Wednesday, October 15, 2008

NYT Article: "Our Nig"'s Legacy

For Some, Uncertainty Starts at Racial Identity

Pay close attention to the language interviewees use to discuss Sen. Obama as a "mixed race" person who is "neither/nor."

1 comment:

Alex Gendell said...

Adam Nossiter certainly picked these small southern towns accordingly. It's amazing that some people still negatively call Obama "mixed race," as a person who is part white yet somehow "tainted," like Frado in Our Nig. One man commented on how he couldn't hate Obama but couldn't trust him either, similar to Jack's take on Frado: can defend her but continues to dehumanize her.

Refering to Obama as "neither / nor" seems archaic, back to Mary Jemison's or Mag Smith's time periods. Are people with these notions justified if they have been taught them generation after generation?