Why do people say that Halle Berry is the first black woman to win an Oscar, when she's actually bi-racial?

Question

No I do not hate blacks
For her to identify herslef as only black, it would seem that she is denying her mothers race, which is equaly wrong!
When she won, Oprah and other black actrsees were even crying for God's sake, what is wrong! She is NOT black and she is NOT White,. she should be pround to be who she is without just identifying with one race only! and should the rest of the fans, entertainment industry, other black actresses, etc

First Oscar for BEST ACTRESS not SUPPORTING ROLE

Yes, I do consider her to be very beautiful. Correlation between race and beauty are not in question here, ini fact it should never be part of anything!

Answer 1

As the white mother of 2 bi-racial children it really ticked me off when she made her acceptance speech claiming to be the first BLACK woman to receive a best actress Oscar. My heart went out to her mother. This is the same white mother mother who raised her and cared for her when her black father abandoned them when she was a young child. I still have very little regard for her since then.
I'm not saying she should choose between races at all and I do know that bi-racial children do have an easier time identifying themselves as black but all that aside she is not black.
My children are still young but I hope I can raise them to see the greatness in their cultural diversity without feeling they have to choose between them.

Answer 2

you will desire to touch the government who've made this mistake and that they are going to replace it on there classes. I actual have by no skill heard that Halle Berry became into the 1st Black female to win an Oscar, I actual have constantly heard that Hattie McDaniel became into the 1st. If it is asserted in a social circle you will desire to voice the reality, it is the only way that it is going to likely be cleared and it does not get repeated returned. My social circle would desire to be extra psychological. delight in existence

Answer 3

Actually, Halle Berry was NOT the first black woman to win an Oscar. That claim goes to Hattie McDaniel, who played Mammy in Gone With The Wind. Though, Berry was the first to win a Best Actress Award.

Answer 4

Not to nit-pick or anything, but she wasn't the first black woman to win an Oscar. She was the first black woman to win a Best Actress Oscar. Hattie McDaniel was the first. She won Best Supporting Actress for her role of Mammy in Gone With The Wind in 1939.

Answer 5

Because she identifies herself as a black woman, and the public identifies with her as being a black woman.

The fact that you think she should present herself as bi-racial doesn't mean she is compelled to so. Ms. Berry thinks of herself as a black woman. Many biracial individuals decide at an early age which race to identify with ... this doesn't mean they "deny" their parent of the other race. It just makes it easier to get along in the world, and the tendency is to identify more with the race you resemble. It often happens that biracial people are rejected by members of both of the races they inherit.

No one has a right to tell her who she should or shouldn't be, and all those people you mentioned need to just leave her alone and mind their own business. Would you have black oscar nominees be forced to trace their roots to prove they are 100% of black ancestry? That's ridiculous.

As a side comment, Tiger Woods (who is mentioned in another answer) is an uncommon exception. He is has expressed that he feels to be equally African-American and Thai, and that he prefers people to think of him as a human being and a golfer, rather than as an example of his ethnic background. His father was actually half black, 1/4 native American, and 1/4 white, and his mother is half Thai and half Chinese. He has referred to himself as a "Cablinasian" (caucasian-black-indian-asian).

Answer 6

Because common categorization of Berry places her firmly as 'black' rather than 'white' or 'asian'. Distinctions aren't commonly made for 'mulatto' any more than we distinguish between Jews and Samaritans in casual popular dialogue.

For example, how do most categorize Tiger Woods? See what I mean?

Perhaps more to the point, despite Berry's racial admixture, Hollywood clearly perceives her as 'black' - and as such her Oscar win is that much more remarkable.

Best to you.

Answer 7

Because black is the dominant race in her. To the world, she is considered black. Nobody is all one race in the US. Nobody... I would also like to add that I think she is one of THE most beautiful women in the world. :) (and very talented)

Answer 8

Because whites generally call people black when they have any black physical features that show they aren't white. What's the point? Blacks agree that she is acceptable to be considered black, whites accept it too. Why do people hate so much?

Answer 9

She may have African heritage but she also has white heritage too. Do they not count? Her mother was white. Is she & all her ancestors unimportant? Maybe she wanted the distinction of being the first African American to win an oscar although I guess technically she's not.......

Answer 10

Ummm. Most African Americans are multiracial. She identifies herself as black.