Kamala Harris and the Complexity of Racial Identities in the USA

Given Joe Biden's support for Kamala Harris, current interest is focused on whether America is ready for a Black female president. However, an equally interesting question often goes unmentioned: Why is Harris described as Black? Harris is the child of an intercultural marriage between an Indian mother and a Jamaican father. In terms of her ancestry, she is as much South Asian as she is Black. Yet, she is primarily perceived as a Black candidate, not as South Asian or biracial. This phenomenon is not unique to Harris. Barack Obama, whose parents are of different races, is also referred to as Black. It would seem peculiar to call him white, although that would be no less accurate. Harris frequently speaks about her South Asian heritage, but the American discourse tends to categorize her identity primarily as Black. This perception defies not only logic but also itself. Modern views understand race as a social construct with no biological basis. If this is true, why does having one Black ancestor automatically make someone Black, irrespective of the rest of their lineage? In comparison, people from other countries often find this American perspective confusing. Questions from individuals in France to Japan highlight how peculiar the American categorization can seem. A Russian teacher insisted that the author of this article, due to her brown skin tone, was not truly Black, but that dark-skinned people, like some rappers, were the real Blacks. These debates are not new. The history and the musical "Show Boat" already address the absurd tragedy of the so-called "One-Drop Rule," where one drop of Black blood defines a person as Black. When prominent figures such as Tiger Woods or Thomas Chatterton Williams attempt to articulate more complex identities, they face resistance. Woods' term "Cablinasian" (a mix of Caucasian, Black, Indian, and Asian) was ridiculed, while Williams encountered skepticism when he stated he did not see his blonde, blue-eyed child as Black. A common argument is that departing from Black identification is seen as a sign of shame. Particularly given historical discrimination, this assumption seems understandable, if not always accurate. Another argument suggests that the world treats dark-skinned people as Black anyway, regardless of their self-identified identity. But should one shape their self-image based on how others perceive them? This adjustment would be a victory for others' ignorance, not for individual self-understanding. Despite these debates, there are signs of change. Children like those of the author are growing up in racially diverse environments where skin color plays a subordinate role. This could shape a future in which biracial individuals navigate their identities more freely. American discourses are evolving toward greater acceptance of biracial identities. Terms like "biracial" are gaining pride, while the older term "mixed" has become outdated. Nevertheless, Harris is often categorized as Black, just like Obama, though both are biracial. What is crucial is that individuals like Harris and Obama achieve significant success despite these complex identity issues. As racial mixing continues to progress, the habit of viewing Black as the primary identity will seem increasingly absurd. History will look back on this peculiarity with astonishment.