![Political Physics: I Agree with Halle, the “One Drop Rule” Does Still Apply [BEST OF FaN]](https://fierceandnerdy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/sid-the-science-kid.jpg)
Political Physics: I Agree with Halle, the “One Drop Rule” Does Still Apply [BEST OF FaN]
I chose this article because even looking back on it I am surprised that is spawned such a heartfelt, deep and thought-provoking discussion on race and identity both here and on Facebook. It also made me think further about how, if at all, parents should try to shape their child’s racial identity. I have every intention of trying to shape our children’s racial identity but the discussion threads really made me think about how careful I need to be.
Originally published 02/15/11
When I was in college there was this young biracial (half black and half white) woman. I remember her so vividly, which is funny since she went out of her way to avoid talking to me even though we lived in the same house. Truthfully, it was not just me – lets call her “Jessica” – avoided most black people particularly those that were extremely vocal about race and racial politics. She did not attend BRIDGE – the pre-orientation program for women of color at Smith. She refused to join the Black Student’s Association. A friend of mind would often remark how “confused” she was because she was adopted and raised by white parents. Our junior year she started an organization on campus called MISC or “Multi-Ethnic Inter-Racial Smith College.” By that time I was dating a really awesome guy, who happened to be white, and it was becoming abundantly clear that we were headed down the aisle. So Jessica scared the hell out of me! All I kept thinking was what if I have a daughter like her who intentionally alienates herself from women who resemble her mother or father?
Fast forward nearly 14 years later – indeed I did marry that awesome guy, who happened to be white. And I am the mother of two beautiful children – a boy and a girl. And you know what, Jessica scares me even more today then she did then.
In 2000 the Census Bureau allowed Americans to select one or more races. That year nearly 7 million people or about 2.4 percent of the population identified themselves as more than one race. According to estimates from the Census Bureau, the mixed-race population has grown by roughly 35 percent since 2000. According to an article in the NY Times entitled, “Black? White? Asian? More Young Americans Choose All of the Above,” “One in seven new marriages are between spouses of different races or ethnicities, according to data from 2008 and 2009 that was analyzed by the Pew Research Center. Multiracial and multiethnic Americans (usually grouped together as “mixed race”) are one of the country’s fastest-growing demographic groups. And experts expect the racial results of the 2010 census, which will start to be released next month, to show the trend continuing or accelerating.”
And according to the NY Times, the majority of biracial Americans – particularly young Americans – identify and want to be recognized as “mixed race. “
So maybe Jessica was just ahead of the curve all those years ago.
Those same young people were probably cringing last week when Halle Berry cited the “one drop rule” as her rationale for identifying her child, two-year old Nahla, as black. During an interview with Ebony, Berry said, “I feel she’s black. I’m black and I’m her mother, and I believe in the one-drop theory.” Berry is currently engaged in a rather nasty custody battle with her ex-boyfriend/baby daddy, Gabriel Aubry. The public battle and Berry’s evoking of the “one drop rule,” has sparked debate nationwide.
The “one drop rule” was often the law of the land in the early-to-mid twentieth century, most notably in Virginia under the Racial Integrity Act of 1924. This followed the passage of similar laws in numerous other states. Basically, the “one drop rule” said that if a person had “one drop” of black blood then they were forbidden to pass as white.
Essentially Berry believes that since she is black, her daughter is black.
As a mother of biracial children, I have found myself pondering what I would say to my son or daughter if they asked what race they were. I believe that I would tell my children that they are biracial or mixed-race. However, socially, politically and economically in the United States, they will more than likely be perceived as black and they need to be prepared for that.
So, they should not be surprised that President Obama is often referred to as the first black president. They should not be surprised when Fuzzy Zoeller makes an offhand remark about Tiger Woods not selecting “fried chicken…collard greens or whatever the hell they serve” as the dinner for the Master’s celebration. When someone tries to put them in a box, I want them to be prepared for it and able to handle it.
Also, I expect them to appreciate, celebrate and never shy away from either part of their culture. I would be very disappointed to see them refusing to play with or shying away from black children.
So I guess in some ways I agree with Halle Berry. We do not live in a post-racial society and the “one drop rule” is still alive and well in America. And it is often used to identify biracial or “mixed race” Americans, no matter how they choose to identify themselves.
And to be truthful I would feel hurt and disappointed if either of my children identified as “white,” but I would have no problem with them joining the Black Student’s Association.
I just hope and pray that there will be no Jessicas in my house.
