They are all around us.

They may be our neighbors, fellow workers, or our in-laws. They are
white Africans. That means that they are white on the outside and partially black on the inside. Of the 281 million Americans (not counting some 10 or more million illegal residents) white Africans officially are about 750,000 people (eire.census.gov) However, SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN (10/2003/33) estimates that 21 percent of whites have African heritage. You do the math. That is about one-fifth of 212,000,000 white Caucasians (including white Hispanics.) That may include the current celebrity of the SIMPLE LIFE, Nicole Ritchie (BET.COM) (allposters.com) In the slave terminology of the past; using the “one-drop measure” these folks were mulattos (now called bi-racials), quadroons, or octoroons. Each person was judged by his or her black heritage. Ritchie’s racial profile is not entirely clear, but she is thought to be black even though she appears white.

Today, Ritchie is not alone. There are more white Africans than there are black Africans.

Then, there are Black Caucasians. The same SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN article
indicates that about 70% of the 35 million Blacks living in the USA have white heritage. Halle Berry leads the list. The large percentage of those with white blood date back to slavery (US NEWS/1/12/2004:52) It is the outcome of the sex liaison of slave masters and African girls. A more current example is Strom Thurmond’s first child.

The number of Eurasians or white Asians includes Sean Lennon (mixedfolks.com)(E! Online.com) There are now 12 million Asians who dwell in the United States (35 million Hispanics are collapsed into a few different categories and add to the total of 212 million total USA population/2000 censuses)

Then add multiculturals like Tiger Woods (racerelations.about.com) and you have the rest of the population of this country. In the end, there are 6 distinct categories.

A prominent Black of the early 20th century Booker T. Washington was bi-racial. If you go to Google, access images, and key in Washington’s name, you will see that his youngest son was a white African who could probably “pass.”

“Passing” is the substance of the last chapter of Lawrence Graham’s (2000) OUR KIND OF PEOPLE. His account is the historical and present state of the Black elite in the United States. Their semi-secret life is based not on something that they want hidden. Rather, their subculture is based on finding a “safe retreat” for themselves and their children. Jack and Jill clubs, Howard, Spellman, and Morehouse universities as well as leisure spot, Sag Harbor are all understandable terms to this elite group. Oprah Winfrey’s THE CIRCLE is a movie based on the black elite in Martha’s Vineyard.

The elite had some thing other blacks are less likely to have. Their slave masters facing death and fear of damnation gave them their freedom and an inheritance before the civil war. Further, they were the sons and daughters of the master and worked inside the homes of white gentry. The children played together.

Today, some black elite describes their extended family in terms of “black” and “white” cousins. The white African cousins can “pass.” Some do by changing their name, telling whites that they are the single child of parents who have died, and locate in communities that are not in the south and have few or no blacks. Further, they generally join the political party with the most whites locally and become a member of a white church.

Additionally, these folks avoid the sun and avoid having one’s picture taken with black people. They also can lighten and straighten their hair, have cosmetic surgery on their nose and lips, and lighten their skin. Other cosmetics are also used that bleach skin texture.

Adopting white children and not telling your spouse is also recommended. They also avoid high profile positions and lineage-obsessed selective clubs. Seeing black relatives is a struggle, but the best strategy is to meet in a neutral area where no knows your name. A good spot is to meet in a busy parking lot of a major mall, 200 miles away from the homes of each participant, talk for a few hours in one of the family member’s car, and then part company.

If others question their white heritage, they can claim to be a Mediterranean white coming from countries like Greece or Italy. About 10,000 Black Caucasians become white Africans every year when they disappear into the white world (Porter, Color Struck, 1991.)

In the future, there will probably be more people of color. Some will look white and others will be part white genetically.

I wish that I could say during Black history month that there is more racial and ethnic harmony. However, that is not yet the case. Schools are rapidly resegregating (Gazette/1/18/2004:4a) City maps can easily be divided by race and social class.

However, like it or not, we are becoming more alike in very subtle ways. Bi-racial and multiracial groups may be the bridge to all us in the future. Next summer, look at George W. Bush, a white Caucasian, when he is just back from his Crawford ranch and he stands next to Secretary of State Colin Powell, a Black Caucasian.

Powell is lighter than Bush. He is much lighter in skin tone. In this instance, there isn’t a complexion connection. Or is there? Does color matter? That is one of the major questions of the 21st century.