Powerful look at the “one drop” rule and self-identification

I can’t tell you how many times I have heard this sentence from Caucasian potential adoptive parents, “we are okay adopting a child of mixed heritage as long as they are part white so they will identify as white”.  There are so many problems with that statement that I won’t go into it all now and I hope this article helps people to begin to understand the depth of racial identity and self-identification.  Generally, speaking the “one drop” rule means that no matter how much of your racial makeup is African American, you are African American.

After reading this article with my teenage daughter (who is bi-racial African American/Caucasian) this morning, I asked her how she identifies herself.  She said, “well as Black of course.  Obviously I’m not white”.  I am glad she has a strong sense of who she is and does not struggle with her racial identity, she is lucky indeed!