How Will Barack Obama Fill Out His Census Form?: The Future of “Miscegenation” in AmericaPosted in Articles, Barack Obama, Census/Demographics, New Media, Politics/Public Policy, Social Science, United States on 2010-03-05 22:14Z by Steven |
How Will Barack Obama Fill Out His Census Form?: The Future of “Miscegenation” in America
FSB Media
2009
Rich Benjamin
The President says publicly that he is “African-American.”But will he check “black” or “two or more races” on his 2010 Census form?
My parents, two dark-skinned blacks, married in 1967, a year when miscegenation — interracial marriage, cohabitation or sex — was a criminal offense in sixteen states. But now, like the Obamas, my family descends from and lives across three continents and about a dozen nations. My cousins, nieces, and nephews have complexions reminiscent of a Ben & Jerry’s menu ranging from Karamel Sutra to Chocolate Fudge Brownie.
Given America’s growing and intermixed minority populations, controversy broils about how Uncle Sam categorizes, then counts, ethnicity and race (more vociferously from minorities than from whites). Black civil rights advocates strong-arm those with traces of African ancestry to identify as “black,” so as not to dilute blacks’ 2010 census numbers and future political power. Defining and counting mixed-race people in America has historically been riddled with conceptual and practical challenges. Now as much as ever. President Obama says publicly that he is “African-American.” But will he check “black” or “two or more races” on his 2010 Census form?…
Read the entire article here.