<p>Hey guys, sorry this is long, but any advice would be appreciated.
I'm someone who has always identified as black. My family identifies as black. I have always assumed we have some ancestors who were not from the African subcontinent just because of the varying ways my family looks (more different genes equals more variation,) but had never thought about it too much.</p>
<p>When I went to see a new doctor this year, she asked me what tribe my Native American ancestors belonged to. She had worked and lived on a Native American reservation for over twenty years, and told me that she saw overwhelming familiarity in my face. She is German and told me that she knew that I had German ancestors by looking at my face. After this experience, I decided to study my genealogy to find out for myself.</p>
<p>I haven't been at it for long, and have found significant (and recent, one of my great-grandfathers, and two of my great-great grandfathers are fully) Native American heritage on both sides, two white great-great grandfathers (one of whom immigrated from Hamburg, Germany nontheless, that doctor really knows her stuff,) and have traced my mother's side to ancestor born in Virginia in 1727. I am really excited to discover these additional cultural connections and am excited about learning more about them. It is interesting because I watched a special about the difficult conditions on Native American reservations before I found any of this information out and felt this connection with the people on the program, it was an odd gut-like feeling as if I subconsciously knew that I am connected to them somehow. </p>
<p>Anyway, back to the point, I am having a difficult time making a decision about what to check as my "race" for my college applications. I feel like these newly discovered people are a part of who I am, but at the same time, can't decide what I should put down. I know that being a URM can give a "boost" in college admissions, and I know the people who came before me, who worked so hard despite constant adversity, would want me to take advantage of what they couldn't, an equal chance to compensate for an eternity of disadvantage. From an admissions standpoint, should I apply as just black? Black and native american (I know what tribes my family were members of, but am not enrolled)? or Black, native american and white? Would any of these give a significant advantage or disadvantage?
Thanks!</p>
<p>I wouldn’t worry too much about any choice here giving you an advantage or disadvantage, since any of them will mark you as a minority and will basically put you in the same category, at least as I understand it. I’m also interested in this issue since I’m majority white but also have significant black (~1/4) and native american (~1/16) ancestry, so I don’t always know how to identify myself (so I totally get where you’re coming from- the college admissions process can be hard for those of us forced to make a definitive choice about our racial identity while we’re still trying to figure it out), especially when that identification changes what possible advantages I might be given. Anyway, I know my advice will still leave you with a choice with no clear answer, but I would advise trying not to worry about what affect your choice will have and just focus on how you’d like to identify yourself.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for the advice. I honestly wasn’t expecting any one to respond since it sometimes seems like such a random situation that no one else can relate to. I think I’m going to check all three boxes, any option is technically the truth, but since it’s something that I am interested in learning more about/being more involved in in the future, I think it’s worth mentioning.</p>
<p>I believe that if you are not a registered member of the tribe, then it would not be completely honest to indicate that you consider yourself Native American (under current admissions protocol - you might be able to find more accurate information in the “Race” thread). </p>
<p>To go on a more abstract tangent, I would urge you to remember that one’s identity does not solely come from what they truly are - I have French ancestry through slavery, yet I do not consider myself French, nor would I ever indicate that on a form asking for my race - but is a product of who they consider themselves to be. If you have considered yourself black all of your life, then I think that would be the better option to put down. Quite frankly, a good deal of people who are members of the African Diaspora have white and/or native ancestry, yet most do not put it down because they are not active in those communities.</p>
<p>Hi ksarmand,
I was worried about that: marking myself as native american and saying that I’m not enrolled. I actually have applied for enrollment in the Cherokee nation, but the process takes months. I feel like it didn’t really come across in my first post, which is pretty jumbled, but the way I feel is kind of that my Native American, and other ancestry has been denied me by virtue of the fact of being African-American because it’s a designation often used in absolution without the notion of the various cultures that often contribute to the people it describes. Not just in cultures of non-African origin. I’m sure that my African ancestors came from varying places as well. It’s not that I’m trying to emphasize my non-African ancestry either, it’s just that in my search for information, that is what I have found documentation of and information about thus far. I am a lover of history, and reading the names of, and information about people whom, without, I would not exist today; people who contributed, no matter how small the amount, to my DNA, made me feel connected to my existence in the way that I do when I hear stories about my great-grandparents from my mom. I’m interested in learning more about anyone and everyone that make up the fabric of who I am, and what it means to be connected to those people. I’m not sure if what I just wrote explains this…but I do not want to come across poorly to colleges just because I am interested in learning more about being Native American.</p>
<p>You’ve given some very well-articulated and completely sensible reasons for pursuing your choice. If you’d like to talk about your heritage, I think the essay and the interview would be more appropriate places to do so, that’s all. In the case of things that are products of a complicated history, the “meaning” of the corresponding concept or word is the “crystallization” of that history, a synthesis of “meanings,” which makes defining it impossible.</p>
<p>Personally, I view the term African-American as having such a complicated meaning that eludes strict definition and could potentially encompass multiple racial contributions to one’s genetic makeup and primary identification with one cultural group. Nevertheless, it’s ultimately your decision. Best of luck! :)</p>
<p>Thanks for sharing those links, I did read about the exclusion of the descendants of freedmen earlier this year and found it really interesting. It kind of raises the question of who decides what people are…
I’m glad I posted this thread because I have literally no one to discuss this with in real life. Haha. One of the reasons I’m excited for college.</p>
<p>I’m part African American and 1/4th Native American. I have 1/8th Choctaw blood and 1/8th Apache blood. My great great great grandfather was Cochise (Is famous and has been played in many western movies). My grandmother lived on a reservation for about 15 years of her life. She passes down many stories about her life on the reservation and about our heritage in general. Was it wrong for me to mark African American and Native American on my application if I’m technically not a registered member? You have to be 1/4th Apache to be registered in the Apache tribe, but once I graduate high school I am allowed to be considered a registered member of the Choctaw tribe.</p>
Glad I was able to help out a bit! I think you made a good decision; if you’re interested in exploring your ancestry there’s nothing wrong with identifying with all the races you’re connected to. </p>
<p>
Same - a lot of the schools I’m looking at have multiracial clubs which I’m really looking forward to. It would be nice to meet more people whose race isn’t obvious, so I’m hoping that college will give us all more of that opportunity. :)</p>
<p>Glad to hear we’re on the same page…good luck to you with everything! Now we just have to wait, which is almost harder than the “doing” part since we can’t change anything</p>
<p>@soaroneagles. You can register as a member (minor) of the Choctaw Nation under age 18. All 3 of my children are registered. Your direct line ancestors must also register if still living. My oldest dd is 17 and just got her adult membership card this week. Now she is fully enrolled and has a number for the college application. There is no blood minimum for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.</p>