Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
And that is kind of the point. She looks European, but what is “European” looking? Her name is Jamila Wideman and she IS African American. Here is a picture of her with her father, famous African-American author John Edgar Wideman.
If I would have said she was Puerto Rican no one would have questioned her nationality. But are Puerto Ricans any different than African Americans? Quickly look at the link to this high school. In the upper right corner of the page you will see images of the school and its students and you would probably think it is a typical inner-city high school with black and hispanic students.
But it is not. It is Charles City High School in rural Virginia. Charles City County is one of the oldest communities in all of the United States and was created just up the road from Jamestown (the oldest permanent English settlement in the United States) in 1619. This county has been around for nearly 400 years and has a small, tight-knit population. Look at these senior year photos from Charles City High if you can keep from laughing at the 1970s and 1980s haircuts! When you look at each of these classes on the social network site, you have to click on the name to see the photos. As you are ROTFL at the hairstyles, ask yourself why for such a small high school, the majority of all of the students only have 10 different last names: Adkins, Bradby, Brown, Charity, Christian, Cotman, Crawley, Crewe, Jones, and Whitehead. These last names (except Brown and Jones) are not particularly common. Why do so many of the students have these last names? If anything else just look at the pictures for the last name Adkins. And the Whiteheads too. 1995 1991 1990 1989 1987 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976
Why is like 10% of every graduating class last named Adkins? They all can't be brothers and sisters, there are too many of them in every grade. Are these Adkins black? Hispanic? Are the people with the last name Whitehead white?
Actually, many of these students (particularly the Adkins) are part of the Chickahominy Indian Tribe. But it is clear that they are not full-blooded Native American, African American, and certainly not European American. Very early on in American history, there was no concept of race and Indians, Africans, and Europeans mixed freely. However, when this mixed race population began to be too large (and thus powerful), in the 1660s Virginia passed laws called slave codes that attempted to keep Africans from intermarrying with whites and Indians. To all new coming Africans it was successful except for those black women who were impregnated by their masters. But for those communities that predate the laws, you can see that the population is racially ambiguous.
This is just like Puerto Rico. Borinquen was an island where all the populations have a high rate of admixture. Had whites in America not passed the slave codes "African" Americans would look very much like Puerto Ricans or all look like these Adkins in the 400 year old Charles City County. But what do you also notice? With the exception of the Whiteheads, there aren't very many "white" looking Charles City High students. But if you look at the students from 1963, Charles City High was completely white. Where did all of the European Americans go?
What Puerto Ricans need to understand, is that no matter how light your skin or eyes, how light or straight your hair, if you have any other ancestry besides European you will not be considered white. Despite all of the people being multiracial and having European last names, almost all of the "white" Charles City High students left after the school integrated because of their disdain for people of mixed race heritage. Notice the white Charles City students don't share the same English last names as the Chickahominy (there is not ONE white Adkins?). As long as Puerto Ricans are on the island, they don't have to choose a race just like these Chickahominy people as long as they stay in Charles City County. But when Puerto Ricans come to the mainland, they will never be accepted as white due to their African and Native American heritage.
And that is kind of the point. She looks European, but what is “European” looking? Her name is Jamila Wideman and she IS African American. Here is a picture of her with her father, famous African-American author John Edgar Wideman.
If I would have said she was Puerto Rican no one would have questioned her nationality. But are Puerto Ricans any different than African Americans? Quickly look at the link to this high school. In the upper right corner of the page you will see images of the school and its students and you would probably think it is a typical inner-city high school with black and hispanic students.
But it is not. It is Charles City High School in rural Virginia. Charles City County is one of the oldest communities in all of the United States and was created just up the road from Jamestown (the oldest permanent English settlement in the United States) in 1619. This county has been around for nearly 400 years and has a small, tight-knit population. Look at these senior year photos from Charles City High if you can keep from laughing at the 1970s and 1980s haircuts! When you look at each of these classes on the social network site, you have to click on the name to see the photos. As you are ROTFL at the hairstyles, ask yourself why for such a small high school, the majority of all of the students only have 10 different last names: Adkins, Bradby, Brown, Charity, Christian, Cotman, Crawley, Crewe, Jones, and Whitehead. These last names (except Brown and Jones) are not particularly common. Why do so many of the students have these last names? If anything else just look at the pictures for the last name Adkins. And the Whiteheads too. 1995 1991 1990 1989 1987 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976
Why is like 10% of every graduating class last named Adkins? They all can't be brothers and sisters, there are too many of them in every grade. Are these Adkins black? Hispanic? Are the people with the last name Whitehead white?
