one-drop rule in the Americas

The one drop rule does not apply outside of the United States. Many other countries treat race much less formally than it is treated in the US, and when they do self-identify racially, they often do so in ways very different from how it would be considered in the US. Just as a person with physically recognizable sub-Saharan ancestry can claim to be black in the United States, someone with recognizable Caucasian ancestry may be considered white in the United States.
In the caste system of colonial Spanish America, there was no barrier for interracial relationships while, at the same time, a racial hierarchy operated, combined with the Iberian purity of blood rules. As a result, the status of a mixed-race person would be determined by the proportion of "white blood" with an elaborate system of different names classifying the combinations of black, Amerindian and white. Inverse from this system, small drops of white blood were enough to position a person above "pure" non-whites. Furthermore, racial caste not only depended on ancestry or skin color, but also could be risen or lowered by the person's economical fortune. After the abolition of slavery and Latin American independence, the caste divisions were blurred into wider groups.


In December 2002, the Washington Post ran a story on the one drop theory. In the reporter's opinion: "Someone with Sidney Poitier's deep chocolate complexion would be considered white if his hair were straight and he made a living in a profession. That might not seem so odd, Brazilians say, when you consider that the fair-complexioned actresses Rashida Jones ("Boston Public" and "The Office" and Lena Horne are identified as black in the United States."[8]
According to Jose Neinstein, a native white Brazilian and executive director of the Brazilian-American Cultural Institute in Washington, in the United States, "If you are not quite white, then you are black." However, in Brazil, "If you are not quite black, then you are white." Neinstein recalls talking with a man of Poitier's complexion when in Brazil: "We were discussing ethnicity, and I asked him, 'What do you think about this from your perspective as a black man?' He turned his head to me and said, 'I'm not black,' . . . It simply paralyzed me. I couldn't ask another question."[8] It must be said that precisely what the gentleman considered himself — white, brown or other — the story doesn't say.
The Washington Post story also described a Brazilian-born woman who for 30 years before immigrating to the United States considered herself a morena. Her skin had a caramel color that is roughly equated with whiteness in Brazil and some other Latin American countries. "I didn't realize I was black until I came here," she explained.[8] "'Where are you from?' they ask me. I say I'm from Brazil. They say, 'No, you are from Africa.' They make me feel like I am denying who I am."
The same racial culture shock has come to hundreds of thousands of dark-skinned immigrants to the United States from Brazil, Colombia, Panama and other Latin American nations. Although most lack the degree of African ancestry required to be considered black in their homelands, they have often been considered black in US society. According to the Washington Post, their refusal to accept the United States' definition of black has left many feeling attacked from all directions. At times, white Americans might discriminate against them for their black skin; African Americans might believe that Afro-Latino immigrants are denying their blackness; and they think lighter-skinned Latinos dominate Spanish-language television and media. A majority of Latin Americans possess some African or Native American ancestry. Many of these immigrants feel it is hard enough to accept a new language and culture without the additional burden of having to transform from white to black. Yvette Modestin, a dark-skinned native of Panama who worked in Boston, said the situation was overwhelming: "There's not a day that I don't have to explain myself."[8]
The mixed-race movement instituted a Mixed Race Day, as a symbol of resistance against the proposed One-Drop Rule.


Professor J.B. Bird has said that Latin America is not alone in rejecting the United States' notion that any visible African ancestry is enough to make one black: "In most countries of the Caribbean, Colin Powell would be described as a Creole, reflecting his mixed heritage. In Belize, he might further be described as a 'High Creole', because of his extremely light complexion."[9]

Now my question is how can the world have a Race dialog if we can't make it clear who stand where because it would be label as racist.

The most racist people I know are those who claim they are not racists
There are to kinds of people in the world, and both are racists


1. Those in denial, who go and treat others who are diff. with less respect and in their hearts think they are the best around. They say they are colorblind.

2. Those who accept that some races run faster and some think faster etc. and see the differences in races, but who never allow it to change their way of dealing with anyone, as they live as if they were color blind.

if thats the case then my question is who isnt racist?

Exactly, you got the point!

Will, let's be carefull here, all of us to certain degree are prejudice, where prejudice include racism, however not all prejudice is racism. example rich people of the same race can be prejudical of the poor vice versa.

The word racist involved race

No cabareteWillian there are those who are racist , there are prejudice and there are those who see both as just idiots fighting against each other for centuries and want to move beyond the child play.

"Black " is a word used to describe Americans who are of African decent. Regardless of the actual color of one's skin. The term has often been extended to other nationalities regardless of the cultural differences. i.e. Black Dominicans, Black Puerto Ricans, Black Brasilians, ect.


However, over the course of several years, most of these nationalities have rejected this "all is one" labeling and the premise from which it is based on. (the one drop rule)

The rejection of this notion, is an attempt to carve out a world identity distinct from which the "one drop rule" is based on. And the "idea" that undergirds the make up of it. These people instead perfer to identify themselves by their respective nationalities. Dominican, Brasilian, Puerto Rican, Cuban. Indeed even African nationals living in the U.S. distance themselves from the "Black Man" label.

Instead they often times like being referred to by their nationality. Ghanian, Nigerian, Somalian, ect.
"Black " is merely a name which refers to Americans living in the United States whose ancestors are decendants of slaves.

Since the first slaves were brought to the Carribean Islands by the Spanish Conquistadors, everyone born of this union have been labelled as "Black" by virtue of the "One drop rule". Regardless of their nationality or the color of their skin. In Brasil, decendants are referred to as "negro", which is the same as "Black" in American. Indeed, I have heard Dominicans refer to dark-skinned dominicans as "Negro".

Brasil has the largest population of decendants of African slaves outside of Nigeria as more slaves were imported to Brasil than any other place during the slave trade. Over the years, a number of Brasilians, like their Carribean counterparts have attempted to carve out a distinct difference, by identifying with their latin cultural roots and nationality than with the American promoted "all is the same" one drop rule.

In USA the one drop rule was mainly used by male to keep their women away from trying to marry and date a African decedent or ex-slaves. The main reason behind was that male were scare their woman would start mixing and since African tend to multiply quicker then they would become the minority in the long term. Which is what is happening now that Latinos and Black are quickly outnumbering Whites at a fast pace.