Halle Berry and the Resurgence of the Tragic Mulatto

Henry Louis Gates' "The Root" ^ | 22 Feb | Clay Cane

[flowerplough]

Halle Berry's recent comments in Ebony magazine have brought up the complex subject of racial identity, which still seems to confuse many Americans. Asked if her daughter, Nahla, is African American, the Oscar-winning actress answered, "I feel like she's black. I'm black and I'm her mother, and I believe in the one-drop theory."

Blogs raged, and suddenly everyone was an expert on dissecting the social construction of race. Even many black websites roared that Nahla wasn't black. It was as if a chapter from an Alex Haley book had come to life on the Web.

Berry has never used the words "mixed" or "biracial" to describe her racial identity. She identifies as a black woman. Similarly, President Barack Obama, Faith Evans, Jasmine Guy and even the late, great Bob Marley all embraced having a white parent -- but didn't identify by degree of blackness. Apparently, they subscribe to the belief that either you are black -- or you are not.

In 2011, black is no longer praised as beautiful; everyone wants to be "multi." People proudly run through their race, ethnicity and nationality as if it's a résumé. "Mixed," "multiethnic," even the deeply offensive word "mulatto," are resurging as the hottest labels around. Here's another new term I recently heard: "double-raced."

[Bitsy]

Being American is special enough for me, and I am so thankful to God and my parents for having me in this country.

AMEN! Me too.

Gee, I wonder if barry is one of my cousins?
It is one thing to have black in your roots it is another to have roots in you. The first is OK the latter, I wouldn’t mention;)

[goat granny]

Its really queer that the one drop of negro blood was used by the slave holders and segregationist way back when...perhaps the blacks never left the plantation, now they are all democrats..just a different plantation..

[lonestar]

White men can’t jump...so, you’re black.

[Uncle Miltie]

I can't believe I'm the first to post this.