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August 07, 2008

Are you 'biracial' or 'black with a white mom?'


Michelle Hughes’ mother is white and her father is black. Michelle describes herself as “biracial.” Some mixed-race people---such as Democratic presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Barack Obama----consider themselves “African American or black with a white mother.”  As Michelle explains in her essay, the way a mixed-race person with one black parent identifies is often the result of several factors, including whether the person feels pressure from some in the black community to identify as black. What I find interesting now is the pressure from some in the white community to get Obama to identify as biracial. In a recent e-mail, a reader told me that Obama excludes his white heritage when he describes himself as African American.  “This exclusion in effect alienates white voters and is a missed opportunity to connect with the U.S. voter population.” Michelle is an adoption attorney in Chicago and co-founder of Bridge Communications, Inc., a company specializing in diversity training for multiracial families. She offers her insights as one who refuses to define herself in any way that doesn’t include both of her parents.  This is Michelle Hughes’ essay:

A friend told me recently that my parents were a unique inter-racial couple. Even though my parents have been married for more than four decades, my mother, who's nearing 70, is still very much the optimistic white woman who grew up on a quiet Minnesota farm years ago in an all-white community. Being married to a black man hasn't altered her mannerisms or her speech pattern, or her "whiteness.” Similarly, my 82-year-old father in large part is still the black man who came of age in Texas during the Jim Crow South. He can tell you stories of white men demanding, "Take your hat off, boy, in my presence." He remains an advocate for racial justice as well as a dad who can't sit at a stoplight without reminding his children that a black man invented it.

My parents married two years prior to 1967 when it was still illegal in 14 states for them to do so.  When they had their three children, in keeping with the thinking of the day, my parents considered us "black with a white mom.”

As a child, I felt as though we were always on stage.  Whenever my family walked into a restaurant or visited a different church out of town, everybody stared. My parents' racial makeup was unmistakable. But what about their children: Were we black, white, or both? My family was also unique in our South Side Chicago neighborhood, and later in our suburban one. In the 5th grade, I remember explaining to a classmate that a black person and a white person could actually produce a child. So, at the ripe old age of 10, I found myself giving a dual lesson in sex education and being biracial.

Because I don't look particularly black or white, people often are curious about my racial makeup. Depending on the depth of my tan and if I’m wearing my hair curly, I could be labeled a light-skinned black person, a Latina or even an Italian.  Those curious try to figure it out by using coded language, such as 'What are you?' or 'Where did you come from?' or "Where are your parents from?" Rarely do people forthrightly just ask, 'What's your racial background?'

They may be confused, but I've always been clear about who I am.  When asked, I tell people that I'm biracial, or more precisely biracial via a black/white mix.  "Biracial" gives me the option of recognizing both of my parents; both of whom were very much a part of my development.

I do understand why some mixed race people identify as "black with a white mom. " If you look black, often it's simply less complicated to identify that way. It’s easier to just relent to how society will define you. Sen. Barack Obama has said that he considers himself African American because he looks African American. He jokes that, in the past, he's had difficulty hailing a cab.

Still,  "black with a white mom" is such a throwback to the old one-drop rule, which demanded that one drop of black blood so overwhelmed (and tainted) the white blood that it colored the person black. It seems offensive and derogatory to me to honor the rule.

And yet, the term biracial doesn't offer a cakewalk. It has social and political ramifications. "Biracial" sometimes plays poorly in the black community. Remember what happened to golfer Tiger Woods when he described himself as "Cablanasian," mixing his Caucasian, Black, and Asian ancestries? Some African Americans felt rebuffed because they wanted him to identify with them. At the very least, they wanted Woods--- the son of a black man and Asian woman---to see himself as "black with an Asian mom."

The whole "biracial" or "black with a white mom" nomenclature is such a product of this country's complicated and sordid racial past. There was a time when it was so objectionable to be black that some blacks wanted to be anything but. Some even claimed they were part Cherokee or latched on to some distant white lineage even when the evidence of such was little more than hearsay. So by the time black pride movement began, if you were biracial, considering yourself "black with a white mom" was important if you wanted to be part of a black community ever in the throes of redefining itself.

But times are changing. You could say that I was born into the multiracial movement. What started with social networking groups has since blossomed to combine a variety of organizations advocating for efforts ranging from those on behalf of racial justice to fair media depictions of multiracial people and multiracial families.

I sit on the board of the Association of Multiethnic Americans (AMEA, one of the oldest national multiracial family organizations in the country. AMEA was instrumental in changing the 2000 census to allow multiracial people to check all the boxes that applied.

