Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know a white guy who was fourth or fifth generation from South Africa (Boer). When he filled out the application he clicked ‘African American’ not really understanding it was a racial identification instead of a nationality (so he claimed).

When the schools found out they were furious and threatened to put fraud alert on his records to all schools but they eventually sorted something out.

He is African American.

He is from South Africa, and he is also American, but that does not mean he is African-American, which specifically means an American descendant of native Africans. Boers are not native Africans, just like white South Americans are not native South Americans.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know a white guy who was fourth or fifth generation from South Africa (Boer). When he filled out the application he clicked ‘African American’ not really understanding it was a racial identification instead of a nationality (so he claimed).

When the schools found out they were furious and threatened to put fraud alert on his records to all schools but they eventually sorted something out.

He is African American.

No he isn't. African American = descendants of Africans brought to the US as slaves.

Exactly! That example the pp mentioned is fraud. The reason slave descendants are African American is that almost all cannot identity with a pinpointed African country. Newer immigrants from Africa can check Black but they would be labeled Somali-American, Nigerian American or in the case of the fraudster South African American.

It’s not quite this cut and dry. I’m black biracial, born here to immigrant parents. I grew up in a black neighborhood, went to an HBCU, etc. I identify as black/AA with ancestry from my parents’ home countries. I know plenty of folks with similar situations—born here or moved here as kids, but not descendants of slaves (at least not slaves in the US) who also identify as AA.

Identity is complicated and can also change over time (e.g., identifying more with one experience/part of your ancestry, but growing to identify with another part later on—I know black/white biracial people who’ve had this experience).

PP. Although yes the white guy from Durban or wherever was a fraud.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know a white guy who was fourth or fifth generation from South Africa (Boer). When he filled out the application he clicked ‘African American’ not really understanding it was a racial identification instead of a nationality (so he claimed).

When the schools found out they were furious and threatened to put fraud alert on his records to all schools but they eventually sorted something out.

He is African American.

No he isn't. African American = descendants of Africans brought to the US as slaves.

Exactly! That example the pp mentioned is fraud. The reason slave descendants are African American is that almost all cannot identity with a pinpointed African country. Newer immigrants from Africa can check Black but they would be labeled Somali-American, Nigerian American or in the case of the fraudster South African American.

It’s not quite this cut and dry. I’m black biracial, born here to immigrant parents. I grew up in a black neighborhood, went to an HBCU, etc. I identify as black/AA with ancestry from my parents’ home countries. I know plenty of folks with similar situations—born here or moved here as kids, but not descendants of slaves (at least not slaves in the US) who also identify as AA.

Identity is complicated and can also change over time (e.g., identifying more with one experience/part of your ancestry, but growing to identify with another part later on—I know black/white biracial people who’ve had this experience).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know a white guy who was fourth or fifth generation from South Africa (Boer). When he filled out the application he clicked ‘African American’ not really understanding it was a racial identification instead of a nationality (so he claimed).

When the schools found out they were furious and threatened to put fraud alert on his records to all schools but they eventually sorted something out.

He is African American.

No he isn't. African American = descendants of Africans brought to the US as slaves.

Exactly! That example the pp mentioned is fraud. The reason slave descendants are African American is that almost all cannot identity with a pinpointed African country. Newer immigrants from Africa can check Black but they would be labeled Somali-American, Nigerian American or in the case of the fraudster South African American.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know a white guy who was fourth or fifth generation from South Africa (Boer). When he filled out the application he clicked ‘African American’ not really understanding it was a racial identification instead of a nationality (so he claimed).

When the schools found out they were furious and threatened to put fraud alert on his records to all schools but they eventually sorted something out.

He is African American.

No he isn't. African American = descendants of Africans brought to the US as slaves.

Exactly! That example the pp mentioned is fraud. The reason slave descendants are African American is that almost all cannot identity with a pinpointed African country. Newer immigrants from Africa can check Black but they would be labeled Somali-American, Nigerian American or in the case of the fraudster South African American.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you have to have black friends to identify as black?

