Why Obama is Black
My wife e-mailed the Deborah Howell, Washington Post's ombudsman, to ask why Obama is identified as black or African-American and not mixed-race, a subject which has been commented on here from time to time. And here is the response:
He identifies himself as black. That's why the news media does.
Deborah Howell
Washington Post Ombudsman
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That may well be. But I would bet that every 'white' person whom Obama has ever met considered him to be a 'black', not mixed-race, and most certainly not white. Constantly correcting white folks assumptions about his ethnicity would soon prove too tiresome. Most whites don't even realize that they apply the old 'one drop' rule. Its subconscious at best, and condescending or even hateful at worst.
Scientific American magazine had an article about whether there even IS such a thing as different races. From a biological standpoint, the answer is NO. Humans are ONE race. The concept of race is only sociological. Also interesting is the fact that the average African-American is genetically, 30% European! Think about that. Ask yourself how and when that happened.
The African-American experience is one greatly characterized by persistent alienation. Of subtly, and not so subtly, being reminded that they don't quite belong. Such alienation is particularly harmful when an ethnic group has no solid cultural connection to and memories of an 'old country', unlike European-Americans.
This rejection by follow citizens is more hurtful and frightening than many AAs would like to openly admit. To admit to hurt and fear, is to admit weakness and vulnerability. What you often see instead are these feelings expressed as anger and defiance. I see much of this in Rev. Wright's behavior.
May 2, 2008 9:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
In America, any black African ancestry pretty much qualifies you as Black. Historically this has been actually a good thing for the African-Americans because it forced a kind of political cohesion among those varying degrees of ancestry rather the Latin-American model of fragmented gradation.
Whiteness is a very protected ethnic identity historically in this country. There is an entire subgenre of 19th Century literature dealing with those who were thought white but in fact were black.
May 2, 2008 9:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
"Constantly correcting white folks assumptions about his ethnicity would soon prove too tiresome."
Undoubtedly true.
May 2, 2008 10:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
"In America, any black African ancestry pretty much qualifies you as Black."
Understood, but I'd be interested to know what the media is relying on as far as the self-identification. When I have time I'd like to poke around and see examples of Obama self-identifying himself in that manner, as I'm aware of the many times he has identified his mixed roots.
It's a subject that also gets discussed regarding Tiger Woods, who is rarely identified as an Asian-American.
BTW, I learned this about Lurita Doan when I pulled up her official bio a couple of days ago:
"She (Mrs. Doan) is descended from three generations of African-American entrepreneurs: After President Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves, her great-grandmother sold pralines in New Orleans."
I had never heard her described as African-American.
May 2, 2008 10:52 AM | Reply | Permalink