not need a husband and married John solely for love. On the other hand, I wonder how Vivian's second husband must have felt when his wife publicly announced that she actually would rather be married to Johnny Cash.
There’ll probably always be a debate on Vivian’s ethnicity, and maybe someday there’ll be a clearer answer to end future debates (if necessary). But the fact remains that there’s nothing wrong with Vivian, she was beautiful, kind and loving, it’s a shame John didn’t treat her better, the way he promised. The article claiming her as Johnny Cash's "negro wife" came from racist white supremacist newspaper called the "Thunderbolt: The White Man’s Viewpoint". But it's revealing how she was portrayed in "I walk the line" film - angry bitter real white Becky though she was far from it.
Vivian was not black, she just appeared dark skinned. She would be considered white today, because she is of Italian and German/Irish descent. The reason why people may think she is black is because back in the early 50s to late 60s when they were married you could either black or not. People from the south of Italy are often confused as being black or brown because they have darker skin than most other Europeans.
He has the same ancestry as she does. Their daughter was on PBS Finding your Roots!! She has maybe two more black grandparents before their families started passing for white. If they knew they didn't tell their daughters.
@@soniacurrie4378 I understand that you have inherited lies due to white supremacy. But you must understand that Moses was raised in the house of the Egyptian Pharaoh, who was black. The Pharaoh's daughter passed Moses off as her son, because the ancient Egyptians were black people and so were the true ancient Hebrew Israelites.
I'm not watching johnny Cash's movie again and why didn't he stood up for his wife clearly it was his fame and money that mattered and June !!! I thought she was a Christian woman but an evil one 😡
1. This story completely blurs the distinction between Black and biracial, which does a huge disservice to both Black and mixed people. Vivian’s great great great-grandmother had a white father, then she was actually not just Black but very mixed which made Vivian Cash’s Black ancestry even more removed than this video purposefully pulling pics where she’s mixed looking 2. Too many of you don’t actually know what the one-drop rule was. Only a handful of states had it codified into law, and while they weren’t perfectly consistent on how they defined Blackness, one thing they all had in common was that they drew the line at a Black great great-grandparent. If their standards were any more narrow than that, many white people would have been considered Black under law as well and that was not a desirable outcome. So genetically and legally, Vivian was a White woman all throughout the United States even back then.
@TurquoisePurpleSky 17 Vivian was not Black!!! Her father was Sicilian and her mother was of Irish and German heritage!! What a 3 x Biracial Great Grandmother who lived 134 years ago makes Vivian Black!! Rosanne Cash has 4% Black ancestry, that would make Vivian 96% White!!
Liberty GiveMe... AMEN! I COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT BETTER!! THEY'RE ALSO TRYING TO SAY THAT VIVIAN IS BEAUTIFUL BECAUSE SHE'S BLACK!! BOTH STATEMENTS ARE LAUGHABLE!!
She was Italian that what her children and grandchildren said.When that last picture was taken her grandson said they made her look darker and she was called that name and started having problems with the KKK that is when she filed for divorce.
She was black. DNA does not lie. Watch the Henry Louis Gate episode with Roseanne Cash and Clint Black (who also has African ancestors and he was cool with it).
Black is NOT the "Absence of color" it is when all colors are combined. White could be considered the absence of color. I learned this facet in an art class.
Why is hard for you to think his wife was black? Her Mother’s last name was Robinson which was and still is a pro dominantly black last name, due to slavery. Her features are very much so black! Moses was a black man too! The whole world was black at one time.
@@November_892 Vivian was NOT black. She has a couple drops of African ancestry. She was approx 1/32. Also, people are missing that it was illegal for whites and blacks to marry. They would never have married Johnny to a black or even biracial woman. You have to prove descent to get married.
@@peacehappyb237 But Johnny come to find, out also has African Ancestry too! lol So had it been known, then they could have been married. Also she didn't just have one drop. She has a whole lineage of African Ancestry. Her great- grandmother would have been the last full person of African ancestry from her maternal side. Dr. Gates couldn't determine when Johnny's last African ancestor exact generation.
@@johnsonzz-jw3oz no one just has one drop I agree. Lineage lineage. But of her eight great grandparents only one had black ancestry. And that great grandparent ‘s MOTHER was biracial. That’s almost no black ancestry. Her mother was completely white twitter.com/pa_providence/status/1369498173031378946?s=21
@@superamanda No one is just saying that she was just "Black". It's obvious that she was of European decent as well. But the fact that she has African ancestry should not be ignored or shamed either. That Biracial great-grand mother still had African ancestry and apparently is still showing up in Rosanne's DNA. It's also enough to show that she and the actress,Angela Basset are cousins from that African DNA. I would describe Vivian as a woman of predominant European ancestry, with additional Sub-Saharan ancestry as well. That covers all her ancestry.