Since Obama has gained national prominence, more people are recognizing biracialism. In recent months, many articles have been written on the subject.  Still, the candidate himself really hasn’t explored it much beyond what he’s written in his books. In short, his presence helps the movement by making us more visible. But he himself has been all-too silent.

These days, younger mixed-race people are anything but silent. More and more are inclined to define themselves in ways that represent both of their parents.

As for the Hughes family, my parents don't consider their three children "black with a white mom” anymore. They reared three independent thinkers who racially define themselves in various ways. My sister generally identifies as black. My brother has a complicated racial identity structure that starts with him being "human."

I will always be biracial. Like my father, I'm committed to advocacy and community outreach. Like my mother, I can look at the realities of a situation, see it clearly, and remain somewhat optimistic. Those are qualities that aren't particularly racial but necessary in moving forward when it comes to all matters of race.

You can learn more about Bridge Communications, Inc. at  www.bridgecommunications.org and about the Association of Multiethnic Americans (AMEA) at www.ameasite.org.


guess what peps we all come from the same people whom walked out of africa and went to live in different parts of the world and mother nature changed the way we look.period.

What I am tired of is still being judged based on my race and not who I am. I am not a "white girl", I have a black mother and a white father. It doesn't mean I think I'm better than you are and it doesn't mean that I think Im cute. I am freakin' fabulous. At my age I can think whatever I want to. Try and stop me. When I say that I am American nI have to listen to our terrible plight that I already know about. Don't yell at me and tell your children to talk to me any kind of way. Treat me as you would treat your mother. I am someone's mother too. Don't remind me constantly about how our children were taken from us. I already know this. Don't get so angry with me because if what our ancestors had to go through. I didn't put them in that situation. I didn't do a darn thing to anyone. My grandmother use to say "If you don't like what you see you can always wake up an see nothing." She was totally blind since middle age from diabetes. My inspiration was her. In some ways, I am her.
Don't you dare treat me otherwise.

Robert, I am curious as to how you would know that kids born if interracial marriages identify as black because their fathers drive it into their heads?

I was born in Iowa and am a full blooded Yugoslavian, and both of my parents are full blooded Yugoslavian as well. Whe I fill out those documents I fill in causasian because there isn't anything close to Yugoslavian, and I choose to not say other, because I identify with causasian.

With that being said...who carries the fetus? The mother. Who is the ambilical cord attached to? The mother. Who's blood is running through the new fetus? The mother's. If the mother is white, you are white. The reason most people who have a black father and a white mother say that they're black, is because their father drove it into their heads that that's what they are...PERIOD.

My skin is white, white, white. When I have to choose a race and am given the options African - American, Hispanic, Pacific Islander, Caucasian, etc, I generally go with other. Why? Because they leave out the fact that I am English and Swedish, primarily. All the others have a location/cultural background. Caucasian - what is that? I am not a skin-tone, I am a person with a family history of which I am proud. Biracial should not be considered a negative, neither should black or hispanic. But what of a child who is Swedish, Haitian, Hispanic, Asian. If they are dark skinned, blue eyed with straight brown hair, what are they? People, just like all of us.
Honor your dads and moms (and yes, you get your genes equally from Mom and Dad, if they are racially different then they will have biracial children, period. Or is Biracial the new slur?) I know deaf people who consider themselves hard of hearing, and other deaf who feel that is being a traitor to the deaf culture. We need to stop all of this labeling and name calling and just be people, humans, interesting individuals who have different pasts and futures. I am truly sorry this is even an issue. I am white skinned, but that is not who I am. I am me and I care about this issue, too..

I am of mixed race my mother is black and my father is white which still to this day is not commen. I guess I look at things alot different because my parents divorced when I was 2yr old and my mother got remarried to a black man. I was raised by all black people so when I am asked what I am I tell people I am mixed but consider myself black. Alot of people question me about that and I don't feel like I have to explain myself but the truth of the matter is society has labels for everyone and everything and every since I can remember in school i always had to put other. Even when I went to get my drivers license i had to choose a race and still do! I feel like I should not have to choose but i did do to where i grew up at in the mid-west. If there would have been a box to check that said human that is the one i would have marked and still when having to fill out anything pertaining to me i will write in human. I don't believe anyone who is mixed should have to choose but still in our society today we do and that is the truth. I think it is so funny that people alway comment on how beautiful i am and as soon as there done they are guessing what races i am and it blows my mind that this county is still hung up on color and race! I really hope one day that race will not be a issue but i personally believe that race will always be a issue do to society.

