What is Black?

Black is a color. The color Black is impermeable, almost impossible to see through, making it the ultimate shade for any type of light. The homogenous mixture of every single color in the spectrum creates the color Black. In essence, this idea of Black-Americans comes as a direct reference to the origins of the color Black. Many Black-Americans have ancestral roots in Asian, Native American, European and Spanish cultures. While, there is no doubt that the African ancestry runs through the Black-American lineage, it is important to note this term; Black. The reference of Black-Americans has changed throughout the course of American history and still, is not yet ideally defined. Black-Americans have been: Afrikans, Coloured, Negro (N*ggers), Mulattos, Creole, Quadroon, Octoroon, Afro-Americans, Black and African-Americans (just to name a few). So, this is a good spot to insert my hypothesis one last time; What is Black? As the "futuristic" theme of 2010 nestles in mid-year; do we still self-identify as Black? First, I would like to address the critics who have continued to read this blog while their blood pressure keeps going up. There is nothing wrong/negative with the color or racial identity Black, however as the facial features, racially mixed families and cultural blurs surface daily...What is Black? Are we still Black? Has our term changed? The 2010 Census has also provoked conversation as to what exactly are Black/African Americans.  I overheard a very obviously looking Black male say to his girlfriend, "It's still funny to me that people think that I am Black in America...I am Dominican, why can't that be a choice?" Though grouped in that category, there are still some Black Americans un-easy about that racial choice. Some Black Americans would rather express ALL of their ethnic background traits, instead of say: BLACK. I have no problems with being called Black, but it is a problem when I elaborate on my heritage and people ignore me or laugh and say, "Girl you just Black". I come from a multi-racial, multi-cutural, multi-geographical history and I would like to share that. Hello, I am Joia and I am the product of the African, Native-American, Caribbean Spanish, European peoples whose immigrants rested in Memphis, Chicago, New York and Canada. Nice to Meet You.