Ich kann mir vorstellen, das vivian und johnny sich sehr geliebt haben. Aber da sie sich so früh in einer beide sehr einsamen Zeit kennengelernt und dadurch sich in der Ferne verbunden gefühlt haben, haben sich ihre Wege im nächsten Leben nach der Armee in verschiedene Richtungen allein in jede Richtung zurückgelassen. Johnny mit seiner Musik und mit Drogen und vivian als Ehefrau mit 4 kleinen Kindern und einem Mann der drogenabhängig u d nie da war für ihre Sorgen. Das war sehr schwer gemeinsam zusammenzu Leben. Sicher blieb ihre erste Liebe im Herzen derbeiden bis ins hohe Alter. Trotz des Lebens mit den neuen Partnern. Möge Gott sich ihrer aller Seelen in Liebe zuwenden und ihre Herzen füllen. RIP
@@twins2able The Jews were/still are black..Moses' wife was an ETHIOPIAN who are black.. the book of Revelation describes Christ as being the color of brass (BROWN) as if BURNED in a FURNACE (VERY BLACK)..so that "brown" Middle Eastern bs is out the window..
The movie Passing and Rebecca Hall’s personal story sheds so much light on this story as well. Vivian’s grandmother was born into slavery and had to be emancipated by her white father who was her slave owner. When her grandmother was old enough to be married her father paid the County Clerk to record her as a white women because it was illegal for her to marry a white man. That was the point in her ancestry when passing was intentional. Rebecca Hall points out in her own story that children of African Americans that pass are cut off from the African American side of their family and like Rebecca are just left to figure things out themselves or just continue passing. In Vivian’s case as with other light skinned African Americans the camera picks up the melanin and the black comes out. The sad thing here is that this women did not know who she was… at a time in America when she would have paid a price to embrace her African American heritage. Rebecca Hall could pass for white but instead she celebrates her African American heritage ending the stigma that there is something wrong with being black. Interesting time we live in with all these family racial secrets coming out of the closet so to speak.
One ancestor who is Black out of thousands does not mean someone is passing in my opinion. Very few people are 100% anything. Culturally she was certified Italian. She went to school and lived among whites. Her father even professed publicly she was Italian. She probably wouldn't have even met Johnny Cash at the skating ring if she was Black because it was segregated. I've lived in Florida around a lot of dark Italians. It's just how they look. Their are some Indian people from India who are darker than African American who are 100% Indian. If a person hasn't traveled the world and observed every culture they would not so quickly put everyone with dark skin in the African descent box.
@@peaceandquiet62 She had more then 1 mixed an black ancestor theres no thousand white people after only 2 or 3 generations back. White passing people are able to have entrance into places none white passing Arnt my grandma did it. Also if you look up what makes someone Indian besides being born in India historically you will see Indians also do have some form of African ancestory an some outer Indian tribes look like pygmies. Am I saying they are Africans nope but India has been colonized many times an mixed up.
@@frillylily8005 Her daughter was on Henry Gates. "Finding Your Family Roots". If I can remember correctly I think her DNA results revealed Vivian 96% European and Johnny Cash was 98% was European. Both had a 1-3% of African blood that probably occurred during colonization. How does that make a person pass for White? It's strange to me how some Black people want to claim every race of people as passing for Black as if its some scheme or family secret when no other race of people are claiming to be Black. I am an African American woman with a minor in African American History.
She definitely was black there’s a TV show that did a DNA on her daughter and Angela Bassett is related to them . That’s FACT she was a Beautiful Black lady.🌹
@@dila4834 In the carrebeans with there indian african mixtures very often neither the indians nor the afrocarrebeans can see if its a mix or an indian. Look at Say Baba the indian guru Sri_Sathya_Sai_Baba_at_Brindavan_Ashram.jpg
Even using primary sources like U.S Census (every ten years) one should never trust too much on them. There are lots of cases where same people would have been identified as "black", then 10 years later as "mulatto" and later as "white" or reverse. When it comes to Vivian her mother was Irene Robinson and didn't look 100% pure white. Her face hinting light-skinned mixed woman and when it comes to Irene's Sicilian paternal ancestors they had quite dark complex. Sicilians are quite mixed people having North African but also Scandinavian ancestors from long period. I have seen something similar also in southern Portugal, Algarve. Some surprisingly white and some having clear African facial features.
Exactly, Italians weren't even considered to be white in those days that is why they were referred to as 'guinea b*st*rds' ie they were seen as having African blood. UK
Could we stop to argue wether Vivian was black or not. As Johnny himself would have said "these questions are things of the past" or in 2021 are they not ?
Roseanne Cash looks so much like her mama there and a little bit of Johnny to. Vivian was a beautiful woman. I think Johnny loved her very much but being on the he road so much and being around June he fell out of love with Vivian and in love with June. I think we can all agree on the love he had for June. I think that love was much stronger than his and Vivians
IT WAS HE HAD A LIFE LONG CRUSH AND THOUGHT JUNE WAS HIS DREAM GIRL . HE,WAS,5 YEARS OLD AND SLEPT Ithaca HRR PHOTO All His LLFE ! JUST LIKE IN WALK THE LINE ! ALLWAYS LOOKING AT THE COVER OF THE COUNTRY MUSIC STAR MAGAZINE . . HE SLEPT WITH IT AND IN THE ARMY LIFE . HE CARRIED HER WITH HIM ! ALL THROUGH HIS STINT IN THE ARFORCE . AS A CODE BREAKER . ! HE BECAME A HERO . HE WAS THE ONLY MAN TO BREAK THE GERMAN NAZI CODES . AND HELPED US WIN THE WAR WITH HITLER .! VIVIANE COULD HAVE CARED LESS . SHE ONLY WANTED TO LIVE DITH HER DADY BE A SPOILED DADYS GIRL . SHE HAD NO PRIDE IN ANY OF JOHNNYS MILITARY ACOMPLISHMENTS . OR HIS MUSIC . SONG WRITING . AND AWARDS . HE BAUFGHT HER SEVERAL HOUSES . SHE WAS NEVER PROUD OF ANYTHING HE GAVE HER OR WON IN COUNTRY MUSIC . ! SHE PUTHIM DOWN COMPARING HIM TO HER DADY . THATS REALY WHAT MADE HIM GET IN DRUGS . THEN HIS DADY WAS A REAL BASTARD . BEAT JOHNNYS MOMA . BEAT IN JOHNNY . BOTH HIM SND HIS MOMA . WAS HIS DRUNKARD HOREMONGERING WIFEBEATING DADY . JOHNNY KEPT IT ALL HIDDEN DEEP INSIDE OF HIM SELF ! THOSE WERE HIS DEMONS HE NEVER HAD DEALT WITH ! JUST PUSHED IT ALL DOWN DEEP INSIDE . TILL IT EXPLODED . JUNE WAS HIS ANGEL TO REATCH TO HOLD ON TO . HE WAS A DROWNDING MAN ! ONLY JUNE AND HER PARENTS . COULD REATCHHIM . BY NOT JUDGING HIM . WITH UNCONDITIONAL HONEST LOVE !
@@valuecalc A black Italian is not what Vivian Liberto was. That would have to be somebody from Africa or of African descent born and raised in Italy. Or someone who is half black and half Italian American.
She was not Black and she did not want to be considered Black ,Blacks need to get over the Black Black Black it's getting really old .Get over yourselves
What? It was the whites that brought up her ancestry in the doc? And almost ruined his career as a result, there almost was no Johnny Cash due to their backwards ignorance.
This beautiful classy lady loved and married him when he was nobody but a regular guy with a dollar and a dream. I'm sorry but June Carter was nowhere near as beautiful as this lady. At least Vivian got the best part of him, when they were young and in love. June ended up with a drug addict who was very damaged. John Lennon's first wife Cynthia was beautiful and he left her for a booga wolf too. Just say no to drugs and be loyal to the ones who truly love you.
Johnny Cash was taking pills to help him cope with his gruelling Tour schedule,, he was on pills way before he met June! Vivian unfortunately hardly got the best of him! They were married for 13 year's, most of which he spent away from Vivian and his girls, touring on the road! He was married to June for 35 year's, she and his mother managed to get him off the pills, June was his rock and the love of his life, without June, Rosanne said he probably would have died a lot earlier than he did. Yes I agree Vivian was beautiful but so was June. Vivian never stopped loving Johnny but he fell out of love with her long before June came along. Vivian should have moved on with her 2nd marriage, if someone doesn't love you, you have to let them go.
Lol @ booga wolf!
Good one Thomas Gary 👍
he dumped her for his career, sure he was well aware of her ancestry all along, kind of a weak man.
If you think about it ...maybe that was smart . I would too ,to protect the people I love , he probably loved her all along not that he didn't for safety reasons . I know I wouldn't want my children to be harassed because people are racist and some people are crazy and racist enough to kill and cause harm to others. In away even though it seems mean but In away it was probably a good thing !!
@@tammy5255 you sound kinda of racist yourself, stuff like that should hidden.
@@mikebattista7491 I don't think Cowgirl27 sounds racist. I'm a black woman and the insane hatred of racism that my grandparents told me of was so violent and so accepted in society. Racism is still violent today, though I like to think that is somewhat less accepted. Then, the Klan could murder with impunity. There is some accountability today, though not enough. I appreciate what you are saying - I'm just saying that life is complicated. Maybe Cash left to protect himself and to protect his first family that he had with Vivian. I hope you take no offense at this.
Yep really a very weak man, a complete disappointment for sure.
@@truegrit7697 There's more BLACK people murdering whites today, so there's racism of all colors. Black people are more racist than whites.
So what? She was beautiful, a good mother and a devoted wife to a husband who, even though he loved her, wasn't around very much as he grew his career in music. It must have been very painful and lonely for her. It's unfortunate that so many hypocritical people can't see others for their character and integrity, which is what really matters.
Yes, Vivian was all of those things and it's a shame that white people (Mostl likely, YOU people) harbored such hatred for blacks that they made race an issue. So don't come at us with that so what bullshit, because you know exavtly what the deal is.
She was absolutely beautiful. He really lost out staying with her as she seemed like a great wife and mother.
You wrote: "He really lost out staying with her"
I think YOU MEANT: He really lost out by NOT staying with her
@@SnarkierThan-U-R yes that is what I meant.
This is this is the first I have ever heard of this story! My mother loves Johnny Cash!
