Black and White Aren’t Races in America
Do you want to read a confusing statement?
“Race isn’t real.”
Yes, we’ve all heard that one, and for many it conjures conflicting feelings. On one hand, race is a social construct invented by humans, yet on the other, it’s a concept that has very real world implications. In America, race is straightforward, but at the same time confusing. It should be simple right? White means all fair-skinned people from Europe, and black means dark-skinned people from Africa.
But clearly, that’s not where it ends.
What is Race and Ethnicity, Anyway?
The way that most Americans understand and view race is actually more akin to an ethnicity. So let’s clarify some basic terms.
Race is based mainly on phenotypic (or physical) markers, like one’s skin color or hair texture — so, black or white. Appearance can have a lot to do with ethnicity, but it is more based on one’s culture, language, and heritage. Then there’s nationality, which is often confused with ethnicity, but it just refers to someone’s nation of origin (e.g. French, Chinese, or Nigerian).
For example, Keanu Reeves’s nationality is Canadian (even though he was born in Beirut). His race…
