Why is Obama Black?
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If my wife and I ever have any children, they would be neither “brown” nor “yellow” but something else entirely (I am South Asian and my wife is Taiwanese). So, why do people perceive Barack Obama as black? His mother is fully white as far as I know and he’s biracial and both white and black. Why is everyone referring to him as the first black person to have a real chance at winning the presidency?
As the furor over the racial remarks by a pastor associated with Obama rages on, I am really curious about this. Obama is definitely the first half-black person to have a chance at becoming president but he’s not fully black. Maybe the Obamans in the audience can shed some light to this mystery.
Remember Halle Berry and her remarks about being a black woman when she won the Oscar? I think that having a certain degree of African American looks guarantees you one kind life experience in this country. On the flip side I suppose there were the initial mumblings among blacks that Obama was not black enough.
My wife’s cousin’s kid is a South Asian and Chinese mix. According to them, in South Asian company he looks Chinese and vice versa. So I think in large part, your race is defined by how you are perceived within the context of the dominant culture/media.
Three words: One Drop Rule.
My theory is that what colour society sees you as depends on where that ethnic group sits within that society’s hierarchy . For example, if the dominant ethnic group is European (economically & politically) purity of race comes to the fore in defining who you are. Thus mixed race individuals end up belonging to their ‘other’ heritage.
So the ‘top’ ethnic group becomes exclusive and the ethnic groups at the bottom of society end up inclusive. Numerous examples of this. eg. Blacks and American Indians in the US, Aborigines in Australia and Maoris in New Zealand. A person belonging to these ethnic groups might have 3/4 of his/her genes from European ancestory but the top ethnic group (in these example Whites) would still see them as a Aborigine, Maori, etc.
Given the same genetic makeup, would he be still perceived as black if he looked just like a white person. In that case he could have been perceived as multiracial or even white with black heritage.
“His mother is fully white as far as I know and he’s biracial and both white and black.”
I do not understand this. Just because his mother is white, why you say he like both man and woman? He happily married, so plees dont call him biracial. Is not correct. Also, why you say he both white and black? Maybe he is brown, or grey, but white and black? That would make him like zebra, and he definitely not like zebra. Such a handsome man. Now, now pleas dont say I also biracial he he he… I likes the ladies oh yeah.
I agree - Obama is not black. He is bi-racial, just as much as my daughter is bi-racial. However he has chosen to identify himself much more closely with the black community. He wrote extensively about his black roots (after spending a lot of time and energy thinking and researching it), he has chosen to do community service in predominantly black neighborhoods, married an true African-American woman. His chosen identity is black and perhaps that is why people identify him as such - I think it respectful to do so.
In her adulthood, if my daughter chooses to express her jewish identity as much as her White American identify and mask her Hindu and Indian identity - that will be her choice. She could certainly do that - Hopefully she will do it with as much conviction as Mr Obama does with his chosen identity. I certainly know of those who have struggled with their dual identities - belonging to both, never embracing either. Obama has not shown this problem.
Most of you (sorry, Borat) make very valid points and I think my question has been answered to my satisfaction. I am especially intrigued by the One Drop Theory referred to above (thanks tafkap).
I don’t think there is a problem if someone of such a background doesn’t feel as much conviction about a racial identity as Obama does. (Though I am not as convinced about his conviction to the black race as you are. See here — WSJ.) It’s just what it is. In 200 years or so, the world as we know today will be liberally spilled with drops from all the races leading humanity to devise new “drop theories.”
For once I was thanked, but the credit goes to papi.
Ah, indeed. Must have been feeling dyslexic yesterday. Thanks, papi.
You’re very welcome. The one-drop rule is fascinating for many reasons. At its core, it’s about exclusion of mixed races, but it can also be used for aggressive inclusion (the wiki entry referenced above has more on this topic.) For example, some years back, when Tiger Woods referred to his racial makeup as “Cablinasian”, he faced a firestorm of criticism from the Black community for selling out his roots, even though he was merely embracing every aspect of it.
Some of the comments above referenced Asian-White or Asian-South East Asian mixed-race individuals. I don’t think that’s an accurate comparison with reference to Obama. The racial wounds of the Black and White communities in the US are far deeper than those between other races, which makes acceptance by the community in question much more difficult. To be part of a community, it’s not enough for the individual to accept his membership in the group, it’s equally (if not more) important for the community to accept him, and therein lies the rub.
I agree with Borat. Obama is such a handsome man, totally hot. Black, white, grey, brown, who cares.
he’s hot
John’s Uncle, maybe the term Afakasi should be introduced, a ea?
On another “hot” personality: how does the world perceive The Rock? Is he black or is he Samoan?
Obama is apparently related to several US Presidents and even Winston Churchill through his white mother. See the US Today article.
“His distant cousins include President George W. Bush and his father, George H.W. Bush, Gerald Ford, Lyndon Johnson, Harry S. Truman and James Madison. Other Obama cousins include Vice President Dick Cheney, British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill and Civil War General Robert E. Lee.”
http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2008-03-25-obama-clinton-brangelina_N.htm
Apparently he is more ‘presidential’ by blood than Hillary Clinton.