Having gone to Smith with you, I have to disagree with your fear of your kids becoming Jessicas. I think her case was extreme in that she was not only adopted by two white parents who obviously hadn’t completely thought through what that meant, but she was also raised in an all white neighborhood. From what I remember she didn’t go out of her way to be friendly with either blacks or whites and didn’t have many friends. I also remember that in starting the multiracial club (which I felt was a very good idea) that she was attempting to found a community that she did not feel she had.
But most of all, I remember thinking that she was very, very unusual. As you know, I was friendly with quite a few (b/w) biracial women at Smith, and I would argue that the vast majority of them were perfectly happy to be friends and/or lovers with both black and white women.
Strangely enough, I do remember a few non-biracial African-Americans, who were raised in all-white neighborhoods and who also didn’t join the BSA or have any black friends. At least Jessica seemed honest-to-God confused. I have no idea what the African-American women were thinking.
I’ve mulled the race question over in my head quite a bit, and I’m beginning to realize that I cannot fully prepare Betty for growing up biracial in America. Yes, some people will treat her differently because she is half black, but the racism she encounters will not be the exact same as the racism I’ve encountered. And you know, part of the growing up process is figuring out how to navigate in the world we live in. I will encourage Betty to identify as biracial, but at the end of the day it is completely up to her. I do fear that she will come to dislike or fear other black people who insist that she identify as black as opposed to biracial. I think the key to preventing the rise of Jessicas is education. In fact, I remain proud of Jessica, b/c I can see now that she was trying to forge her own identity in a puzzling world without much education on racial matters.
But at the end of the day, I’ve yet to meet a biracial women who was raised by both of her parents who also seems to out-and-out dislike black people. I think even Jessica was more shy and fearful of being judged than outright hostile toward black people. Most of all, we both had so many awesome biracial friends at Smith that I really do think that it is unfair to make Jessica a touchstone.
Also, I want Betty to be okay with choosing her own identity and standing up to people who would tell her that she cannot be both black and white. I want her to be able to say, “No, I totally can. I’m just waiting for you to figure that out, cuss word.”
At this point, I think that I might be a little disappointed if she chose to identify as black, b/c of peer pressure or because “other people” view her as black. I say, take a stand, lead the way, don’t let anyone else tell you who you are. It’s your choice.
In terms of Jessica, I disagree. She was actually got popular and had lots of friends. But there were white. It was very clear that she went out of her way to avoid black folks. Why? I cannot say for sure, but she did.
I think it is easiest to say that we will let our children choose their own identify. But the fact is, as parents we influence that choice and need to be honest about that. Of course I plan to let my kids choose their own identities and I will encourage them to do so. But I also plan to make active efforts to expose them to black culture, art, history, etc. And that is influential. I know that and I own that.
But this article isn’t really about their choice as much as it is about making sure that they understand (and be prepared for) that others will try to take that choice away. Because that is the world we live….decidedly not post racial. And they should not be afraid when that happens or afraid to stand up for their choice.
Okay, we’re going to have to agree to disagree about “Jessica,” b/c that little girl was NOT popular. She had like five friends. She certainly wasn’t as popular as you were. I remember it took me forever just to remember her name, and I kept on forgetting that she even attended the school until she started the multiracial club.
I do agree with influencing how our children think about race. However, I’m becoming more concerned with raising Betty to have a strong personality, tho, so that she doesn’t bend in the wind to whatever society dictates.
Though, I will say that a lot of this discussion is frustrating for me, b/c it’s like we make all these decisions today even though we have no idea what our children are going to be like as they get older. It feels the same as when I was reading all these books before I had Betty, and then instead of becoming an attachment parent, I ended up mostly winging it and calling Monique every other day for advice when I saw the situation on the ground. I think a lot of this will involve figuring it all out as we go along. Seriously how many parents decide to raise their kids one way and end up going another way. Can any of us really “prepare” our children for everything they might encounter: love, race, drugs, sexuality, feminism, self-esteem (but not too much) — there’s already such a long list. Where do we begin
Listen, I am definitely not claiming to have all the answers. But I think I owe it to my children (and this is a very personal decision for any parent) to prepare them as much as I can for the world around them. For me, preparation comes in the form of honest dialogue about race. My husband and I have never shied away from the hard discussions about race and we won’t start now. I hope to include and engage my kids in those conversations. In addition, I plan to try and educate them on racial politics and what that means in America. What will that “curriculum” look like? Who knows. Maybe it will be reading Political Physics on Fierce and Nerdy. The major point is we will talk, discuss and talk some more. And I will keep it real with them, even when that is scary and ugly. And I’ll do that because I love them something fierce and I want to do what I can to protect them as much as possible.
