Basically title
My family is Cape Verdean, ancestors came in the 19th century with the waves of immigration so my family has been here for a while
what would I mark? African American or Other, then write in Cape Verdean?
thanks
Aren’t most Cape Verdeans part African and part Portuguese? So, maybe African American and White. Then under African American subcategories mark Africa since technically Cape Verde is part of Africa. The MIT application has an open ended question about heritage, so you can go into as much detail as you like about your background.
Do you consider yourself to be ethnically black or part black? If yes, then tick AA. Don’t get hung up on the strict geographic origin part of the description.
So you consider yourself Cape Verdean before consideration of your partial African ancestry, reading your final question.
What does your conscience tell you? What would your community say? Did your family continue to marry almost strictly within and among those in the Cape Verdean community where you are?
I think all of these aspects of self can help you to know which way to go; how to move forward.
@Waiting2exhale I consider cape verdeans as AA
Interesting: The uniqueness of Cape Verdeans is reflected in the Massachusetts census permitting a “Cape-Verdean” check-box for ethnic identification.
That is your answer, young person, as that is your truth. I know there can be differences of opinion within the communities, based on when the family came over, how much contact people have had with those who did not migrate, how the living was done here in the U.S.
I went to college with a young man who very much identified as both, and was very clear with people that he was neither white nor exclusively African-American, though his mother would have bristled at the latter assignation to any degree. He was able to actively identify with and speak on behalf of issues related to the Black community, and wasrespectful of those who looked like him but who did in fact identify as white/Black bi-racial.
I was recently asked if I was Cape Verdean by someone who walked thisclosetomyface to do so, shocking me. I told him no, and smiled when I said it. Not a problem to be asked at all.
My youngest child will have reason to ask the type of question you are asking, but only because he does not look like he could claim Black without being seriously challenged. He consciously, actively, and naturally will claim Black (I suppose), as he lives Black. It will be his choice.
If it is your truth, it is your truth.
The Common App is asking about your race. You can say you are AA/Black or you can say you are AA/Black and something else. Depends upon how you identify. If you choose to check AA/Black, it will ask:
In which case you can check of Africa, since CV is a part of Africa
That’s because Cape Verdean is an ethnicity, not a race. AA/black is a race. The MA census, when asking about race offered White, Black, Asian, Native American/Alaskan, and/or Native Hawaiian as the options, allowing for multiple selections.
the myMIT application allows for you to check a box about race and then further explain your heritage. I would check African American, and then go on to explain how you are Cape Verdean in the space provided. Honestly, I think instances like this are the whole reason they give you the chance to explain, so I would take advantage of this, especially if it is a significant part of your identity.
To @skieurope… MIT is not on the commonapp
@kittkatt835 haha that’s actually what I went about doing
thanks everyone
Oops. I knew that. 
Anyway, concept is the same.