re: #599 quickjustice

Early Americans distinguished “white” and “black” for statistical record-keeping purposes. There were complex formulas for determining what percentage of black blood made a person of mixed race “black”. The record-keeping continued even after slavery was abolished. Hispanic didn’t fit either category well, so they ended up lumped with “white”.

“Statistical record-keeping purposes” makes it sound so innocent. Kind of like the statistics those funny old Nazis used to keep, on Jews, Gypsies, “anti-social elements” and so forth.

And if I recall correctly, the formula for determining who was black (or at least not white enough to be admitted to the full benefits of citizenship) was not very complex at all.

One drop.

One.

Drop.

Of black blood.

Was. All. It. Took.