“Well how do you know we ain’t Negroes?”
“Uncle Jack Finch says we really don’t know. He says as far as he can trace back the Finches we ain’t, but for all he knows we mighta come straight out of Ethiopia durin’ the Old Testament.”
“Well if we came out durin’ the Old Testament it’s too long ago to matter.”
“That’s what I thought,” said Jem, “but around here once you have a drop of Negro blood, that makes you all black.”
– Harper Lee
To Kill a Mockingbird, Chapter 16. Scout wonders about her family history and whether they have negro blood in them. Jem in his answers shows growing maturity and understanding of the issue of racism.