'You may not know it, but I'm black': White women's self-identification as black

This article shows ways in which five European American women intertwine and interweave the American discourses of race and ethnicity to talk about themselves as 'black.' This black identity both fits with their anti-racist desires and makes strategic sense in the context of their everyday...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ethnos 1997-01, Vol.62 (1-2), p.32-58
Main Author: Sunderland, P. L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Blacks
Cultures and civilizations
Ethnic Identity
Ethnic relations. Racism
Ethnicity
European American people
Females
Identity
New York City, New York
Race
Racial identity
Self Concept
Selfidentification
Sociology
Whites
Women
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Summary:This article shows ways in which five European American women intertwine and interweave the American discourses of race and ethnicity to talk about themselves as 'black.' This black identity both fits with their anti-racist desires and makes strategic sense in the context of their everyday lives. Importantly, the women do not deny the European side of their heritage, rather they embrace a multi-racial/ethnic identity. It is argued that the element of choice involved with American ethnic discourse, combined with a general shift toward the allowance of mixed identities, allows this identity construction to be understood as a sensible one. It is further argued that these women's constructions illustrate a type of identity configuration that has become a highly significant option in the United States.
ISSN:0014-1844
1469-588X
DOI:10.1080/00141844.1997.9981543