She’s black so what. She’s was beautiful and she loved her family dearly, I call that a lady.
In 1960 that was a big deal.
@@soniacurrie4378 I agree!
VIVIAN WAS NOT BLACK!!
VIVIAN WAS CECILIAN & IRISH!!
She was not black she was Sicilian her parents were born in Italy.
Her father was Sicilian. But her mother's side (which was German and Irish)had black ancestry. Her 2nd great great grandmother was a slave (Sarah Shields). All this was proven and featured on Finding Your Roots Show. Roseanne Cash was featured. Her DNA also confirmed it. I knew immediately when I saw her. May she RIP. She was beautiful.
Vivian Liberto was from a well respected prosperous Italian family that owned grocery stores. The Liberto family businesses are still a topic of discussion in Texas history.
A DNA analysis was performed on her daughter Rosalind and it was discovered Vivian was 96% European and 4% Black. Johnny Cash was 98% European and 2% Black. In my opinion they both are considered White because very few people are 100% anything.
Dark Italians are more common up north. Down south not so much.
I took an ancestry DNA test found out I’m 75% black and 25% white all my life I’ve got the question what are you mixed with and I say I’m not mixed both of my parents are black at the end of the day if that man truly loved her career and bullying aside he would’ve stayed with her unless they had a bad marriage🤷🏾♀️
Any mix black person can look at her and see that she is black
She looks like Aaron Hernandez fiancé actually.
@@merchellemartin3916 But DNA proves she is 96% European. Looks can be deceiving!
If you were 96% African does the 4% European make you white. No it doesn't. This woman's life was traumatized by racist based on looks.
@@peaceandquiet62 European does not mean White actually. Italians especially in southern Italy are racially mixed.
I never thought he could sing
Okay
She wasn't black, her mother was Sicilian and her father, German/Irish
Backwards. Liberto is siciliano. My grandmother (Geppi) was half siciliano and her sister married a liberto. They were all from Baltimore. I wonder if Vivian’s father was from Baltimore.
I remember when he was arrested back then he was so messed up he hardly know what day it was . That was not excepted back then and it isn’t today either only the government and Hollywood thanks it’s OK that’s just the way it is but I remember him well I am 80 years old
The problem with this is she wasn’t racially black nor culturally black she was a Sicilian woman much like Sophia Loren both whom had the same complexion and they made certain to take pictures and darken them which wasn’t hard back then and make her look as though she were a black woman knowing she wasn’t
Watch Finding Your Roots with June Carter. Vivian’s grandmother was born into slavery and had to be emancipated by her slave holding father. When she was old enough to get married her father paid the county clerk to record her race as white because it would have been illegal to marry a white man. That is when passing became intentional in Vivian’s ancestry. Passing is a new movie on Netflix, with all the buzz around that movie Rebecca Hall who could pass for white, explains that her mother passed for white and cut her off from her African American relatives in order to continue passing for white. Vivian probably did not know she had black ancestors because she was denied that information when she was coming up.
@@ijnamen7916You mean Rosanne Carter, one of the 4 daughters Vivian Libero and Johnny Cash had. She was in Finding your Roots|African American ancestry with Henry Louis Gates jr. in season 7, ep. 6, broadcasted february 23rd 2021. What I got from it was that Vivian's ancestors already passed for white before she was born.
There’s color pictures out there an it shows that Viviana. Looked more mixed then Sophia Loren. Vivian literally looked like my mother who is multiracial race. Her features tell the truth not skin. She was mostly white but still had black ancestry even if it was small. Genetically the genes hit her harder then the rest of the family
Too many confused folks in these comments!!!!!!! It doesnt matter what she was or her ancestry or his!!!! So what she had African ancestry and its said he did too!!!!!! I have have a combined 21 percent Northern European ancestry and I look nowhwere near it !!!! The bottomline is she was beautiful his first wife a obviously great mother and grandmother and was not portrayed in history correctly and now she is getting her rightful due!!!! Good for her family and even Mr cash cause he faltered under the scrutiny for loving her.
What matters is that people need to stop trying to make someone black, when they weren't. People (blacks) just want to swoop in when someone famous is involved.
So lovely. Thanks for sharing. 💜
Quite lovely indeed.
They just couldn't say it in the open which was and is a shame. Everyone should be able to love whomever they want.
She seemed like the only girl for him for life.
she wasn't black tho. watch the docu "my darling Vivian"
@@babyboo3825 Vivian Libero was multi-ethnic. Mostly European e.g. Italian, Irish, German etc, ánd she had AfricanAmerican roots. Vivian's mother descends amongst others from a mixed European-AfricanAmerican family that passed the color bar early 20th century, and were officially registered as White. It is plausible that Vivian did not know, or if she did, kept it silent. Think KKK, white supremacists, one drop rule, Seperational Laws in several U.S. States, interracial marriages legally forbidden until 1967, etc. The documentary "My darling Vivian" dates 2020. Rosanne Cash was in Finding your Roots|African American ancestry with Henry Louis Gates jr. in season 7, ep. 6, broadcasted february 23rd 2021. Her DNA was analyzed, and genealogical research was done. Her DNA as well as official documents proved her to have AfricanAmerican roots. Passing is (was) a tragic thing. It usually meant a lie was passed on from generation to generation, and those who passed often had to cut the ties with their Colored and Black family and friends.
