MSNBC -Multi-racial in America

MSNBC: Multiracial in America

Thought you might enjoy this online documentary of sorts which explores the mixed race experience.
Multiracial in America

Blue Eyed Black babies

Blue-Eyed Black Babies

I started this blog in 2006 when my daughter was just about a year and half. I didn't anticipate that my child who is mixed race,
3/4 black and 1/4 white, would be so light, have light hair and light eyes. I also didn't anticipate the attention she would draw.

I'm sure you all have the seen the black- quite brown skinned- baby who has blue eyes, right? Well I recently found this on youtube and thought I'd share. I bet his parents didn't anticipate a genetic throw back either, they have a quite brown skinned baby with crystal blue eyes.

Malcolm & Marley

Malcolm & Marley

Malcolm & Marley



Malcolm X, born Malcolm Little in 1925 in Omaha Nebraska. This month of May is the month he was born and he'd be 83 years of age if he were living. When I was at university, it intrigued me when I learned he was mixed-race. His mother was biracial and looked white and her father---Malcolm's grandfather--- was a white man. Learning this fact, gave me confidence, to feel black, be black and live my black experience, as mixed up as it was.

I grew up with both parents in the home, a white mother and a black father. My father is an only child, therefore, I didn't have extensive family relations with my black family. Consequently, my family and reference of an extended family was primarily white. Additionally, I went to a school made up of white students. I lived in a racially-mixed neighborhood. Yet I was still odd-out with both whites and blacks in the neighborhood because I was half of one or half of the other.

I believe the void of not connecting to, or being around my black people was realized and actually manifest itself when I went off to school. The truth is also, while in college, I didn't find a place where I could be mixed and I certainly couldn't be white. The campus was very segregated, just as much and I dare say moreso than the communities off campus. I eventually experienced an identity shift or a full-on embracing of my blackness. Although, I was taught by my parents that I am black, I know I'm black-- but I’m white as well—but I didn't fit in with the black kids growing up, because I was part white. I was the mixed kid in the neighborhood, and I was the mixed-black girl at school. I didn’t really fit in with the white kids because I was part black. I actually spent from 2nd grade until graduation in that white school, so by the time I reached college, I was apparently eager to embrace my blackness and be accepted by my black peers. So it was decided.. I was black. Wow! It’s a perpetual merry-go-round and if you think this paragraph makes your head spin, try living the experience!

Another pop culture influence, which proved significant, was the television show ---A Different World--- you remember that one right? Whitley, Duane, Denise and the gang. The original lead character role of Denise Huxtable, was played by Lisa Bonet. Bonet, appeared clearly mixed to me, but as usual, she was cast to play a mono-racial black girl. That was the “one-drop rule” in effect again. The same goes for Jasmine Guy as Whitley. But, that show and the casting of the mixed-race youth --pigeon holing or not--gave many mixed girls, especially those of a black/white mix, who struggled with racial identity, it gave us a certain confidence and place in the black student body. I enjoyed having a racial home among my peers, finally! I believe because the premise of the show was the college experience, it was something that was very relatable to all mixed girls at that time. On the flip-side of that liberating experience, it was not so great when I went home for visits. My mother was dumbfounded, because she didn't recognize the girl wearing the onk, with the (magnet) nose ring, toe ring and a new view on history and racial-identity.



It wasn't until later when I learned about Malcolm X being of mixed-race and Bob Marley being biracial-- like me-- that I took a studder step and began to reflect upon, what being mixed meant to me. I began a journey to discover it was ok to be mixed. The journey actually still continues. Every day when I have conversations with people who come to me because the want to be apart of Mixed Roots Movement, or when I'm giving a speech about the mixed-race experience, even as I interview people for my book, I discover something new about myself and my experience. I enjoy the exploration and the opportunities to teach others about the mixed-race experience. I'm excited about my role in building and watching a movement grow that is serving so many families and mixed-race people. It is at times overwhelming- but many times more rewarding, especially when the opportunity to inform mono-racial people about the mixed-race experience presents itself.

I'm a few days late with this.... Happy Birthday br. Malcolm- May 19



This month also happens to be the month in which -Nesta-Bob Marley died.
Marley was only 36 years of age when he died of cancer on May 11, 1981.

It goes without saying that Marley was an incredible poet and was known to move people through is lyrics and music. I am merely among the millions that was moved. Specifically so, by something he was quoted as saying relating to his being mixed:

"My father was a white and my mother was black. Them call me half-caste or whatever. Me don't dip on nobody's side. Me don't dip on the black man's side nor the white man's side. Me dip on God's side, the one who create me and cause me to come from black and white ."

-Bob Marley

I love this quote and I while I do "dip" from time to time. I always go back to this truth.
It's the place where I'm most comfortable, resting in my mixed roots, just being me and dipping on God's side!    A motto I love...  Out of Many We Are ONE.  That phrase means a lot to me.  