I am a biracial teen. 13 years old matter of fact. But, this whole race thing has always made me upset. In my opinion and I think the world should view biracial children in this way. (my mom's white and my dad's black) I am black, but I am also white. NOT HALF BLACK OR HALF WHITE. 100percent black and 100percent white. I am proud of my heritage and skin color. I get frusturated though when people say... "so what are you, black or white?" "Pick a race!" First of all, it is rude and very sad to have to go through this almost everyday and second of all it is none of heir buisness. I m what I am. I'd answer them simply saying that I am HUMAN. Skin color should never have been an issue from the beginning if time. I feel insecure sometimes when I get comment like that. It makes me question what I am. But I always (eventually) am able to tell my self that i am black and white. and no matter what anyone does or says, they cannot change that.


about obama, i think that the reason why there has been such urge for him to acknowledge his white heritage is because now that he's made into such a supreme position and his given black people and basicallu people that are non white so much pride as he has broken the mould. The typical white (not all) what to claim some of this glory back by saying "he's half white" it happens in all situation like with tiger before he got good he was black now his the best he's biracial, lewis hamilton the racer before he got good he was blk when he got to the top he was mixed race. It happens all the time when the blk people get to the top the typical bring out the mixed race card. look at all these black female actors and singers, beyonce, Rihanna, when they first started out they looked black i saw a poster of rihanna and her skin was pale they have to make her look mixed race same with Beyonce they made her look like she had Green eyes :S I bet they're just waiting for a white gre gre great great grandmother of the william sisters!!

Well i'm mixed raced as i have white, chinese, black and indian in me. but i never tell anyone this unless someone asks because i feel closer to my black community i have no connections with any of the other races and neither do my parents when my blk and chinese dad married my white, black and inidan mum they both leaned more to the black community. and I don't see why people should be offended because of this, i wear my hair in braids so i look more black and i do things the black way. The way i chose to describe myself is personal and has so much more to do with where i feel i belong rather than what i look like.

I think the reason for this is because to be white you have to be white, a pure strain of white, which is why mixed race (bi-racial) people say there black because they are simply not white. Once white mixes with something else it is no longer white. but in the black community there are so many different shades of black which is probably why they say they're black. About Obama, i just feel that he's closer to his African American heritage hence the black wife; as most mixed race people especially when raised by white mothers tend to be lacking in acknowledgement of their black community. E.g not eating the soul food, not knowing how to cook soul food, discipline etc

Im mixed race, african american father, white mother. I get tired of people telling me im black. I feel as though with any other thing, when you mix two things together, it makes something totally and completely different, so im not black im not white, im really other. and I think its shutting out my white mother by saying im just black. but just like so many other races, brazil and puerto rico is made up of mixed race people, mostly black& white. this race thing is stupid and confusing! we are just humans. thats why its important to erase the color lines.

I am biracial. My father is Black, my mother is German and was born in Germany. I consider myself Black. I do so because my dominate environment is Black. My comfort zone is Black.

Due to the laws against interracial marriage, my parents were not allowed to get married when I was born (1958). My father was in the military, I have a document signed by my father that lists all the states he and my mother were not permitted to travel to. Although the laws were changed in 1966 and my parents were then married and my father was transfered to WA. I thank Washington state to be one of the few states that allowed us to live there as a family.

I have encountered racism from both Black and White; however the whites were more blatant of their racist behavior and comments towards me and my family.

I am a Black American, I don't relate to the labelling of being a African American. I speak, read and write German. I am proud of who I am. - An American.

I am also bi-racial. My mother is white and father is black. I have 3 sisters and 1 brother who are also mixed, My oldest sister has little to no color to her. My 2ND to oldest sister and my brother both look white with a little tan, My self and my younger sister are both "light skinned" with long hair like a white girl. Mixed kids DO NOT always come out darker than the mom!!.. But newho.. I have and as well as my brother and sisters have always considered our selves mixed. You as a baby, person, w.e are equal parts of your mothers genes and your fathers. Its wrong to choose on side. Recently a black woman called me ignorant because i do not consider my self "black". She said "you are what your father is so you are black!" this pissed me off a lot!! I hate when people try to classify me as one or the other. I think its ignorant of them to do so!!