She was mostly white.
First.... she wasn't black she was Italian, so sorry.... no villainous black woman whose character must be destroyed. Why would you make such a comment without a minimal amount of research it would've taken to arrive at the truth?
When you're young you think love lasts forever. That's not the case in reality if you don't fit together at all. Should we therefore stay together and torment one another until the end of our life?
John and Vivian got married far too quickly, they hardly knew each other. Vivian wanted a life that John couldn't give her and that would have made him miserable. It doesn't matter at all if Vivian was good looking or a good mother. Unlike June, she wasn't the right partner for him. June was an intelligent, gifted and independent woman who did not need a husband and married John solely for love. On the other hand, I wonder how Vivian's second husband must have felt when his wife publicly announced that she actually would rather be married to Johnny Cash.
There’ll probably always be a debate on Vivian’s ethnicity, and maybe someday there’ll be a clearer answer to end future debates (if necessary). But the fact remains that there’s nothing wrong with Vivian, she was beautiful, kind and loving, it’s a shame John didn’t treat her better, the way he promised. The article claiming her as Johnny Cash's "negro wife" came from racist white supremacist newspaper called the "Thunderbolt: The White Man’s Viewpoint". But it's revealing how she was portrayed in "I walk the line" film - angry bitter real white Becky though she was far from it.
That's true. Her identity was "Italian". Maybe she was or maybe she just passed "white" thought she looks like many light-skinned bw.
@@pelontorjunta , oh, she had black ancestry, no doubt. Why the denials? It isnt a crime.
@@valuecalc : True, and she was gorgeous. Johnny was just star -struck with June. He grew up listening to her on the radio.
PBS Finding Your Roots just did an episode on Johnny Cash's daughter that includes her DNA. That will answer any questions about her ethnicity.
She had almost all European DNA. She was barely 1/32 Black if even that. Don’t reclassify someone’s racial background. It’s unneeded.
Vivian was not black, she just appeared dark skinned. She would be considered white today, because she is of Italian and German/Irish descent. The reason why people may think she is black is because back in the early 50s to late 60s when they were married you could either black or not. People from the south of Italy are often confused as being black or brown because they have darker skin than most other Europeans.
Dark, then again, not all Europeans are white.
@@valuecalc And not all Europeans are black!
@@jessiem276, no argument from me...
She's not dark and she still looks mixes to me
Good gosh she was stunning.
thank you for sharing
She was not black
Moses was an Israelite. From the tribe of Levi. He was black.
Moses was NOT black. He was an Israelite.
vivian was not black she was Italian
He has the same ancestry as she does. Their daughter was on PBS Finding your Roots!! She has maybe two more black grandparents before their families started passing for white. If they knew they didn't tell their daughters.
I saw that, Angela Basset is related by DNA . I see the resemblance.
By the way, Moses was also black.
Ov, no. Israel is NOT an African nation.
Moses was not black. He was an Isrealite. Israelites are Jews. They r white. His wife, Zaporah was an Ethiopian. She was black.
@@soniacurrie4378 I understand that you have inherited lies due to white supremacy. But you must understand that Moses was raised in the house of the Egyptian Pharaoh, who was black. The Pharaoh's daughter passed Moses off as her son, because the ancient Egyptians were black people and so were the true ancient Hebrew Israelites.
No way .
@@Vincere207, no. Wrong. Israel was never African. You're in denial.
Her mother was German, Irish and African American descent , so yes she was black too.
I'm not watching johnny Cash's movie again and why didn't he stood up for his wife clearly it was his fame and money that mattered and June !!! I thought she was a Christian woman but an evil one 😡
Since we all came from. Africa, we all have black ancestors.
We all don't come from Africa.
@@soniacurrie4378, Africa is called "The Cradle of Man" for a reason. All humans are decended from Africa.
1. This story completely blurs the distinction between Black and biracial, which does a huge disservice to both Black and mixed people. Vivian’s great great great-grandmother had a white father, then she was actually not just Black but very mixed which made Vivian Cash’s Black ancestry even more removed than this video purposefully pulling pics where she’s mixed looking
2. Too many of you don’t actually know what the one-drop rule was. Only a handful of states had it codified into law, and while they weren’t perfectly consistent on how they defined Blackness, one thing they all had in common was that they drew the line at a Black great great-grandparent. If their standards were any more narrow than that, many white people would have been considered Black under law as well and that was not a desirable outcome. So genetically and legally, Vivian was a White woman all throughout the United States even back then.
The enslaved women were always producing babies by her “ owner”.
A White great grand mother does not make her bi-racial. That would make her a high percentage of Black ancestry.
@@Glad2BGolden It was her great-great-great grandmother who was black. Vivian was mostly white, so why are you having trouble excepting that?
@@jessiem276 The grand mother was bi-racial not Black.
She's most definitely is black and he has black in him also/ her family passed after slavery
They were marrying white during and after slavery. You didn’t watch the show. Vivian was t even an 1/8 by then. Stop one dropping.