Hope you enjoy a little Bob Marley- It's what I'll be listening to this Memorial Day weekend
enjoy!     

Ganging up on Sen. Obama

Ganging up on Sen. Obama

Well it's happening, as the numbers are crunched and it looks like Obama may really seal the deal and get the nomination. The attacks and slants get even more gritty and silly.

What? Are you kidding me?!! What is with President Bush? Can someone besides Elisabeth Hasselbeck from the view please explain it to me....because I'm tired of hearing her spout her single minded, one way street, narrow minded, proBush proclamations.

Bush actually compared "Democrats" to a Nazi-Appeaaser while in Israel for the 60th anniversary!
Humm, who's he talking about? What's he talking about, what a joke.
He doesn't say "Obama" right out so who's he talking about?
Half the country... Carter, Obama, Clinton, JFK just who is he talking about.
Appeaser I don't think so....but a level headed, educated, brilliant THINKER.....
One who sees merit in having a dialogue with hostile nations.. Well, I say it might be a better approach than that one of a cowboy boot wearing, strut'n around kicking up dirt... itchy trigger finger having dude at the helm. We know what that gets us... a mortage crises, a food crisis, oil crisis, enviornmental issues denial, invasion, ignoring DARFUR.
Even McCain slipped up saying the "war" is over OIL.

I'm on a rant and I know it, so I'll just throw this in too.... If Rev. Wright sounds looney and hateful,
what does Bush sound like referring to Democratic leaders in this way on foreign soil no-less?
Is our government so split and divided that our President goes to such a low to refer to Democrats in this way and then all reps of the Republican party deny that it was a reference to Democrats! Okay, then Wright didn't mean the government when he said the "government" then. It's a unbelievable that riduBush made these statements before a foreign legislative.


The political games drive me nuts.


What again? Sen. Barack Obama's visit to Michigan was overrun by a slip - I'm annoyed with the reporter who chose to slant it negatively and blow it up around the nation to be the talk of the nation. Come on Peggy Agar! You filed your report with a negative slant, saying "this sweetie never did get an answer to that question". Your style of shouting out a question was a bit disruptive and distracting to what was going on. Seemed to me like you were the only one sort of heckling the presidential candidate for an comment while someone was talking to him. Respectfully, it didn't seem like the best time to get an answer to a question. I've been in those shoes...an egar reporter trying to get the exclusive or the get of the day, be the one who asks the important question and GET the answer. It's reported that Agar wasn't even aware of all the rage over the story. As a reporter, Peggy had to know that the way the story was filed, that it would bring sparks to the afternoon news around the region if not the nation.

I think being called "sweetie" is far less and issue that would be "chick" or "lady" He could have called you Ma'am! As soon as I saw the piece I knew what was to follow and this is my rant... and I'm annoyed that WXYZ decided to make that NEWS and that you sought to exploit it.
Do I favor Sen. Barack Obama, yes. Would I feel this annoyed if this exact story was about McCain, honestly no. But would I think that it making news, negative news for McCain at that would be ridiculous... Absolutely. The fact of the matter is with Barack Obama- it seemed like it's a term he just uses and probably often with no disrespect intended.
Some may use the argument that he'd wouldn't refer to Sen. Hilary Clinton that way. I don't think he would because the climate of their communications are different. I say it was a innocent error. I mean think about it. Do you really believe that a
mixed-race Man of COLOR would go about referring to women - and especially white women -in a way that would warrant such negative attention, that would call for a necessary apology! Paaleeaasse.
He did end his "hold on sweetie sentence with .....thanks!"

But kudos to Sen. Obama for this:

"Hi Peggy. This is Barack Obama. I'm calling to apologize on two fronts. One was you didn't get your question answered and I apologize. I thought that we had set up interviews with all the local stations. I guess we got it with your station but you weren't the reporter that got the interview. And so, I broke my word. I apologize for that and I will make up for it.

"Second apology is for using the word 'sweetie.' That's a bad habit of mine. I do it sometimes with all kinds of people. I mean no disrespect and so I am duly chastened on that front. Feel free to call me back. I expect that my press team will be happy to try to make it up to you whenever we are in Detroit next." -

Hope the fact that he referred to you by your first name only doesn't become the next slanted filed report.

And McCain today shifted but no one really knows because Bush was making news in Israel! McCain, now says we can be OUT OF IRAQ and Victorious in 5 years! What happened to the forecasts of decades or 100 years? LoL
Okay, I'm done. Politics... a charged topic wouldn't cha say?

