:scratchchin:

I am a comlex combination. My father is black my mom is white skin arab descendent my father is amazigh. I don't fall under any of the categories of the racial/ethnic list. Often people check me under white because of my skin color, I refuse and I make a big deal out of it.
I have white skin but I feel black. AND I AM PROUD OF IT.

I meant: complex

You're in good compnay in the world. There are sooooooooo many people in the world (and in my own family) that have white skin and or /blue eyes, and they're feeling Jame Brown too (I'm black and I'm proud!!!).

What's interensting historically to me is the sheer number of white looking black folks who have passed/tried to pass for white. The "problem" with that is that you NEVER know when those more "african american" features/genes are going to "show up". And I still laugh when I think of the Oprah show about a family where half of the siblings passed for white, had children,and grandchildren by "whites", then came on the Oprah show to find out that they had black parents/grandparents. Of course this brings up the question of why should a person whose half black/half white be considered "black" anyway?

Dermie, I have Irish relatives too and reddish/brown hair to prove it!!

Honestly, I think nearly ever african american should be considered "multiracial", unless they have African parents that are black. :yes:

Yeah, a great many of us born in the US are multiracial/multiethnic. Sad to say but historically in this country if you were anything but WASP and even only had one non WASP family member, you were labeled into the minority (translate: undesirable group) Of course this was most true for AA folks -by definition, even with blue eyes, fair skin, "one drop of blood" put you into the non majority category. I have "other" background in me. I am one who prefers to stay away from conflict and most of the time do not correct the stereotypes others have about a part of my heritage. Yeah, I know maybe that is not optimal but FOR MYSELF, I do not want conflict. I simply decide that I don't need an association with that person.

You know it just dawned on me that I call myself Black not becasue of how I look (and what's interesting about my "look" is that whites think I'm half-white, blacks see me as a light-skinned black possible latina and latinos see me as latina. Technically, I'm quite multiracial, but the reason I say I'm black is because that's the culture I most identify with. Everything from fat back/collard greens and chitlins to ebonics and R&B music, make me feel "black" as opposed to multiracial/multicultural. OTOH, I have first cousins who with their blond hair/blue eyes and "white culture" (whatever the hell that means :rolleyes: ),that should be able to call themselves white if they choose. I figure as long as they don't call me the "N" word, it's all good!
So I think people should be able to define themselves by whatever culture they celebrate/practice NOT skin tone because as we all know, skin color doesn't tell the complete story.

That's right Path - looks and skin tone don't define the culture that one "celebrates" (I really like that term you've chosen). A long time ago, I met a Brasilian woman in LA - she was of an Asian appearance (Sao Paulo, Brasil once received a great deal of immigrants from Japan). Some people were going on about how she was Japanese yet she was adamant and proud about how she was "Brasilian"! So, even though she had "Asian looks", the culture she celebrated and most identified was that Brasilian culture in which she had been born and raised!