[RegulatorCountry]

You see similar meaning in old census records of Virginia and elsewhere, mostly in the south, but not entirely. "Colored" at the one extreme meant not fully white; literally "colored" by something else. The degrees of this had terminology as well, as you've noted in one instance. Native peoples were deprived of property and voting rights in some instances, so it wasn't always people of African ancestry, who fell under this rubric. Very few people of African descent in the United States are fully African, outside of possibly Clarence Thomas' people, the Gullah, from the Carolina and Georgia barrier islands. They speak a pidgin variety of an African dialect still.

The realities of "outsiders," whether that alienation was due to religion, race, or what have you, meant that there were clusters of isolates, who were multiracial, and usually outside the law. The border region of North Carolina and Virginia is an interesting, historical study in this regard. These people lived on the border, in remote areas, intentionally, so they could leave a problematic jurisdiction in short order. Another, somewhat related term, but one wrapped in much more controversy and freighted with further historical meaning, would be "Melungeon." Derived from the French, melange.

[hoosiermama]

One thing that I’ve been curious about and unable to find the answers in how many countries in the world designate race on the BC. Also, which countries use the term “African” to equate with our “negroid” WOnder if we have any freepers who have worked at the state department?....or if it’s some where on their site.?

Oops just spelled Gemsbok....GemsboCk...just a typing habit. Wonder if others fingers do the same thing?