Mixed Experience at Morehouse

Mixed Experience at Morehouse


The Valedictorian from -HBCUs- Morehouse- Joshua Packwood

Joshua Packwood will graduate on May 18, with a reported perfect 4.0 GPA in economics from the all-male Morehouse college.
This young man's popularity gained him the title dorm president when he was just a freshman. He's a Rhodes Scholar finalist,
he's headed to a well-earned job at a prestigious investment banking firm in New York city, he 22-years-old and
none of that is what makes this information it's most compelling point.... Did you catch that I noted Morehouse as an HBC?
That's a Historically Black College and this kid is white! For the first time in the history of the college, they will graduate a white valedictorian.

Now this is a great mixed experience story. A white guy, at a historically black college, gained the "trust" and popularity of his peers and more importantly an education on perspective! Here's a quote from Joshua:

"I've been forced to see the world in a different perspective, that I don't think I could've gotten anywhere else," he said. "None of the Ivies, no matter how large their enrollment is, no matter how many Nobel laureates they have on their faculty ... none of them could've provided me with the perspective I have now."

I'm happy to know he rejects the notion that he was accepted to Morehouse as a "token white recruit" but instead was selected based on his merits. As I delved deeper into his story, I learned that he has mixed-race siblings and his mother was married a "brotha". What's funny is his freshman roommate- an African American- came to Morehouse looking to get a "black experience" after growing up being one of the few blacks in the schools he attending prior to high school graduation and he's gets roomed with the ONLY white kid in the class.

I wonder who'll get the rights to their story?! Sounds like a good movie to me!

information for this blog obtained from cbs.com

Mixed & Mistaken for Egyptian

Mixed & Mistaken for Egyptian

Today, when I took my daughter to Montessori, I saw a woman that I thought was mixed like me. Then I realized she was the same woman I had inquired about a few months ago. Yep, I inquired- I'm always curious to know if someone is mixed like me. But I learned this woman is Egyptian. It was curious to me how much she look mixed like me - black and white.

Over the years I have often been mistaken for many ethnicities, including Egyptian. Literally, people would begin a conversation with me in complete Arabic. Naturally, I'd be at a loss, not able to speak Arabic. I didn't know anyone from Egypt, thus didn't have a tangible comparison as to why I was often mistaken as Egyptian- but I always thought it was cool.
I had however, known a few Moroccans and I could certainly see how people thought I may be Moroccan from time to time. And going to Puerto Rico... forget about it. Let me just say this.... I REALLY need to learn to speak Spanish.
But on being mistaken for Egyptian, one day it happened- one day- I saw a young woman, who looked so much like me, that it was strangely odd to see someone who resembled me so much.

Later that same day, a friend told me that they mistook someone else for me. I laughed and asked "who was it?", already suspicious that it had to be the same woman I had seen earlier. So as we strolled around the isles of the convention, only a few moments elapsed before we crossed paths with my look-a-like. Sure enough this woman and I could have been sisters! She Egyptian and me a mix of black and white. We looked so much alike, but our origins and roots are from different places on the globe... or are they? You see, the deep details of my heritage are still a mystery to me- a project/investigation I'll launch soon- but the current info I have is simply I'm of Irish and African decent. Well...Egypt is an African nation- who knows, a portion of my roots could very well be there I don't think it's likely, because it's pretty certain that my African heritage is West African not North African. In any event, it will be interesting to finally gain the knowledge. This project won't be an easy task- but the rewards will be profound. I wonder why it is that saying and knowing that I'm American is not enough for me.

Occassionally, I see Hoda Kotb on NBC, and I slip into it again, thinking, hey she's mixed like me.... I googled her and yep you guessed it, no she's not mixed like me, she too is Egyptian! So I've got to get going on the "finding my mixed roots" project.

I have located photographs of my grandparents. I just aquired a photo of my great grand parents- my mother's grandparents- I didn't know them at all, infact I had to ask my mother, "what are their names?" I did however, know my great grandmother on my father's side. She was Leola, called Lola and I affectionately and respectfully referred to her as "BigMama"
I'll soon share images of my great-grands. But for now- take a look at Hoda Kotb-Egyptian- but she sure looks mixed like me.

Honor thy Mother- Mothers Day and Everyday!

My mother with my daughter Winter of '07
I love them both sooo much!

© 2008 T. Fatimah Williams-MixedRoots










My daughter and I - Being her Momma is by far the most important and biggest blessing of my life.


© 2008 T. Fatimah Williams-MixedRoots

Mildred Loving Dies at age 68!


Mildred (Jeter) Loving, a celebrated woman in the mixed-race community passed on -according to a published report by the
Washingtonpost.com- from pneumonia on Friday, May 2, 2008.
She and her husband Richard Loving represented so many millions of people.
Her actions for fairness helped to change this nation. I am grateful for her, her family and what she represented.
Ms. Mildred Loving... Rest in Peace our love.