Is Obama black or white?
Asked by
ohcednym (
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)
August 13th, 2009
Someone asked me “How can we say Obama is black?”
I curiously asked “What do you mean by that?”
“Well one of his parents are black and one is white so he’s equally white as he is black”
I replied and said “How do you know one of his parents are black and one is white?” He said “I’ve seen them.”
What I was getting at is if you define someone’s race as the races of their parents, then you have to define their parents race off the race of their parents and so on and so on.
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55 Answers
Why make it so complicated? He’s a bi-racial person. I get where you’re going with the extrapolation, but then you can also say with that logic that every white person isn’t really white because eventually we all trickle up to Africa!
@dynamicduo
I would say you know someone’s white/black due to the reason we can see if they are, the same with baldness.
Well then, you use the same logic to identify people. Look at their parents. You don’t need to know if their parents are “pure blood” or not because I’ve just illustrated that we are all not pure blood. Not to mention, it is bordering on rude and presumptuous to investigate someone’s ethnic identity like this without their consent.
All I can see is that he’s a shade of brown. That’s all anyone can see – any ethnic label you give him is based on your own idea of what it means to be white and what it means to be black.
@dynamicduo
So would you agree if something is rude then it’s not true or not what people think?
To me he looks black and I wouldn’t care if both his parents are black, white, etc, because he looks black.
I think he’s secretly pink… Just a hunch.
Does it matter if Obama is white or black? I think he may be red under his skin
Simple. He’s mixed race. Like @dynamicduo said, why complicate it.
His HTML color code is #A56805.
All I see when I look at Obama is the president of the United States of America. Whatever shade he happens to be is unimportant. I didn’t even vote for him but I still support him being in one of the toughest jobs in the world next to motherhood.
Maybe the person was not referring to his color, but the stereotypes he/she associates with each race.
According to past US laws at their most extreme, someone was considered black if they had 1 drop of blood from a black person. By that rule more of us would be black than we think.
From Wikipedia’s article on African American: “In preparation for the United States 2010 Census, a marketing and outreach plan, called 2010 Census Integrated Communications Campaign Plan (ICC) recognized and defined African Americans as black people born in the United States.” Which I think is crazy because it defines someone as African American based solely on skin color and does not take into account the individuals actual connection (both genealogical and desired) to Africa.
He bleeds red, and thats all that matters. Hehehehehehe…
Not seriously though, I don’t hope he gets killed or anything
@dynamicduo – Bi-racial isn’t a term I’d use. Obama is Post-racial. I just hope the rest of America catches up soon. Race is not an obsolete concept, but it needs to be.
I’ve said this before, but I’m Puerto Rican, Malaysian, Spaniard and Black. Because it’s so hard to pin down any one ethnicity (and calling Obama and I one thing or another would be incorrect, regardless), I think we can all just use the simple term: American. Or human. Or person.
HOWEVER.
Only a fool would tell you that Obama ain’t a brown man. Dude’s brown. Does that make him “black”? Physically, I suppose. In a way. Beyond that, I think we’re stepping on toes in terms of coming quite close to pegging down social expectations on an ethnicity. Calling him black beyond skin color (he’s more a coffee color, to be honest) would be projecting all these stereotypical ideas of what a “black” man is onto him. And that ain’t cool.
@theichibun The term African American…I mean there are white people in Africa. My neighbor was African American, came to the states when she was16, blond, blue eyes, Barbie cute. I guess I understand that there was an effort to not classify black people by the color of their skin, because we don’t do that with anyone else officially, but it still is not the perfect term. But I find fault with all of these labels we put on racial groups. My husband’s grandparents are Israeli, Spanish and French, so he is white, EXCEPT his grandparents migrated to Mexico, so he is Hispanic, but if they had come directly to USA he would be just white. I guess now we say Hispanic and white/caucasianm as opposed to Hispanic black to futher define.
@Grisaille you said it well, better than my one sentence 5 posts above.