Will that shield them from racism? No. Will that make sure that have snappy retorts to racist comments? Not sure. But at a minimum, they won’t be like a deer caught in the headlights like Tiger Woods during the Master’s press conference when they asked about Fuzzy’s comments.
Can we prepare for them everything? Of course not. But that does not mean I should try. A good friend of mine used to say that “nothing beats a failure, but a try.” I plan to try to prepare my kids as best I can to deal with a society that is far from post racial even if that means I am using a spoon to throw water out of a sinking ship. Why? Because my kids are worth it.
I come from an interracial family although I myself am not biracial. I have siblings and nieces and nephews that are black and white. I think it would be lovely if a child could state with certainty and pride that they’re bi-racial. The truth of the matter is that no matter what they choose, society will always label them based on what they see and who their parents are. Saying you’re half white when no white is visible leads to society rejecting the racial component that is not detectable to the eye. Halle is considered black because her white features are less apparent while Mariah is considered white because she’s fairer. When Nicole Ritchie declared she was black no one took her seriously. Why not? Why wasn’t she allowed to decide? These decisions about identity are usually decided based on skin tone, eye color and hair texture alone. Is Christina Aguilera a Latina? No one thinks so. Why not? Because her Spanish side is hidden. Being biracial is tough because what you feel may not be the way the world treats you. We all live in the world and can’t escape its influences. Barack once said that he’s black because in the middle of the night with a hood on his head he still can’t catch a cab. So sad. The world is changing but it hasn’t changed. But here’s to progress.
the Super Sistah
http://www.thesupersistah.wordpress.com
Super Sistah, I could not have said it better myself! As a parent of two biracial children I suspect you are right that what my children feel they are may not be the world treats them. I think Barack Obama is an interesting example. Throughout his campaign the focus was on the fact that he was biracial. Yet after he became president, he was black. Does it matter how he defines himself when he will more than likely go down in history as the “first black president?”
One thing I do appreciate about Halle’s comments from the Ebony interview is recognizing that her daughter will make her own decision about how she chooses to identify in the future. Even though I was born in Boston, I HIGHLY doubt that my parents (Nigerian immigrants) will ever fully embrace my identity as “Black” or “African-American” but that doesn’t disrupt our relationship and it doesn’t make me feel like any less their child.
MMKV,
Thanks for posting this. My comment is going to come from a completely different perspective–not as a parent, but as a professor of Black politics. I know that academia has its limited view, but every year I teach my students they really push me to think more broadly about race. I’ve always taught my classes with a focus on the diversity that exists within the black community. But when I first started that mostly included dealing with gender and class difference. But, in the last couple of years I’ve worked to incorporate readings on black immigrants and biracial politics–mostly because students always ask about it. And like your stats suggest, it is a growing demographic and its important to think about.
My experience with working with young people, is that they are way more comfortable and understand biracial/multiracial identity than people in our generation. I’ve had multiple biracial students in my black politics courses that identified as such, but were actively involved in black organizations on campus. They were no Jessicas. My small sample is not much, but I suspect by the time you and etc’s kids are old enough to start dealing with racial identity it will have shifted even more. I think among their peers the “choosing” will likely occur in a more friendly environment (this should not be read as my endorsement of post-racial rhetoric).
p.s. Obama is considered the first “black” president because he identified himself as a black man. I read a quote early on in his campaign that he chooses to identify as black. So, if that is what he calls himself than that is what I will call him.
Katrina, thank you for this comment. I have so much to say now, that I’m going to have to beg off and just make this my blogumn topic for tomorrow. Just wanted to let you know that I appreciate your perspective. I love hearing that it really is getting better for biracial kids as time goes by. And like you, I often suspect that our children might actually have healthier views about race than ours does.
And with the speed at which the biracial population continues to grow, it is no wonder that the perspective on racial politics for my children will be completely different than my own. Hell, think about how different my grandmother’s perspective on race is versus my own. I remember when I was in high school begging my Nana Gin to stop calling white people crackers! But she grew up in the deep south and it was hard for her. Fast forward years later and I think my whole family likes my husband more than they like me!
Katrina, thanks for the insights. It sounds like your experience with your students mimics that of the students interviewed in the NY Times piece. I agree that as we move from generation to generation (e.g., my moms to mines to my kids) the perceptions will change, particularly because the population of biracial people will continue to grow. Hopefully, with that growth and through professors like yourself, tolerance will evolve as well. But again, it is hard for me to perceive a vision of a post racial society in my lifetime. But I do hope for my children’s lifetime that if not post racial, perhaps racial tolerance.
