One Drop Rule?

Both whites AND blacks are guilty of one dropping. ODR is an American standard. It is ingrained in society, its so embedded in it, that it would take almost, if not more, than a hundred years to reverse the effects of it.

There used to be a mulatto category, until that got abolished in the 1930s. Race soon became, if you dont look white, you are black.

This was a bad thing for mixed people, but a good thing for both whites and blacks. It was good for whites because now there were no technicalities with race, it made it easier to target, because now they could simply treat them all one in the same.

For blacks, it was good because, at that time and even before then, the most prominent black people were either biracial or light skinned, at least until the 1960s. Because they were now all black, they were fighting for the whole black race, to help the black race, but many even before the category was removed, were already fighting for the black race.

10 years ago, blacks fought to not have a mixed race option on the 2000 Census. The reasoning, was that the black race heavily depended on mixed people. With the black race only accounting for 13%, there was a fear that if there was a mixed option, it would further lower just how many black people there are in the U.S.

But another reasoning involved was the question of "what is mixed?" it seems kinda silly now, considering, the obvious, a mixed person is someone who is the product of interracial dating.

But as I said in another blog, black people often try to consider themselves mixed (usually to downplay mixed plight).

ODR, is no longer legal...but it is still massed used by everyone. Slowly, a "2 or more race" option is showing up, very slowly though....this is probably because there are more mixes coming into play.

The ODR will not disappear any time soon, the longer America waits to address it, the longer it will take to finally come to a time it is gone.

Meanwhile countries like Brazil and South Africa, are debating of getting rid of their "brown" race and "colored" race (their equivalent to mulatto).

In the end, the reason ODR, may never disappear is because the only ones hurt by it are mixed people. Most self identify as black because of the socially acceptable ODR. Because they are treated no better than any black, they relate to blacks. But it hurts mixed people, because it is what brings confusion and trouble to the individual. It becomes hard for them to decide what they are.

Most end up just saying they are black AND biracial.