Actually, many of these students (particularly the Adkins) are part of the Chickahominy Indian Tribe. But it is clear that they are not full-blooded Native American, African American, and certainly not European American. Very early on in American history, there was no concept of race and Indians, Africans, and Europeans mixed freely. However, when this mixed race population began to be too large (and thus powerful), in the 1660s Virginia passed laws called slave codes that attempted to keep Africans from intermarrying with whites and Indians. To all new coming Africans it was successful except for those black women who were impregnated by their masters. But for those communities that predate the laws, you can see that the population is racially ambiguous.
This is just like Puerto Rico. Borinquen was an island where all the populations have a high rate of admixture. Had whites in America not passed the slave codes "African" Americans would look very much like Puerto Ricans or all look like these Adkins in the 400 year old Charles City County. But what do you also notice? With the exception of the Whiteheads, there aren't very many "white" looking Charles City High students. But if you look at the students from 1963, Charles City High was completely white. Where did all of the European Americans go?
What Puerto Ricans need to understand, is that no matter how light your skin or eyes, how light or straight your hair, if you have any other ancestry besides European you will not be considered white. Despite all of the people being multiracial and having European last names, almost all of the "white" Charles City High students left after the school integrated because of their disdain for people of mixed race heritage. Notice the white Charles City students don't share the same English last names as the Chickahominy (there is not ONE white Adkins?). As long as Puerto Ricans are on the island, they don't have to choose a race just like these Chickahominy people as long as they stay in Charles City County. But when Puerto Ricans come to the mainland, they will never be accepted as white due to their African and Native American heritage.
You just broke this down nicely and the example is spot on--end of discussion.
My reply here is a bit late in the game. I "accidently" came across this forum/thread. I have to say that this is a very interesting and funny thread.
I believe that mostly everyone in here made valid points. I am a proud puerto rican and must state that puerto rico is mad diverse and you can't even limit cultural backgrounds to Europe as we even have asians that have migrated and settled quite nicely on the island. I am considered moreno but I consider myself just puerto rican...with proud afro-caribbean flavor. Whitest of the whitest, brownest of the brownest and proud..we all Boricua United..however we do embrace other cultures..
You look like what you look like and that's true--but seriously, as a black person from the U.S. who went to college in Puerto Rico--PR has a complex! A lot of Puerto Ricans I know do not look white in the traditional European sense of white, even those who claim they are. I'm always like, "You ain't white"! Mixed or multiracial probably describe it best. There's nothing wrong with that!
Look White? And what would that be? You do realize race in the Unites States is different than in Europe. The American racial classification system is flawed. It's White, Black, Asian, Indigenous, and Pacific Islanders. Most Americans would include Hispanics/Latinos and Arabs which can be of any race or a combination, probably even a category for Mexicans if they could.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SeptemberRays
[b]
Absolutely none of those people look European to me. Sorry and Benicio is a very talented actor but he actually looks dirty to me.
You could not be more wrong. Benecio Del Toro was born in Puerto Rico of SPANISH AND ITALIAN DECENT. He is 100% European.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sage1
What's "looking European" mean. Norwegian, German, Swedish or Italian (North or South), French (North or South) Spanish (North or South). Or how about Corsican, Sicilian or Greek. Maybe the real European "look" is much more diverse than the typical Caucasian features, blond hair and blue eyes.
It seems many Americans often forget this. Race is a social construct. It's existence disputed among anthropologist. One thing is for sure, it's not as simple as White, Black, Asian, Indigenous, Pacific Islander. It's a lot more complex than the American definition.
Quote:
But when Puerto Ricans come to the mainland, they will never be accepted as white due to their African and Native American heritage.
False. If someone of Puerto Rican decent comes to the United States and looks "White" they will be considered White. Especially if assimilated. Puerto Rico is a mixed race society very similar to that of Brazil. In Puerto Rico however things do lean much more to the White side of the fence for most than to the Black or Indigenous. So much immigration from Europe even as recent as WW2 (Jews throughout Europe) and when Castro took power (Jews from Cuba originally from Europe).
However, look at all the Americans who are Mixed Race and still considered White or Black. From Megan Fox and Johnny Depp to Halley Barry and Barrack Obama.