It is funny about Obama. I remember that quote from early in his campaign. But then I remember that the campaign made every effort to focus on the biracial issue (e.g., parading his white family members around as often as possible). But then again, I heard that he selected African American on his 2010 Census form. So who knows.
MMKV, I definitely don’t think we are in a post racial America. And I applaud your decision to talk openly about race and racism to your children.
My point with my students is not that they think race is no longer relevant it’s that they see it more broadly than thru a black/white lens. I think in our generation broadening the lens meant, oh let’s also talk about Latinos and Asians. For my students it means let’s talk blacks, Lations, Asians, bi/multiracial, and immigrant peoples. They just seem more aware of the range of identities that exist along racial lines and are comfortable talking about those identities.
I take issue with the comment that “folks are going to see you as black so you should call yourself black” that others on here posted. I think a person can be aware of racism and identify as multiracial. It doesnt mean they are denying their blackness, but quite the opposite. And it seems my students and likely your children will be able to manage that complexity better and in much healthier ways then our generation.
Ugh, so sad that I didn’t get my thoughts together in time to write a blogumn today, but that’s exactly what I want to talk about. Basically, my thesis is that I think this is going to be more an issue for our generation than it is for the generation we’re “worried” about. In other words, this situation is more about Halle than it is about Nahla, who won’t Jessica out, b/c there will be so many other Nahlas. Also, out of curiosity, I looked up Jessica on Facebook. She turned out really well. I mean really, really well and is now doing more good than most people out there. I can’t go into it without giving away her identity, but I if she’s the worst case scenario, then I’m not scared at all for Betty.
@Katrina, I agree that you can be aware of racial politics and yet identify as multiracial. And in fact, that is exactly what I wish for my kids! And I am happy to hear that you students see beyond the “black and white” discussion to all of the other identities caught up in racial politics in the United States and beyond.
@Ernessa, Jessica is still my nightmare. But I am glad to hear that she is doing well. And to be clear, the majority of biracial women I know (and I know a lot) are awesome! Jessica is that extreme example that can give a parent of a biracial child heart palpitations.
I think it depends on what the one drop consists of. I am biracial (half white, half something else — not black) and my children are 3/4 white and 1/4 something else. The idea that my blond, blue-eyed son would be considered anything but white by anyone who saw him is ludicrous. If he ever tries to join a MISC club or attend a meeting for people of color, I expect that a lot of people will challenge his presence.
I didn’t attend the pre-freshman orientation for people of color at my college — because I wasn’t invited. I was apparently not ethnic enough.
Yes, I often wondered how that got decided for BRIDGE. Did it have to do with self-identification? Who gets invited now that students are allowed to identify themselves as biracial on applications. We’ve started feeling out preschool applications for the little one and some have a biracial box and some just tell you to pick as many applies. Anyway, I’m going to discuss this more in tomorrow’s blogumn…
It has always been my understanding that Bridge was a self-identification issue. And hey, how are you gonna pull from my blog for your own! =)
Actually now I’m going to make it next Tuesday’s column. I have to think about it a little more.
I know I am like super late to the conversation but yes if you self-identified as a woman of color on your Smith application you were invited to BRIDGE and Discovery Weekend. Speaking of which when I was working at the Smith admissions office I had to bust a student (and her parents) who apparently checked the box that she was a women of color but when she came for Discovery Weekend she told everyone she wasn’t!
Very interesting Baby Smiling, to some degree I believe you are correct. However, I have known some biracial Asian women who where shunned by other Asians because they were considered white not Asian or black not Asian. But by in large, I think my premise applies more centrally for biracial people who are half black and something else.
re: pre-freshman orientations for people of color
1. did you “check the box” and identify yourself as a person of color on your college application?
2. a lot of colleges (especially pre-2005) concentrated their retention efforts on UMR students (underrepresented minorities). so if your something else is Asian you aren’t going to fall into that group unless perhaps you identify as South East Asian.
not that it excuses the lack of an invite but it might explain why you didn’t get one.
Monique! I found out about this blog through K. Gamble’s fb post. It’s good to hear that you are doing well. Thank you for hosting me during the spring Smith visit for high school seniors in 1997. This is not the most appropriate venue, but I have a strong interest in urban re/development and focused on that while a law school student. Are you a fb friend of K. Gamble? It would be great to speak with you to learn about your experiences in the industry.
Interesting. I’m black and from and Ohio. But I never thought of my children as also being black. I married an Iranian and I’d always thought of my kids as half Persian. My older son married a woman who is half German and half Filipino. So my grandson has a quarter part all these ethnicities, but by that one drop rule…all would be erased as if those cultures where not even a part of him. To me that would be sad.