I am always thankful for kind words coming from you. :]
This question was just asked a week ago.
There were some really thoughtful answers. Technically, the President is biracial. How he styles himself is up to him.
The thing is his father was African, I don’t remember from what country? This makes things different I think, different than if his father was American and black? I don’t know how American blacks feel about this statement? But, my friends who have come here, who are black, from the islands, or other countries, don’t feel they have much in common ethnically with American Black people who have been here for generations. I really need to read Obama’s books to understand how he pictures himself. He is black because he is. I mean you look at him and he is a black man, but nobody in my circle of friends thinks about his color at all, it is a non-issue. I have blue eyes and brown hair, it’s the same, it’s a fact.
@Marina I think its ultimately how people want to classify him rather than how he styles himself. He is accepted by the African American community, because his looks fit in with the AA community. Other people classify him as AA based on his appearance, so he goes with it and embraces it. It easier than saying “Even though I don’t really look like it and you wouldn’t classify me as that, I’m really white.” No doubt he knows as much about his white relations as he does his AA relations.
Then again, there are those who don’t think he’s African American at all, but that’s a whole different can of worms.
@JLeslie I’m shocked that you’ve drowned out the shrill cries of the Birthers. He’s Kenyan :P
@avvooooooo I think it is almost impossible not to acknowledge you are part of a minority group when all of society puts you there. So, I am agreeing with you. As for him not being African American, he is closer to African roots than most AA’s in our country ironically. His mother is American no matter where he was born, and had the option for citizenship even if born outside of the country (which I think we would agree the idea that he was not born in America is an annoyance at this point).
Dark skin + Typical facial facial features. Simple. Black.
What confuses me, or what I wonder about it this. I had never really even HEARD anyone ever in my life argue that someone who was half black and half white wasn’t “really” black until Obama came along. My whole life, whenever I’d see a black person of ANY shade, people around me would refer to that person as “black”. I lived with the whole “one drop of black paint in a can of white” philosophy permeating my culture for decades. Then all of a sudden people start talking about how Obama could be the “first black President” and all of a sudden the loonies come out of the woodwork (probably the same ones who don’t believe he was born in the US) and say, “well, TECHNICALLY, he’s not black…”
I suspect, and I could be wrong, but I suspect that over 90% of this is people who really don’t like Obama for whatever reason, be it that they don’t like his politics, be it that they don’t like the idea of a black man running the country, whatever it might be that makes them dislike Obama, and they feel powerless, and the only way they can feel better is to cut him down a notch wherever they can, so they seek to deny him the designation of “first black President”. I tend to see the “he’s not really black” claim in the same light as “he’s a closet Muslim” or “his health care reform is going to euthanize old people,” or “he’s treated like the Messiah,” or “he has no experience” or “he’s not eligible to be the President.” It’s kind of the same mentality as all the “impeach Clinton” signs I used to see well before the world even heard of Monica Lewinsky….people wanted to impeach him just because they didn’t like him, they didn’t need a legal justification to push for that. In politics it seems that whomever is in power is subject to all sorts of loony accusations, and people will use any sort of verbal gymnastics they can to cut their opponent down to size, even if that means that people who have their entire lives subscribed to the one drop of black paint theory, now that a mixed race person is President, feel they suddenly have to get granular to point out that he doesn’t deserve certain recognition.
@dalepetrie I think it is much more basic than that. I think that as the most prominent African American in U.S. history, Obama’s genealogy and what labels he and others use to designate his race are topics of the moment.
I also think our culture is coming to terms with an ever-more frequent blending of races that makes mockeries of the old labels.
