<p>So I'm listening to NPR's story about Elizabeth Warren's self-identification as "Native Indian" in race classifications for graduate school and law school appointments, and law registeries. This claim is based upon perhaps 1/32nd Cherokee ancestry, from five generations ago, but apparently legitimate.</p>
<p>DS' paternal grandmother's mother reportedly was a full-blooded Native American, so he's probably 1/8th Native American. DH never identified himself as such and his mother doesn't self-disclose, but it's common family knowledge and documented. We've never identified DS as part Native American, but now I'm wondering if we're missing an opportunity if such fractional ancestry is included in disclosures.</p>
<p>Advice on the "rules" of racial disclosure would be appreciated.</p>
<p>People are clamoring to claim belonging to particular tribes around here that have highly profitable casinos and to get their cut (which can easily be > $100K/year for doing nothing). The tribes have worked out some formula to determine acceptance but I don’t know what it generally is.</p>
<p>I don’t know if colleges have explicitly stated any required genealogy or ‘blood percentage’ and often use the term ‘identify with’. I don’t think there are any hard and fast rules.</p>
<p>From what I’ve read here some colleges will ask if the student is registered with the tribe. This makes the tribe the enforcer and proves that the student actually feels aligned with the NA culture.</p>
<p>This is true in general, but the AI/NA category is somewhat different. Look at the CA and you will see that an enrollment number is requested. And many colleges send forms asking for additional information to applicants who mark AI/NA.</p>
<p>Each of the tribes has its own determination for enrollment. Some are as little as 1/32 or 1/64 “blood quantum.” Generally, if an older relative was on the base rolls, you then trace your lineage to that person. If you go through this, you’d get an enrollment number, which goes on the Common App. </p>
<p>For college purposes- last time I checked, schools in areas with high NA populations required the enrollment number (usually the midwest and parts of the west or south.) This is to be fair to the kids who are legitimately involved in the tribe. In other parts of the country, where tribal affiliations and activities are looser, many colleges don’t expect this. So, it depends on the school. But: you usually have to show more than a checked box- some association, some continued participation or interest. Some sense it’s part of your on-going identity. You can google tribal enrollment. At the very least, your son might find the genealogy fascinating.</p>
<p>^lookingforward is correct, it varies by tribe. I spent some time on the Navajo reservation last year and know it is 1/4 for them, but that’s just one tribe.</p>
<p>Looked into it for our oldest, he was 2 generations out of qualifying. My grandmother was 1/2 NA, my Mother’s generation could claim “minority status” for jobs, etc. at my 1/8 and son’s 1/32nd, no go for us unfortunately. I might have to look into this for some schools out of state though-they might not be as particular?</p>