Zen, why not take that one step further. Does environment or genetics determine who you are? For example, there are many Chinese girls raised by Tamil families in Singapore. The girls dress like Tamils (saris, etc), talk Tamil and go to the Temple. Do people view them as Tamils or Chinese?
Environment and genetics may not determine who you are but they certainly affect the other’s pre-determined perceptions about you.
What is the answer to the question? I am curious to know. Tamils or Chinese?
As I said, in pre-determined perceptions if people see these oriental-looking girls dressing up in saris, without listening to what language they are speaking, they would not think “Chinese” or “Tamil”, they would actually immediately think “Mizoram” or “Nepalese” because of the sari.
I have a friend who is of Indian descent, but was adopted as a baby by a Tongan family. She was raised as a Tongan, speaks like a Tongan, thinks like a Tongan and in all ways considers herself a Tongan. And we don’t view her as anything but a Tongan because we know her, but anyone else seeing her would immediately jump to the conclusion that she is Indian.
Obama is golden!
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/06/09/btsc.obama.race/index.html
In America an individual with 1/8 blood is legally black, that how US law defines black or African American. We as people have to realize that Obama has a white mother and a truly African father. Hence he would not be a typical African American as people in the US define African Americans. Africa is a continent Obama’s father is Nigerian or something. This would make Obama biracial but white and Nigerian not African American (as the term means to the majority). Remember that the generic term African American was given to black American’s because there is little or no record of what there heritage actually is. Somewhat African American sounds decent but it really a watered down version of Nigger, Negro. What do characteristics do black Americans have that are African? Think about the dna change do to mixing with white American’s and Native American’s. The gene pool is different entirely then what is in Africa.
Obama is a safe cop out to American’s who don’t really want a black/African American president. Obama is not a black American but his skin is black.
Eh?? What imbecile comment, i dont understand? We only see his skin, but maybe his how you say gall bladder also black. Why that matter?
You say Obama not black American because only his skin black, you want his heart also to be black? Then Dick Cheney would be first black vice president, no?
In responding to Borat’s comment (#22), I think what most people are failing to remember is that being African American (or Black) encompasses more ground than simply skin color. It also encompasses a shared culture, experience, and heritage.
Secondly, I wish to speak to the issue of the usage of the term biracial and why some (or many) Black Americans just make reference to a person as being Black and dont use term biracial too much except perhaps in formal environments and to ensure that they dont offend the white mothers of Black (biracial) kids. This again as stated previously is because the one drop rule has been a part of the landscape of this country for centuries. This has become a part of Black American heritage, identity, and culture for us. It is not meant to deny white mothers or deny the child the right to identify with a white parent.
If you strip that peice away, then few African Americans (if any) could say that they are fully Black because of miscegination and other factors. Most Black folks can say that they are Black, White, and Native American and look no different than Tiger Woods or for that matter in some cases a Wesley Snipes.
The one drop rule was forced upon us and has been used to identify us for a variety of reasons. To strip it away late in the game “somewhat” strips away the communal spirit of Black culture within the landscape of the United States.
One Drop Rule: This rule was created during the time of slavery in our country. The rule basically stated that a person with as little as one drop of black blood in their heritage was to be considered black.thats so true. for years we have been identified as black rather the amount of black you have in you. but now the its a big issue the one drop rule because obama is president. now if he had not been elected he still would have been that black man. now i have a tongan and black baby i concider him mixed but it depends on what side of his family he’s on at the time. But are they wrong for just saying his black because he has black in him. or saying he’s tongan because he looks more poly than anything.
I find this topic unsettling.. I would think Prez Obama would address the biracial/Black/White issue at hand. In my eyes he is not the first Black Prez. B/C he is not 100% black. He mother is white as everyone knows. I think he is being disrespectful in the fact he does not acknowledge this part of him.. Yes, he looks more black than white BUT biologically speaking is he is half black and half white.. I noticed when he addresses a black audience he speaks differently. Like almost with a southern drawl but then when he speaks to a white or mixed crowd he speaks like a ivy league grad.. Oprah does the same thing… I am happy he is prez but focus on the economy, war, etc. Not just race and fashion. Yea, Michelle looked great but who cares!! Focus America, we are slowing sinking and need to tread water quickly..
Ref to comment 24. Nope… I dont think that they are wrong persee. I am only speaking up b/c as an African American we take the brunt for everything bad that comes out of the culture and never (or rarely) get the fruits created out of the culture. When things get mainstream acceptance, then all of a sudden, the African American, Black, or Negro roots are underplayed, forgotten or erased. Its only when mainstream America falls out of love with them or the subject at hand that they are again associated with Black culture…. This happens consistently. My beef is that its not very fair….but who says life is anyway.
Obama is as much white as he is black, just because he chooses to deny his white heritage doesn’t change his status. He is the first bi-racial president, being that he is not 100% black or white. It is a disgrace to his white mother & grandparents, that he chooses to deny them.
i don’t think he is denying his white heritige. I think he just hasn’t been around many white people as much as black.
obama is a good president and i feel he should be more respected than this.
The thing that I think that many of you in the non-black community are missing or choosing to ignore is that the people that are refered to as Black Americans or African Americans have a heritage that is no different from that of Barack Obama…. 99% of ALL African Americans have a black, white, and some other racial mixture….