While it’s true that our country is long overdue for a dialog on race, I tend to suspect there’s still a pretty big element out there who are Obama haters and can’t bring themselves to say anything positive about him. “First black President?” HELL NO, we can’t let him take that title, he’s ALREADY treated like the friggin’ Messiah! I know it happens, I’ve seen it…I know people who weren’t shy about saying “I’d never vote for a nigger” who now say, “well, technically he’s not black.” I’m guessing that’s a big part of it, and I’m also guessing there are some people legitimately coming to terms with the use of labels and what they mean. I suspect there are a number of knee jerk liberals who hate that we even HAVE labels who really legitimately just want to bring the discussion to a point of lineage who might point out his heritage, but I suspect this discussion by and large is no more sincere than most of the things his political enemies are throwing at him right now.
Still with this question. Barak is whatever he says he is. If he identifies black, then he’s black. Other biracial people might choose to call themselves white, or they might not even choose.
@dalepetrie Your answer was a bit of a surprise to me, I had not thought it was the people who hate him were the ones saying he is not really black. When I hear people say this I really think they mean he is educated, well spoken, and doesn’t fit in with the negative stereotypes people put on blacks. Black people will say to other blacks that they act white or are trying to be part of the white world. I hate all of that, but it exists, I really think it has more to do with that line of thinking. I never thought an ounce of black means you are black (I’m 41) I thought it meant you have some black ancestors. The government might classify you as black, but I don’t think so? I think you have to be an 1/8? Feel free to corrrect me. Although, I think any bit of Polynesian trumps all, or at least it did back when I learned about this stuff in high school. The Government also lets you go to college for free at certin schools if you are a minimum 1/8 Native American if I rmember correctly.
@JLeslie – I don’t disagree that some people say he’s not black because he doesn’t fit black stereotypes, but of course to my way of thinking that is just as bad. In fact, I think we may be talking about the same people. People like you and I don’t really see colors first and individuals second, we see it the other way around. So, we know (and have seen) that there are plenty of stupid, lazy white people and plenty of articulate, highly educated blacks. Those who are stupid enough to believe the stereotype into which a guy like Obama would not fit are probably also the same ones who said in the campaign “I ain’t votin’ for no nigger,” because they saw him as B-L-A-C-K, and who NOW say, “well, he isn’t REALLY black because his mom was white.” THESE are the people who have traditionally felt that one drop of black paint in a bucket of white makes you black. I never harbored that sterotype. As for government classification, I think for most purposes there aren’t hard and fast rules (like those self identification forms you are asked to fill out anonymously when you apply for a job), but if you want to apply to a scholarship that is for a minority group, or some sort of protected classification, to give you some special rights (such as native Americans and casinos), various affirmative action preferences and what not, yes, I believe it is 1/8. But I’m saying Joe Sixpack (or perhaps Joe the Plumber is more accurate), would see a person with enough African heritage to have “black” features as being “black”, even if that is only a very small percentage of their makeup. Race is more about self-identity in this culture…in fact I was listening to this story several months back about this new genetic testing they can do to see where your ancestry hails from. This person, who considered herself at least 97% black, that’s what her parents were, that’s what their parents were, etc., had 0% African heritage…her ancestors were from the middle east but somewhere along the way they began to self identify as African in heritage. And re that 1/8, let’s say your great grandfather was a black man, but maybe, to borrow and flip a phrase from the racists, he had a slaveowner in the woodpile somewhere. Your Great Grandpappy wasn’t 100% black, but you thought he was, his kids though he was, and his grandkids thought he was, and you’re not going to get turned down for special preference on your application forms. Anyway, I’m sure there are some who like him who say ‘he’s not black’, but I’ve seen those who hate him show their hypocrisy first hand and flip from not liking him because he’s black to not acknowledging him as being black. Trust me, racists are stupid, consistency means NOTHING to them.
@dalepetrie Wow. This ability to flip, lack of consistency as you call it, just pisses me off! I really did not think about it how you have stated things, thank your for your comment. I agree with the “features” in the sense that as I kind of stated above if society sees you a certain way, you might as well accept it and be educated about it. It doesn’t mean you have to identify personally that way, I think each person has a right to choose what identifies them (or should that be themselves? My English skills are lacking) especially if society puts you into a minority group box that has some hate or misunderstanding directed at the group, I think it is good to know what that stems from.