I do not understand why Obama says he is African American. He is mixed and this hit me on a personal level how he takes credit for being the first black president and being a black man, when this is only half true. don't get me wrong i am behind him 100% but still, he shouldn neglect his heritage. I am quick to correct people when they try to give me credit for being a intelligent "black" girl. I am mixed and should be recognized as so!.

But yes what i am really on here for is to see if some one can find me proof that you are equally your mom and dad. And that race is not determined by your father. This woman constantly sneers her nose up at me for not claiming my self as black and she really needed to be educated on the topic.


Kelli. 18

as a biracial woman myself it seems that the whole call so race of people who calls themselves black or white has been blinded from the truth with other races in their blood that they do not know about at all some so call black folks has white in them some so call white folks have black in then the truth has been erased and hidden from their tribes becuas of the seperate regions they have roam on this earth i am not surprised at all my father who is a dark skinned man has roman blood in him it is only hidden like the truth mankind always believe the lies than the truth yet Jesus says the truth will set you free i know the truth and i have been always free.

The problem is that people need to mind there own business. Black folks need to stop making bi-racial people choose black. White folks need to stop making bi-racial people choose white. It's not your child then shut up. Mind your own business and live your own lives. You need to ask yourself how does choosing one race or another affects your life? Bottom line all these people need to get a life.

Michelle, most birth Certificates will list a person born with a Black Father and White Mother as Black ! My wife mother is whate and her father is black. Her birth certificate list her as Black. She was born is 1960.

Some people (white)said they would not VOTE for a Black man ! Please remember some people see color. I think it is GREAT Mr. Obama, see his self as a Strong and well educated Black man and Family man.

He could be Black or White ! He said he is black !
You said you are Bi Racial !

Something we have to remember, living in the Greatest country (America ) in the world. Will always have a race problem.

Could Sasha and Malia be racial ?


I am half black and half white I have a black dad and a white mom but I look more black than white so I identify with black but I dont deny that I am half white. But to me I saw the comment that Destinie posted and I have to say your wrong because people who have a white mom arent considered white and should have to be they can identify either way and for the record most of us mixed people actually turn out darker than our white moms like me so think about that for a second.

If my my children ever ask me which way to navigate to racialy i will definately never advise them to gravitate towards either side the (violent Blacks or Racists whites) But To Dip towards God who created them God Bless i wish i knew i shouldn't have been so selfish because my blood and grand fathers runs through their littel vein.

People, at least people here in America, have a long background of using race as a means of keeping the population boxed in and labeled.

As a white teenager attending a very "integrated" school (one of the first magnet schools in my city), I see first-hand that there are cultural differences between the white circle and the black circle. However, I also see many different circles within the "whites," different groups within the "blacks," and many many crossover relationships – both paternal and fraternal in nature. And this doesn't even recognize the major presence of Asian and Hispanic descendants in my school!

In the end, my friends range in color just as they range in personality and culture. I have crushes on boys – white, black, asian, hispanic. Beauty is not determined by skin tone or facial features — except that I don't think that! That is what they always say, to try and make us all feel nice and homogenous. But what I really think is this: people are beautiful because they have beautiful characteristics – skin of dark luster or skin of palest porcelain, slinky-straight hair or ecstatically curling hair. This is the only humanity, and variants on the theme.

I am the white mother of two beautiful bi-racial children. Their father is african-american. My son is 3 and hasn't noticed race yet..... My daughter is 5 and told me today that she wishes she had "blond" hair. I was so shocked I didn't know what to say, I don't even have blond hair, no one in my family does. When I asked her why she wished that she said her 2 friends at school have blond hair and it was easy to comb. My daughters hair is very curly and tangles easily. I guess I just want to make sure that I give my daughter everything she needs to be confident and proud of who she is.

I am a son of a black dad and white mom, when i was in school and my teachers would tell us to check a box for which race i was i would always ask " which box do i check?" and i would be told to check 'other' so i did. now i have Other tattooed onto my back to represent both my black and white parents.

When asked what race(s) I am, I say "Type B" ... because that's what type of blood i have. If this doesn't answer their question...I have no idea why I'm talking to this person.

Nice to hear your personal story Michelle..
We're MUCH more accepted in Minnesota than down here.



i have green eyes and ...
i have a white grandfather on my dads side and a black mother i dont look white i just have light eyes i want to know if im biracial or not ??

Great article. I always identified in the middle. And the middle was weird, but here is something that made me feel a little more identifiable... Mixed Chicks hair products (www.mixedchicks.net). They not only make me proud, but they work!!! No frizzy poof anymore!!!!!

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