What race is your child?

Two New Orleans slave children, c. 1863.

I was having a conversation with a white coworker who is married to a black man and I asked her what race she called her children. She stated that she called her children black. I told her that I called my children mixed. She stated that it was important for her children to understand that they were black. I explained to her that calling her child black was a remnant of the one drop rule from slavery. I probably should not have said that. Parents have the right to call their children a race that makes sense in their family. 

Nevertheless, the one drop rule was basically a rule codified into law that stated if one ancestor of yours was black, you are therefore black. This ensured a clear caste system in America. 

My children are of mixed heritage. I am black, my husband is white. I refuse to classify my children based on antiquated racist classifications.  They are literally so mixed, my granfather was Scottish, my gradmother was Trinidadian, my mother was Nigerian, my husband is of Irish descent. That sounds mixed to me.  

What race do you call your children?

One drop rule: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-drop_rule

So our daughter is ten years old and it has been a roller coaster. She has always been super-feisty, hilarious, and so much fun!  Now we are dealing with being a mixed race child. From the moment she could talk, she always noticed the difference between me, her dad, and herself. She has always wanted straight hair. What a battle that has been!

We moved to a suburban town in NJ.  Great school system, lovely homes, quiet neighborhood that is 6 miles from Manhattan. Unfortunately, there is a lack of diversity in this town. We moved here when Miya was in second grade. She has had a slew of interesting comments thrown at her! A boy told her she had "clown hair". Two of her current friends told her that they did not like her at first because of her hair but now they do (at least they saw the error of their ways!). A boy told her today that she had terrible hair. Is that children? Are children naturally attracted to people who are like themselves? What does a child of mixed heritage do?

My father was half Scottish and grew up in Trinidad. I never heard him discuss race. He literally dated and sometimes married women of every race!  He seemed very comfortable in his skin...so does my son.

One day, she will feel peace with who she is...despite the fact that society has still not caught up yet.