It's questions like these that I hope will eventually break the fever. Our notions of race are so simplistic. As more of us have to ask questions like these, I hope more people will start to think clearly about what "race" even is.
It's questions like these that I hope will eventually break the fever. Our notions of race are so simplistic. As more of us have to ask questions like these, I hope more people will start to think clearly about what "race" even is.
Interestingly that thinking may return in the quest for reparations. I can't find the article again, but I saw an article about an in California effort to determine linage for eligibility. Will we see a return of "Mulatto, quadroon, octoroon and hexadecaroon"?
My daughter's recent interest in ancestry and DNA confirms that DNA does not divide equally in each generation. She was perplexed that one fractional trace in her mother's DNA didn't show up at all for her, rather than the 1/16 which even division would anticipate.
Next up, "family history". Senator Elizabeth Warren was ridiculed when DNA did not confirm her Native American ancestry. The thing is, DNA dilutes out and her family record keeping could have been correct. Rather than the "drop" fading from importance in people's minds, "I want money" might bring it back as something of potential value. A new controversy.
"Which of my parents should I deny?"
It's questions like these that I hope will eventually break the fever. Our notions of race are so simplistic. As more of us have to ask questions like these, I hope more people will start to think clearly about what "race" even is.
Before the Emancipation Proclamation 1/16 black was black.
Interestingly that thinking may return in the quest for reparations. I can't find the article again, but I saw an article about an in California effort to determine linage for eligibility. Will we see a return of "Mulatto, quadroon, octoroon and hexadecaroon"?
My daughter's recent interest in ancestry and DNA confirms that DNA does not divide equally in each generation. She was perplexed that one fractional trace in her mother's DNA didn't show up at all for her, rather than the 1/16 which even division would anticipate.
Next up, "family history". Senator Elizabeth Warren was ridiculed when DNA did not confirm her Native American ancestry. The thing is, DNA dilutes out and her family record keeping could have been correct. Rather than the "drop" fading from importance in people's minds, "I want money" might bring it back as something of potential value. A new controversy.