Middle east, Africa, Central Asia all very close geographically, so not very surprising that could get jumbled up, I’m sure the people moved around.
One of my close girlfriends who is black is the darkest one in her family. She is great granddaughter of a slave owner. She had an uncle who was a doctor and lived as a white man. One time when she went to visit her ailing mother in the hospital in Jacksonville, FL she over heard one nurse say to another, “that’s nice that her girl came to visit her.” They did not mean daughter. This was in the early 1990’s.
Ok, what really gets me about this question is that you asked, “How do you know one of his parents are black and one is white?”
…how could you not know that?
I’m not one of the people who supports this mindset, but..
Honestly, you really can’t know for sure. We know that the woman who raised him is white, sure. But you don’t know 100% that she’s the one who pushed him out of her ahem.
@Sarcasm what do we need a DNA test now? I know you said you do not support this mindset, I jut have not heard that comment before. She is the mother on the birth certificate, there are birth announcements in the local paper, AND no matter what his biology is he was raised by a white mother and white grandparents so no matter what he is bicultural.
Pushed her out of her schmoopiepapoopie.
Well we know there are plenty of people who don’t believe his birth certificate is legit. So I don’t know how helpful it would be to show it.
he’s a dude with a black parent and a white parent.
…
@Sarcasm: Why are you giving that mindset any credibility? It doesn’t even deserve to be considered. Wtf.
@Sarcasm What birth certificate? We never even saw it.
@pikipupiba There is a birth certificate. I think it is posted oline somewhere, I heard that but never looked for it. I guess people are complaining it is the “Short form” but the republican governor of Hawaii and other officials have seen and said it is what Hawaii issues and that it is legitmate AND they have copies from archived newspapers of the birth announcement in Hawaii newspapers. Do you really think his mother figured he would be president one day and would need to be born within the 50 states.
Plus, these birthers a and my friends for that matter who don’t believe he was born in America trusted Bush to protect America, never waivered or questioned his intention of wanting to keep America safe. I mean don’t you think if the President of the US thought there was any credibility that one of the people running for president was a Moslem Spy he would have had the CIA, FBI, and whomever else going after proper documents before he turned over highly classified state secrets to Obama? It doesn’t make any sense.
@JLeslie That’s wha worries me, is that there was no investigation. It doesn’t make sense.
@pikipupiba Well, we don’t know if there was no investigation. What we know is that Governors, congressman, and state officials have agreed that birth certificate is real. I am assuming (I know I should not assume) you think Bush cared about protecting the country, do you think he stopped caring?
I KNOW Bush wanted to protect the country, and I don’t doubt that Obama does too. I just think his methods for the econmy, healthcare, and terrorism are all wrong.
It’s a bit late of a reply but @pikipupiba, in the wikipedia article I linked, it has the birth certificate as an image.
@pikipupiba I have no problem with that, that you disagree with how he wants to run things, I completely respect that. So is the birth certificate thing solely to find a way to get rid of him? Don’t get me wrong, if he lied about his birth I would completely agree he should go, I just don’t believe it is a lie.
I didn’t mean to offend you if I did, just trying to understand. The people who live around me who disagree with Obama’s plans, and question his birth, also think he is a Moslem, Socialist, take the down the US, Christian hating spy. I have many friends, who simply disagree with what he wants to do, his policies, but for the most part they don’t question where he was born.
Ahhh…sometimes I hate America. If we keep skimping on education funding, we’ll be a country of ignorant slaves who will believe anything we are told.
Obama is BOTH black and white. What’s the big deal? We are an increasingly diverse country, and in the future there will be more citizens—and politicians—who are of mixed ancestral background.
As the French say, “Vive la difference!”—and I prefer to judge people by the content of their character than on the color of their skin. (Thank you, MLK)
I think he is both , if i’m not mistaken (:
He’s a marxist
that is a far more important consideration
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