Obama’s Success Turns Focus on Biracial Americans

“I’m a Cablinasian.”

Tiger Woods gave this answer on the Oprah Winfrey Show when asked about his racial heritage, referring to the Caucasian, black, Indian and Asian blood he carries.

Woods had a black father (or to be precise, half-black, one-quarter white and one-quarter Native American) and a Thai mother.

As Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, the offspring of a black father and white mother, seems certain to gain his party’s nomination, mixed-race Americans have drawn attention across the United States.

In the 2000 census, the Census Bureau for the first time allowed citizens to check as many racial categories that they felt applied. That was the first time that the bureau surveyed people of mixed race in the country.

In response, around seven million Americans or three percent of the population said they were of mixed blood. An estimated 450,000 said they belonged to more than three racial groups. If those who refused to admit they were mixed even though they were were counted, the real number would be a lot higher, experts say.

Those under age 18 accounted for 41 percent of the mixed blood figure, showing the drastic increase in interracial marriage over the past two decades.

In the 2000 survey, 3.1 million couples comprising six percent of the U.S. total said one member was of a different race.

○ Positive Impact of Multi-cultural Influence

Since the Census Bureau unveiled its survey results, organizations for the rights of mixed-blood people are seeing heightened activity. Universities around the country have introduced courses on mixing among races and the Internet is also fueling similar activities.

In his memoir, Obama said he felt alienated from his black friends because he had lighter skin than they did. For the same reason, he said, the black community attacked him when he began his political career in Chicago.

A considerable number of mixed-raced people tend to suffer identity crises in their early years like Obama. Jenifer Bratter, a sociology professor at Rice University, told the New York Times that she used to wear a T-shirt reading “I am a 100-percent black woman” in college.

Many biracials, however, succeed in taking advantage of their mixed-race nature. This is because their exposure to various cultures from an early age makes them more easily adaptable to society.

Like Moon Bloodgood, a half-Korean, half-American actress who will star in “Terminator IV,” more entertainers are finding opportunity to advance their career utilizing their mixed-race status.

○ Obama Gives Hope

The fact that the mixed-race Obama is riding high in the Democratic race has given hope to biracial Americans that they can also succeed.

Nancy Pearson, a student at Johns Hopkins University, was born to a white father and a Taiwanese mother. Speaking perfect Chinese, she said she will major in the politics of a South Asian nation.

Thanks to candidate Obama, she said, she feels mixed-race people are attracting more attention.

kong@donga.com