What do you think?
Rate this book
"Passing" for Who You Really Are: Essays in Support of Multiracial Whiteness
No spokesperson of the movement to abolish government sponsorship of the "race" notion has been more eloquent than A.D. Powell. She aims her barbs at Americans of all complexions who insist upon the one-drop rule. She is the nemesis of those who advocate the uniquely American notion that there is no such thing as a White person with African ancestry—that such a person is, at best, a “light-skinned Black.” Powell believes that the one-drop rule ignores science, crushes tolerance, and mocks the American Dream. And yet it is advocated by liberals, and its enforcement is demanded by most Black leaders. She argues that coercing someone’s ethnic choice is tyranny. This collection of essays on multiracialism originally appeared in Interracial Voice magazine.
136 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2005
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 14, 2010
A Real Eye Opener
I am a big fan of A.D. Powell and have read everything I can find that she has written. Although not true of all African or mixed cultures, I do know that the topics Ms. Powell writes about can be very true. I have experienced them myself having a mixed-race ancestry, although it was never my direct family who imposed racial identity on me one way or the other. I would have never realized to what extent Ms. Powell's essays are true if it weren't for, in the last several years, being involved with several private, mixed-race family sites, where the self-identity of white is treated, by some, as vulgar or obscene; a down right sin. To claim your dreaded white ancestors, or to state the fact that your ancestors who were labeled mulatto, colored or black, but who looked white, were done an injustice is a big taboo. The inner-conflicts, prejudices and pretenses I have since experienced are sad. It was very disillusioning to find that what Ms. Powell writes about, is often times true.
A.D. Powell stands up for the racial self-identification of your choice, even it that means self-identifying as white. She tends toward the right to identify by the way you look without using contradictory oxymorons, such as "light skinned black", as some still tend to do. I am a white-identified person, simply because I look that way and have been raised that way.
Everyone has the right to freedom of choice. Everyone has the right to freedom of speech, and opinion, hopefully in, at least, an intelligent way. I think Ms. Powell's book accomplishes this. Some would find her accounts and comparisons harsh, but I believe that in telling the truth we sometimes have to be harsh. I find that those from mixed-race communities or cultures are often the same people who support and promote the "one drop" rule. Ms. Powell does a wonderful job of telling us why. This is a great read, a book everyone should indulge in, if they can take the heat.
I am a big fan of A.D. Powell and have read everything I can find that she has written. Although not true of all African or mixed cultures, I do know that the topics Ms. Powell writes about can be very true. I have experienced them myself having a mixed-race ancestry, although it was never my direct family who imposed racial identity on me one way or the other. I would have never realized to what extent Ms. Powell's essays are true if it weren't for, in the last several years, being involved with several private, mixed-race family sites, where the self-identity of white is treated, by some, as vulgar or obscene; a down right sin. To claim your dreaded white ancestors, or to state the fact that your ancestors who were labeled mulatto, colored or black, but who looked white, were done an injustice is a big taboo. The inner-conflicts, prejudices and pretenses I have since experienced are sad. It was very disillusioning to find that what Ms. Powell writes about, is often times true.
A.D. Powell stands up for the racial self-identification of your choice, even it that means self-identifying as white. She tends toward the right to identify by the way you look without using contradictory oxymorons, such as "light skinned black", as some still tend to do. I am a white-identified person, simply because I look that way and have been raised that way.
Everyone has the right to freedom of choice. Everyone has the right to freedom of speech, and opinion, hopefully in, at least, an intelligent way. I think Ms. Powell's book accomplishes this. Some would find her accounts and comparisons harsh, but I believe that in telling the truth we sometimes have to be harsh. I find that those from mixed-race communities or cultures are often the same people who support and promote the "one drop" rule. Ms. Powell does a wonderful job of telling us why. This is a great read, a book everyone should indulge in, if they can take the heat.
January 21, 2009
This is a book for everyone to read to learn some of the real racial history in America, primarily the history of peoples of mixed race.
April 16, 2013
Interesting and refreshing points of view.
There are very few writers who describe the craziness of the one drop myth of hypodescent.
A.D. Powell is the leader in fighting the black label for those of mixed heritage.
I don't recall that she explains why people of mixed heritage prefer to describe themselves as black. That's an important question that I have found leads to interesting answers.
There are very few writers who describe the craziness of the one drop myth of hypodescent.
A.D. Powell is the leader in fighting the black label for those of mixed heritage.
I don't recall that she explains why people of mixed heritage prefer to describe themselves as black. That's an important question that I have found leads to interesting answers.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews