This study used communication theory of identity (CTI) and critical race theory (CRT) to investigate the identities of descendants of Roberts Settlement, an early mixed-race settlement in Indiana. Twenty-four descendants of Roberts Settlement were interviewed to understand how Roberts descendants communicate their identities and how race in the US context has shaped their identities. In-depth interviews were conducted in one-on-one settings; interview transcripts were coded using open and axial coding, as described in grounded theory, and were analyzed according to the four frames and identity gaps of CTI, with consideration to the tenants of CRT.

The findings show that Roberts descendants communicate their identities in diverse ways, notably: their personal racial identities develop over time and are sometimes fluid; their conceptions of family are diverse and tie them to a larger, imagined community, with histories of racial passing affecting degrees of relational closeness; many enact their identities as descendants through attending annual homecomings at the settlement and/or learning about the settlement's history; and many find significance in their identities as people who belong to the Black community and to the Roberts Settlement community. Participants experienced identity gaps and displayed various negotiation strategies for those gaps.

The findings of this study exemplify the social, cultural, and political forces that create and maintain race in the US, as well as their influence on individual and communal racial identity. As the first research to specifically investigate Roberts descendants, this study provides practical implications for Roberts Settlement as an organization and suggests future research on communication's role in racial and communal identity development.