In 1961 ‘Race’ would have been ‘black’.
Just like the mothers ‘race’ is ‘caucasian’.
To be proper, the correct race would have been “Negro”, especially at that time. However, given the diversity of ethnic backgrounds here in Hawaii, who knows what the usual procedure in 1961 was. I am sure that there were plenty of hapa-haoles having children at that time, so how would a half-caucasian, half-japanese parent usually be described?
Also, if Obama’s father was part Arab, as rumored(?), wouldn’t “African” have been more appropriate? After all, North Africans are Arabs or some similar ethnicity.
In any case, the use of “African” to describe his father still seems strange.
Actually, in 1961, ‘Negro’ would have been the entry for race, or if you lived in the South, it would have been ‘Colored.’ I found that out when applying for a driver’s license in Mississippi in 1969 and put a ‘C’ down for my race (caucasian). The sheriff wasn’t amused.
No, Negro or Negroid, not "Black", that didn't come into common use until a few years after '61.