@@superamanda , one-dropping? Laugh my ass off.
Source? Her father wrote a letter about her ancestry and that she is not black in response to the KKK.
@@Henry-yg1yc PBS just did her life story and she is the granddaughter of a slave and a slave master that had a relationship so she is black
@TurquoisePurpleSky 17 Vivian was not Black!!! Her father was Sicilian and her mother was of Irish and German heritage!! What a 3 x Biracial Great Grandmother who lived 134 years ago makes Vivian Black!! Rosanne Cash has 4% Black ancestry, that would make Vivian 96% White!!
No wonder Johnny was soooo cool
He was a drug addict,racist to native Americans, and a woman beater. That's cool to you?
You're SERIOUSLY comparing Johnny Cash to Moses?! THA'S RIDICULOUS!!!! Moses wasn't a "Druggie," nor was he an "ADULTERER"!!!!
Liberty GiveMe... AMEN! I COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT BETTER!! THEY'RE ALSO TRYING TO SAY THAT VIVIAN IS BEAUTIFUL BECAUSE SHE'S BLACK!!
BOTH STATEMENTS ARE LAUGHABLE!!
She was Italian that what her children and grandchildren said.When that last picture was taken her grandson said they made her look darker and she was called that name and started having problems with the KKK that is when she filed for divorce.
She was black. DNA does not lie. Watch the Henry Louis Gate episode with Roseanne Cash and Clint Black (who also has African ancestors and he was cool with it).
Black is NOT the "Absence of color" it is when all colors are combined. White could be considered the absence of color. I learned this facet in an art class.
X, an art class and society are two different things.
Her paternal grandparents were from Cefalù, Palermo, Sicily. Her mother was German and Irish.
Why is hard for you to think his wife was black? Her Mother’s last name was Robinson which was and still is a pro dominantly black last name, due to slavery. Her features are very much so black! Moses was a black man too! The whole world was black at one time.
@@November_892 Vivian was NOT black. She has a couple drops of African ancestry. She was approx 1/32. Also, people are missing that it was illegal for whites and blacks to marry. They would never have married Johnny to a black or even biracial woman. You have to prove descent to get married.
@@peacehappyb237 But Johnny come to find, out also has African Ancestry too! lol So had it been known, then they could have been married. Also she didn't just have one drop. She has a whole lineage of African Ancestry. Her great- grandmother would have been the last full person of African ancestry from her maternal side. Dr. Gates couldn't determine when Johnny's last African ancestor exact generation.
@@johnsonzz-jw3oz no one just has one drop I agree. Lineage lineage. But of her eight great grandparents only one had black ancestry. And that great grandparent ‘s MOTHER was biracial. That’s almost no black ancestry. Her mother was completely white twitter.com/pa_providence/status/1369498173031378946?s=21
@@superamanda No one is just saying that she was just "Black". It's obvious that she was of European decent as well. But the fact that she has African ancestry should not be ignored or shamed either. That Biracial great-grand mother still had African ancestry and apparently is still showing up in Rosanne's DNA. It's also enough to show that she and the actress,Angela Basset are cousins from that African DNA. I would describe Vivian as a woman of predominant European ancestry, with additional Sub-Saharan ancestry as well. That covers all her ancestry.
That was his first and true love!
I agree! In so many ways, a first love is the only love for life.
Stop trying to speak for Johnny! If he had loved her that much he wouldn't have left her. Why can't you except it?!?
@@jessiem276 * accept
I never heard this! Wife with 4 kids!
Ich kann mir vorstellen, das vivian und johnny sich sehr geliebt haben. Aber da sie sich so früh in einer beide sehr einsamen Zeit kennengelernt und dadurch sich in der Ferne verbunden gefühlt haben, haben sich ihre Wege im nächsten Leben nach der Armee in verschiedene Richtungen allein in jede Richtung zurückgelassen. Johnny mit seiner Musik und mit Drogen und vivian als Ehefrau mit 4 kleinen Kindern und einem Mann der drogenabhängig u d nie da war für ihre Sorgen. Das war sehr schwer gemeinsam zusammenzu Leben. Sicher blieb ihre erste Liebe im Herzen derbeiden bis ins hohe Alter. Trotz des Lebens mit den neuen Partnern. Möge Gott sich ihrer aller Seelen in Liebe zuwenden und ihre Herzen füllen. RIP
Moses himself was BLACK only a DIFFERENT nation of BLACK from his BLACK WIFE..
The Bible did not say what color Moses was nor his two wives. The Bible is silent. Therefore we should be silent.
@@twins2able The Jews were/still are black..Moses' wife was an ETHIOPIAN who are black.. the book of Revelation describes Christ as being the color of brass (BROWN) as if BURNED in a FURNACE (VERY BLACK)..so that "brown" Middle Eastern bs is out the window..
Vivian mvhgyt54 biracial?
