A Negro Who Couldn’t Love

Stephen D. CUNEY was born about 1867 in Opelousas, Louisiana. He died on 1 Nov 1912 in Cuidad, Mexico. On 21 Oct 1891, Stephen, then living in Galveston, Texas, sold his mother’s property to his Uncle Emile DONATO. Stephen’s close paternal relatives lived in Galveston, Texas, one being his second cousin, Norris CUNEY, an American politician, businessman, union leader, and African American activist in Texas. Besides the land transactions between him and his uncle, most of Stephen’s life was unknown to me until I discovered a Catholic baptismal entry of his daughter, Felicia Virginia CUNEY, born in Mexico. From this record, I learned that Stephen was going by the name Esteban Benjamin CUNEY, the Spanish interpretation of his name. To confirm that this was the right family, Felicia’s baptismal entry also included her paternal grandparents as Don Louis Benjamin CUNEY and Felicia DONATO.

Catholic Baptismal of Felicia Virginia CUNEY

I could not believe I had finally discovered more details about Stephen’s whereabouts. After learning he went by Esteban CUNEY, I discovered more than I bargained for. In the late 1800s, Cuney was publicly outed in several major newspapers across the country for fooling the lady he intended to marry about his racial background. When news got around about his engagement to Minnie WHITNEY, a lady by the name of Jennie De RUELLE, an accomplished opera singer, disclosed details about Cuney’s past including him formerly introducing himself to her as Negro. She gave the papers details about Stephen’s life, even sharing a document that showed he was a graduate of Leland Institute in New Orleans, a school for people of color. Stephen all but denied any accusations of him being related to any people of color or having any Negro blood in his veins. Determined to prove his identify to his love, he said that he would go to Havana, Cuba to obtain his birth record. It is unclear what documentation he used, but it was enough proof for him to eventually marry Minnie.

I located Stephen and his family in the 1900 census living in Manhattan, New York. According to that census, he was listed as a White salesman from Havana, Cuba. He also indicated that both of his parents were also from Havana. Contrary to details he had given the enumerator, it was obvious to me that Stephen, well Esteban, was keeping details about his true identify secret. Despite the details he had given the papers and the census enumerator; he was a man of color.

According to the 1870 census, Stephen, then listed as a Mulatto, was living with his parents Ben and Felicia CUNY, all natives of Louisiana. It is no secret that many people of color in the U.S. had to hide their African descent and seeing how Stephen, well Esteban, was publicly humiliated, I now completely understand why so many people of color who could hide their African ancestry did. Even as an accomplished and wealthy merchant, having “Negro Blood” as some called it, did not make him worthy enough to marry a hotel cashier according to the norms of that time in America.