One Drop Rule

With our new President being a son of a Black man and white woman...people have been feeding on the fact is he really black? I actually had a coworker (of European descent) question why are they calling him a black man and not mulatto? I just wanted to drop a little history, that I am sure we are all aware of; but, in the event we are not...here it is

The "One Drop Rule" started during the Jim Crow era in the south in order to further disenfranchise Black people and poor whites. As you know, Black people did not have the same rights as whites...so it just empowered the white middle and upper class. The "one drop rule" stated that anyone with a traceable bloodline of African ancestry would be considered Black. This way of defining Blackness was not the same worldwide, but was determinant factor in the US. The scientist figured that people should identify with their "subordinate" blood. So this is why "one drop rule" was ONLY designated for Blacks since Blacks were at the bottom of the totem pole. This rule become embedded in American ideology; therefore, later accepted by Blacks and Whites.

Now in 2009, its no surprise that Barack Obama would be referred to as a Black man.

PS a side note, for those of you who don't believe that Obama is Black because he is not the descendent of a slave...then that just pure lack of knowledge...because being Black in America is what I stated above...not being a descendent of slaves. We really need to get a grip on this whole "I'm Black" and "I'm African"...because in America....we all the same, no one cares about your origins!! Lets be real...

I'm Just Sayin