No, but it does indicate a lack of identifying as being black if all your friends are white, and your own mom has no clue whether you identify as black.

OP here. This makes no sense. You make your friends based on your racial identity not based on who you get along with and who you like? I think this is an American thing and cannot be applied across the board. My husband has mostly white friends and he is black. By this reckoning he identifies as white? This is preposterous. I genuinely think my daughter does not give her race much thought at all.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know a white guy who was fourth or fifth generation from South Africa (Boer). When he filled out the application he clicked ‘African American’ not really understanding it was a racial identification instead of a nationality (so he claimed).

When the schools found out they were furious and threatened to put fraud alert on his records to all schools but they eventually sorted something out.

He is African American.

No he isn't. African American = descendants of Africans brought to the US as slaves.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand. You would mark "black" for her race, but your not satisfied with that, you would also like to mark an African country for citizenship. Is that right?

OP here. Yep.

Well, it would be a lie because you didn’t actually apply for citizenship for her and she doesn’t have it.

My son is a dual citizen with two passports. when he filled out his applications, he told the truth.

OP here. As I said in my post, she would not lie. I was asking if we should apply for the African passport so she could put both on her application. Dual citizenship is allowed.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is straightforward. OP's daughter fills out the Common App that was quoted in previous posts. If she is part black, then she can check the box that says "Black or African American." She can elaborate on that with the boxes below it, if she chooses. If she is not part black, she cannot check the "Black or African American" box. If she is also part white, she gets to check that box too, and likewise can elaborate on that with the boxes below it.

Her citizenship is what it is -- US permanent resident (green card holder) which does allow for financial aid and is also critical for admission, to avoid the disadvantage of being put in the international applicant pool. Adding another citizenship does nothing to increase her chances.

The rest is on her. Good luck!

OP here. Thanks. This is the advice I am looking for. We have only lived here for about 4 years. The application process is complicated. We are told to take advantage of the colleges’ diversity drives. We are bombarded by letters from diversity groups at universities and with advice from friends. DD is told to do this extra curricular activity, that leadership role etc. I am used to just academics being the deciding factor to a greater extent. Here a child has to position herself by doing all these things to improve her chances. To me, her race is just one of the many things that could help. There is really nothing sinister about this. She is not going to lie, she is going to do and put what is necessary on her application to increase her chances. Just like everybody else.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you have to have black friends to identify as black?

No, but it does indicate a lack of identifying as being black if all your friends are white, and your own mom has no clue whether you identify as black.

Anonymous wrote:This is straightforward. OP's daughter fills out the Common App that was quoted in previous posts. If she is part black, then she can check the box that says "Black or African American." She can elaborate on that with the boxes below it, if she chooses. If she is not part black, she cannot check the "Black or African American" box. If she is also part white, she gets to check that box too, and likewise can elaborate on that with the boxes below it.

Her citizenship is what it is -- US permanent resident (green card holder) which does allow for financial aid and is also critical for admission, to avoid the disadvantage of being put in the international applicant pool. Adding another citizenship does nothing to increase her chances.

The rest is on her. Good luck!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In the US, African American refers to racial ancestry, not citizenship. So, she is within her rights to put AA, BUT...I would let her decide (this is what I did with my child who could have "hidden" her Asian heritage on the application.)

She decided to check Asian, because she felt that was the most accurate answer. I was proud of her for being forthright, and proud of her identity. Others feel strongly about checking mixed race. Your child is forming her identity as an adult. Let her chose what feels honest to her.

By the way, two other side feelings we had were : we did not want her somewhere where her ethnicity would not be embraced AND if this is a deal breaker for the school, it would have been pretty obvious at the interview.

But again, I discussed it with her and feel proud of how she handled it. Felt authentic and transparent.

Nope. She's not AA. African American = descendants of Africans brought to the US as slaves.

So Rihanna isn’t AA?

Rihanna is black. She's not American so wouldn't be AA. She was born and raised in Barbados. Similarly, British person with African ancestry isn't African American.

She’s a green card holder. That’s American enough for me.

Anonymous wrote:Do you have to have black friends to identify as black?