Why do you have to be 100% white to be called "white, but you can be a mixed and be called "black".

Question

black americans can be any skin color.(very dark to very light), Black americans can have any any hair texture. Black can have any eye color. Blacks can be a mixture of many groups and still be considered black. But to be white seems more cut and dry.
you can't look black and call yourself white. what is this all about.

Answer 1

It's a holdover from the old racism that existed in this country not that many years ago. There were people that had black ancestry but looked totally white and could "pass" for white, lived as if they were white, blue eyes, blond hair, the whole bit, then someone would find out that there was that one ancestor that wasn't accepted and the white looking person would be relabeled as a nasty derogatory name that begins with N and driven out of town.

Stupid Huh!

Answer 2

there is not any word for 75% white, however the word for 25% black is "quadroon". it could look semantic, yet with the 75% white, there is not any telling what the different 25% is, and that's the section that determines the suitable call. An octaroon has a quadroon and a white confirm, making them a million/8 black. Mulatto replaced into used at distinctive circumstances and places to recommend the two a million/2 or any section black and white. Mestizo is blended Amerindian and white (now and back additionally has black ancestors).

Answer 3

because white is a catch all term for the European populace. You can be Irish and be called white, or Italian, and be called white. Black refers to the people decended from the african culture. Being "Black" has become a culture unto itself, with it's own customs. So no matter how little you resemble that culture, if you have African ancestry, you are still a part of that culture. It's mroe a personal choice than anything, but a person too resembling a european will be less likely to be accepted by the black community. I have a friend who is mixed, and very obviously so (Though she considers herself Italian and is offended by anyone who automaticly groups her with black people) one of her kids you'd never know was part African. She has blonde curly hair and green eyes. It's really all depending. The lines can get very fuzzy, though why they really are so important I'll never understand.

Answer 4

My opinion is its that person's preference. I know half blacks that consider themselves black. Also half black celebrities do consider themselves black. I think they all forget about their other half. Half white & black don't want to be known as white. Why, I don't know. Someone should ask Halle Berry that question while interviewing her. It would be interesting to hear her answer. I know some half blacks tell that their totally black friends call them "whites". They say they just can't fit in. I don't think its the white side that have so much issue problems, but its the black side. Maybe they should start stating their white don't you think so. My daughter is half white and half asian but she has no problem with herself or others about her identity. People nowadays accept you as who you are. I feel prejudice and racism will be a thing of the past. I don't see much of it anymore and am happy about that. Peace & Love.

Answer 5

I honestly don't know the answer, but you have made a very good question. I always find that unfair. I am Latin, very light skin, green eyes, straight light brown hair and when I moved to US I said to a doctor "...because I am white" he did not let me finish and interrupted me abruptly to say "you are not white".
I still don't get the criteria, it's like either you are white or something else.

Answer 6

I don't know where you got that information, but you don't have to be 100% white to call yourself white. You can be a percentage, but if you identify primarily with a particular race and do indeed have that race in your DNA, then you can usually count that race as your own. The exceptions to this would be if you were Native American and you are claiming to be this race for educational, medical, legal or financial purposes. You have to be registered with a tribe and show a particular percentage of bloodline for that tribe, I believe, before you can claim any benefit by claiming to be Native American. I'm not sure on this, but I have heard it. I myself am part Cherokee Indian, and while I would be proud and honored to claim that as my race, I don't have enough in me to be able to do so. Also, if a black person is half white but looks obviously white, he/she would likely say they are black simply due to appearances. Still, if they wanted to say they are white, they would have that right, I believe. Nobody goes around asking people to prove their race before they can claim to be a certain race, so I'm not sure why someone would believe you have to be 100% white in order to say you are white. Makes no sense to me.

Answer 7

Because, NOTHING ranks over the Black blood/race. You can add a Black race to ANY RACE, the GOOD THING IS the Black gene will NEVER DISAPPEAR. Ain't that good?. You can wipe out other races by intermarriages, but for Blacks, Black will always appear.

That is something to be PROUD OF!.. I am.

Answer 8

Habit. There was a time when 1 drop of black really meant black. Literally if you were white and it came out your great great great great grandpa was black you were ostricized.

And no one really challenged it.

I guess my son can say he's white just as much as he can say black but I have simply been programmed to thing the former is out of the question of all logic...strange isn't it?

Yeah. All I can think of is habit. No real logic to it.

Answer 9

thank you so much for bringing this happen cuz i was also thinking about this since like for every however that is how society is if you have bit of a colour on you you are seen as black

Answer 10

It is about a racist, ignorant country that doesn't know any better. The citizens of this country do not like any diversity, and a little hint of it means chaos to them. I do not agree with thtese people, and no one is perfect.