What makes a person "mixed"?

Question

My mother is "black" but from Panama. Actually, her whole family was born and raised in Panama speaking Spanish, but they are all "black".

My father is also "black" and from Jamaica, as is his entire family, but the thing is, his dad i was always told was "black" but he has blonde hair and blue eyes!

So what does this make me? Just "black"? Is anyone really one specific race?

Answer 1

Somewhere in this world, I suppose there are some people who are really just one specific race. I'm definitely not one of them. Probably the only race I can't identify in my lineage is Asian, and if American Indians actually crossed the land bridge between Siberia and Alaska, then there might be Asian in there, too. So maybe you are Panamanian Jamaican? I knew a Bermudian who was blond haired blue eyed with "nappy" hair and "African" facial features (stereotypically). He said he was white. It doesn't matter, dear. Be what you want to be and call yourself whatever you like. We are all, every person alive on earth today, related (according to mitochondrial DNA) to one African woman in antiquity.

Answer 2

Everyone is mixed to some degree but race is really a social construct. I saw a doc on how an average looking brown-skinned African American could be genetically more european..Race just denotes what "team" you play for. I hate to put it like that but its true.

Answer 3

some people still live by the one drop rule which is if they have an ounce of black in them, they are considered black. It doesnt even matter if they are 1/4 black or even 1/16 and have blue eyes and blonde hair. That rule was created by white supremacists that wanted to keep their race "pure". But surely if your dad's dad have blonde hair and blue eyes, he isnt black. Maybe 1/4 black but his dominant race is white. If your grandfather is 75% white, your dad is biracial with black/white and your mother is black. (despite where she lives). Black people are born everywhere. Early Africans were shipped to the Carribean, US and South America as slaves.


Therefore you are black with a dab of white. You are of Latin descent as well however you are not Hispanic nor is your mother. Your ethnicity is Black.

Answer 4

Yes you are black. You have a Latin background because as you stated your mother was born in Panama and she spoke Spanish. You could consider yourself a Latina also because you are from a Latin background.

Answer 5

I think we need to break race down into culture.
Here's my point:
My mother's people are VIKINGS from Norway who landed in France and lived there becoming wealthy landowners, then they came to New Orleans in 1700s and bought many sugar farms, leading to my ma who met my father (who was murdered later). My father's father was decended from Irishmen who became pioneers and settled Texas, my father's mother was a Comanche (Native American).
And no, based on Mitochondrial DNA mutations, no one is really just one race. WE ALL EVOLVED OUT OF AFRICA, then diverged at different points in history. It's a little more complicated than that, but basically, we share many common ancestors, even me and u.

Answer 6

You're black; just like many black people from America you are "mixed"

Answer 7

gurl u black with just a spice of white and panama

Answer 8

It's all in the genes, and the dominate set of genes wins! The color of your skin should not be your dominate state of mind, it should be the History of your family and the love they shared with each other, and with you.

Answer 9

how can a black person have blond hair and blue eyes :S

Answer 10

You are black. I have heard that because races have mixed, it can skip a generation. Your skin color doesn't make you who you are. Be proud of who you are and of your family and what they have instilled in you.