You seem to forget only 2 or 3 generations ago Irish, Germans, and Italians were not considered White. Even the terms Hispanic/Latino are American terms which have only been in use for a few decades. Before that many if not most mixed race people from Latin America were simply considered White. Look at Desi Arnaz from "I Love Lucy". Mixed Raced couples were unacceptable at that time (This is in the days of "Whites Only entrances") and it was widely known he was Cuban and there he was the star of a TV show in a relationship with a European decent American women. Genetically most Puerto Ricans have most in common with Southern Europeans but most do have Black and/or Indigenous ancestors. Believe it or not, many Europeans (Yes, those in Europe) have non-White ancestors in their lineage too.
Here is a list of some more multiracial celebrities you may have always thought were just White or Black:
-Nicole Richie (White/Black)
-Carmen Diaz (White/Black/Indigenous)
-Johnny Damon [NY Yankees] (Asian/White)
-Kim Basinger (White/Indigenous)
-Cher (White/Indigenous)
-Carmen Electra (White/Indigenous)
-Shannon Elizabeth (White/Indigenous, possible/most likely Black down the lineage due to Middle Eastern [Lebanon/Syria] decent)
-Brett Favre (White/Indigenous)
-Vanessa Anne Hudgens (White/Indigenous/Black/Asian)
-Enrique Iglesias (White/Asian)
-Shakira (White/Black/Indigenous)
-Adriana Lima (White/Black/Indigenous)
-Soledad O’Brien (White/Black/Indegenous)
-Bob Marley (White/Black)
-Stacy Dash (White/Black/Indigenous)
-Faith Evans (Black/Indigenous)
That's just a few to blow everything you thought you knew about race out the water.
Last edited by nykeroutoftown; 10-18-2010 at 09:03 AM..
In the U.S. you will be accepted among the whites mainly if you ACT white (this includes things like how to speak/communicate, whether you insist in having an "ethnic" first name or not, whether you bind by their codes and values in general).
It is actually independent of skin color. I have a neighbor who is darkish and very Mexican looking (his parents are) but he doesn't speak a word of Spanish or identifies with such culture (other than just recognizing it). Thus, he is just another American.
Of course there will always be people out there that see everything from a race perspective and will judge you accordingly. There are indeed what I call "white enclaves" or mostly-caucasian neighborhoods; but I'm not sure this is a result of "exclusion" (in whatever subtle way it could be) or simply a reminiscence of 1950's suburbs that somehow have remained stagnant in time.
The problem with many Puerto Ricans trying to integrate into the U.S. "white" society is mainly a cultural one. Most adult Puerto Ricans, in my opinion, must be willing to accept an immigrant-like status, while they can send their kids to school and have them integrated for their own sake in the future.
Disclaimer: The U.S. is a very big and quite diverse place. I speak from my experience in the Mid-Atlantic. I understand there are areas with high racial friction that may be different.
Here are two links to a variety of famous Puerto Rican beauty models as well. WORTH THE LOOK Most if not all could pass for virtually any country in Europe.
So much for the "one drop rule" huh? There are plenty more.
I
disagree with much of this list,
Christina Aguilera, Jessica Alba, salma Hyack, selena gomez, Frankie Muniz and fergie don't have any black in them. where are you getting this false info from.
I
disagree with much of this list,
Christina Aguilera, Jessica Alba, salma Hyack, selena gomez, Frankie Muniz and fergie don't have any black in them. where are you getting this false info from.
Ancestry is the key word. This list can have inaccuracies because no one knows who their ancestors were generations ago, the point I was trying to make is reguardless of your ancestry, even the USA what is more important is how you look, act speak, mannerisms, than ansestry. No one can look at you and say you have a Black great grandmother if you have no dominant Black traits. All of those celebs are multiracial yet are still considered White, Black, or Hispanic in American society.
In time the terms Hispanic/Latino will cease to exist in the United States as many more assimilate and the populations from Latin America increase becoming dominant. It will be simple White, Black, ect, the visual terms. In the end we must work to remove the concept of race entirely. Especially as it stands since it has no true biological basis. Again I stress climate adaptations due to regoinal interbreeding go far beyond White and Black and Asian ect.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Who is "white"?
You just broke this down nicely and the example is spot on--end of discussion. 
There's nothing wrong with that!
Most if not all could pass for virtually any country in Europe.