The movie Passing and Rebecca Hall’s personal story sheds so much light on this story as well. Vivian’s grandmother was born into slavery and had to be emancipated by her white father who was her slave owner. When her grandmother was old enough to be married her father paid the County Clerk to record her as a white women because it was illegal for her to marry a white man. That was the point in her ancestry when passing was intentional. Rebecca Hall points out in her own story that children of African Americans that pass are cut off from the African American side of their family and like Rebecca are just left to figure things out themselves or just continue passing. In Vivian’s case as with other light skinned African Americans the camera picks up the melanin and the black comes out. The sad thing here is that this women did not know who she was… at a time in America when she would have paid a price to embrace her African American heritage. Rebecca Hall could pass for white but instead she celebrates her African American heritage ending the stigma that there is something wrong with being black. Interesting time we live in with all these family racial secrets coming out of the closet so to speak.
Passing completely sucked and failed to shed a light on anything significant and is absolutely UNRELATED to any aspect of this reality.
One ancestor who is Black out of thousands does not mean someone is passing in my opinion. Very few people are 100% anything. Culturally she was certified Italian. She went to school and lived among whites.
Her father even professed publicly she was Italian. She probably wouldn't have even met Johnny Cash at the skating ring if she was Black because it was segregated.
I've lived in Florida around a lot of dark Italians. It's just how they look. Their are some Indian people from India who are darker than African American who are 100% Indian. If a person hasn't traveled the world and observed every culture they would not so quickly put everyone with dark skin in the African descent box.
Good grief..... the woman was ITALIAN!!!! 😂😂😂
@@peaceandquiet62 She had more then 1 mixed an black ancestor theres no thousand white people after only 2 or 3 generations back. White passing people are able to have entrance into places none white passing Arnt my grandma did it. Also if you look up what makes someone Indian besides being born in India historically you will see Indians also do have some form of African ancestory an some outer Indian tribes look like pygmies. Am I saying they are Africans nope but India has been colonized many times an mixed up.
@@frillylily8005 Her daughter was on Henry Gates. "Finding Your Family Roots". If I can remember correctly I think her DNA results revealed Vivian 96% European and Johnny Cash was 98% was European. Both had a 1-3% of African blood that probably occurred during colonization. How does that make a person pass for White? It's strange to me how some Black people want to claim every race of people as passing for Black as if its some scheme or family secret when no other race of people are claiming to be Black. I am an African American woman with a minor in African American History.
George Zimmerman is Black. His grandfather was Afro Peruvian therefore he is Black by the one drop 😊
Moses married out of his tribe and that’s it
The Bible never said what color Moses was, nor his two wives. Where the Bible is silent we should be silent.
Sounds like someone doesn’t want to hear the truth
She was bi-racial..which makes beautiful off spring. Vivian was breathtakingly beautiful inside and out. The real deal. June was a fake and adultress.
WHO THE HELL CARES IF SHES BLACK !!!!!!! BLACK OR ITALIAN they were happy for a time and they had beautiful kids ...let it be ... Please 🙏
She definitely was black there’s a TV show that did a DNA on her daughter and Angela Bassett is related to them . That’s FACT she was a Beautiful Black lady.🌹
He always wore black.
she wasn't black tho. watch the docu "my darling vivian". she and all her kids are white af lol.
She has black features.
@@dila4834such doesnt exist. Native americans, indians from asia have similar
@gratefuldead3750 Black people can tell in seconds when their people are white passing. I am 100% sure she was.
@@dila4834 of course not.
@@dila4834 In the carrebeans with there indian african mixtures very often neither the indians nor the afrocarrebeans can see if its a mix or an indian. Look at Say Baba the indian guru
Sri_Sathya_Sai_Baba_at_Brindavan_Ashram.jpg
Even using primary sources like U.S Census (every ten years) one should never trust too much on them. There are lots of cases where same people would have been identified as "black", then 10 years later as "mulatto" and later as "white" or reverse. When it comes to Vivian her mother was Irene Robinson and didn't look 100% pure white. Her face hinting light-skinned mixed woman and when it comes to Irene's Sicilian paternal ancestors they had quite dark complex. Sicilians are quite mixed people having North African but also Scandinavian ancestors from long period. I have seen something similar also in southern Portugal, Algarve. Some surprisingly white and some having clear African facial features.
Right.
They were black!
Exactly, Italians weren't even considered to be white in those days that is why they were referred to as 'guinea b*st*rds' ie they were seen as having African blood. UK
@@lauramorgan2928 , yup.
@@Jenjen-qc5eq , you are right.
She didn't identify herself as black
What I should have said was , white men has always been attracted to black women and not that they prefer black women.
Could we stop to argue wether Vivian was black or not. As Johnny himself would have said "these questions are things of the past" or in 2021 are they not ?
She was a proud italian women. C'mon guys googling shit ain't hard 😂
Her father was Italian-American, her Great Great Grandmother was African-American.
@@710MaryJane , of course.
@@710MaryJane its obvious that there is some African DNA from some where. She looks like cousin my cousin Vicki.
She had black in her
Moses was black, where have you been….😏
Roseanne Cash looks so much like her mama there and a little bit of Johnny to. Vivian was a beautiful woman. I think Johnny loved her very much but being on the he road so much and being around June he fell out of love with Vivian and in love with June. I think we can all agree on the love he had for June. I think that love was much stronger than his and Vivians
IT WAS HE HAD A LIFE LONG CRUSH AND THOUGHT JUNE WAS HIS DREAM GIRL . HE,WAS,5 YEARS OLD AND SLEPT Ithaca HRR PHOTO All His LLFE !
