Who Am I:Identifying Race?

                         Natasha Gordon                                                  September 21, 2016

What am I: Identifying Race?

                              

The idea of race is one that is embedded in the American society. We see part of our identity through the concept of race. Living in the U.S. individuals learn from an early age that there are racial differences. Based on historical studies, it is concluded that race is constructed by society with the intention to maintain social exclusivity and power. Human groups are categorized into racial groups on the bases of a set of characteristics they possess- typically but not limited to similar phenotype. With such focus on our biological make up, the argument is that race has a biological link. Biological Anthropologist, Alan Goodman, (Race the Power of Illusion) shares that, “there need to be a paradigm shift that the idea of race is biological. Race is an idea we ascribe to biology,” The idea of race having a biological link was used as an argument, so scientist could measure “the quality of humans” (Golah-Boza, 23) Scientific racism (theory of race) developed as a way to justify the inequality racial groups were experiencing.

Linnaeus taxonomy, not only categorized human groups, but ascribed behavioral descriptions to those groups.  Racial groupings within the U.S. have changed, even though there is a black and white binary. When we look at the 2000 and 2010 U.S. Census there are more racial groupings, than there were 50 years ago. According to the Census, race is self-identified by the person who is answering the race question. Individuals can self-identify with multiple races. The classification of racial groups are White, Black/African American, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. (http://www.census.gov/)

On few occasions where individuals inquired where I’m from, I became surprise by the person’s response. “You don’t look Jamaican.” My thought was, how should I look? I am convinced that if they saw my other family members those same persons would really emphasize that they do not look Jamaican. There are a wide variation of different phenotypes on both sides of my family. Whether we have very light skinned tone, pointy nose, thin and small lips, curly hair, full eyes and lips, brown and darker skin we consider ourselves Jamaican first. Jamaica’s national motto, “Out of Many One People”, reflects the different racial groups that lives there. Even though my neighbor maybe of Syrian, Chinese or Indian descent we still identify as “Jamaican.” It is quite obvious that I’m of African ancestry, but when you look at my brother and sister- both mixed race- people ask, “What are you?”

http://www.theinclusionsolution.me/who-am-i-the-rise-of-multiple-identities/

http://www.interactivediversitysolutions.com/

                                               

                                                Bibliography

Robe, Jennifer E. (2013) "Mixed-Race Studies; Misstep or the next step for Ethnic Studies in a blending nation?," PSU McNair Scholars Online Journal: Vol. 7: Iss. 1, Article 17.

Smedley, A. (1998). "Race" and the Construction of Human Identity.  American Anthropologist, New Series, Vol. 100, No. 3, pp. 690-702