I am half North African and half white. My parent is Algerian. My grandfather was from a black racial group in Africa, but my grandmother wasn’t. My parent identifies as African but not black. I look SUPER white. I know this is just awkward, but WHAT do I identify as. Should I say I am African American with African origin or should I say I am middle eastern (even though I am NOT but look Middle Eastern)??? I have gotten college counselors telling me different things, and my college representatives have said different things too…
How do YOU identify Yourself? As AA?
North Africans, including Algerians are considered to be Caucasions
Identify as whatever. You can truthfully say you’re African or Caucasian or biracial.
Race is such an artificial construct, anyway.
These days, North Africans are considered Caucasian by Americans, but trace back ancestry, and you’ll find that a ton of North Africans have roots in Sub-Saharan Africa. Likewise, a ton of Europeans have Asian blood and many Asians have European blood.
Humans have been mixing since the dawn of humanity.
Many North Africans were originally Berbers
@citymama9 I am half Berber like my Algerian parent is berber and gets really angry when called middle eastern which is why I have a problem identifying as white or middle eastern
You’re an African American. I know what you’re talking about, but its really ridiculous in itself. You may be lighter than other people of your origin, but you’re African American. It’s the same in Asia, there are Asians that have a wide spread variations of pigments. The marketing messages of the idea of “race” has caused this confusion.
Where does Middle Eastern come into it?
You’re free to include the Black, if your grandfather’s origins are in sub-Saharan Africa. (But that doesn’t make you half African.)
There are a good number of (very proud) African-Americans who are less than half-African by descent.
Race being the artificial construct that it is, you should feel free to categorize yourself however you like that is supported by your heritage. The whole idea of categorizing by race, frankly, is ridiculous.