JUST LIKE IN WALK THE LINE ! ALLWAYS LOOKING AT THE COVER OF THE COUNTRY MUSIC STAR MAGAZINE . . HE SLEPT WITH IT AND IN THE ARMY LIFE . HE CARRIED HER WITH HIM ! ALL THROUGH HIS STINT IN THE ARFORCE . AS A CODE BREAKER . ! HE BECAME A HERO . HE WAS THE ONLY MAN TO BREAK THE GERMAN NAZI CODES . AND HELPED US WIN THE WAR WITH HITLER .! VIVIANE COULD HAVE CARED LESS . SHE ONLY WANTED TO LIVE DITH HER DADY BE A SPOILED DADYS GIRL . SHE HAD NO PRIDE IN ANY OF JOHNNYS MILITARY ACOMPLISHMENTS . OR HIS MUSIC . SONG WRITING . AND AWARDS . HE BAUFGHT HER SEVERAL HOUSES . SHE WAS NEVER PROUD
OF ANYTHING HE GAVE HER OR WON IN COUNTRY MUSIC . ! SHE PUTHIM DOWN COMPARING HIM TO HER DADY . THATS REALY WHAT MADE HIM GET IN DRUGS . THEN HIS DADY WAS A REAL BASTARD . BEAT JOHNNYS MOMA . BEAT IN JOHNNY . BOTH HIM SND HIS MOMA . WAS HIS DRUNKARD HOREMONGERING WIFEBEATING DADY .
JOHNNY KEPT IT ALL HIDDEN DEEP INSIDE OF HIM SELF ! THOSE WERE HIS DEMONS HE NEVER HAD DEALT WITH ! JUST PUSHED IT ALL DOWN DEEP INSIDE . TILL IT EXPLODED . JUNE WAS HIS ANGEL TO REATCH TO HOLD ON TO . HE WAS A DROWNDING MAN ! ONLY JUNE AND HER PARENTS . COULD REATCHHIM . BY NOT JUDGING HIM . WITH UNCONDITIONAL HONEST LOVE !
He was never in love with June. It was all an act.
@@soniacurrie4378 I don’t think so. Either way I was never a fan of June.
@@soniacurrie4378 Don't be ignorant, just because he chose June. You can't decide who he loved.
She wasnt black she was Italian. Not that it really matters I'm just responding to the title.
She was a black Italian. Anyone who thinks they're only white is wrong.
DNA for daughter Rosanne says she’s of black descendants
What earth are you talking about, she was Black and Italian she was both? UK
Thank you the one drop rule is very silly and stupid I’m sad to see so many Black people emotional about this. I just don’t get it.
@@valuecalc A black Italian is not what Vivian Liberto was. That would have to be somebody from Africa or of African descent born and raised in Italy. Or someone who is half black and half Italian American.
What's wrong with that, I would too. Some would think that would be an issue
Correct. They both received flack for it, too.
Moses Was A Black Man!
Wrong he was hebrew
Mosheh was black lol all the hebrews were black in bible old testament
Moses was black.
No.
Correct!! and so is Jesus.
@@brookemorris2013 , incorrect.
@@valuecalc Maybe incorrect for you, but it is correct to me! It all started with BLACK...now move along!!
@@brookemorris2013, and yet I have never been to any church to support your claim. Stop reading comic books, fool.
That is so sweet.
If he love Vivian fo much why he dumped her for June????)
She was Sicilian!
She was Italian
And black.
@@valuecalc She didn’t identify as Black and her children do not. End off you daft racist.
@@Ausomedays , not associating with ancestry doesn't mean it just goes away, you idiot.
@@Ausomedays She probably didn't know or didn't want to admit it, especially at that time, but it has now been proven.
@@johnsonzz-jw3oz , and denial is a river in Egypt.
Was he ever blessed.
She was Sicilian not African American
Vivian looks like my godmother
She was beautiful.
Latino, not black.
Dear God in Heaven!!! How wrong and racist is your presumption? She was of Italian descent. You’re just stirring the shit pot with this. Shame on you!
LYING ONE DROP B S😂😂😂
If they was in love it shouldn't matter if she was black and he not the only one. No, not me.
She’s wasn’t Black. She was half Italian and half Western European.
PBS just proved she was part black.
K W, you are in total denial. Why the shame in admitting the truth?
She has one black ancestor in the mixed.
@@whayes8084 Barely. She was 1/32 black.
@@peacehappyb237 , laugh my ass off! For that small an amount, it could be concealed.
She was not Black and she did not want to be considered Black ,Blacks need to get over the Black Black Black it's getting really old .Get over yourselves
What? It was the whites that brought up her ancestry in the doc? And almost ruined his career as a result, there almost was no Johnny Cash due to their backwards ignorance.
We don't want people just because of that false "one drop rule"..the lady was white with CLEARLY BLACK ANCESTRY..
moses wan't 'white'
Wow