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Black on Non-white

By RK
As I was reading the material this week, it struck me how airtight some of the categories for racism seemed. What I mean is, there seems to be an implication in most places that people of color (any color) are discriminated against by "the white man". However, one of the issues I am sure has been written about is the fact of racism even among people of color.

There is a fascinating example of the people of the Cherokee nation, whose history is very non reflective of the fact that they too had African slaves. In fact, today there are quite a few examples of African Americana people who consider themselves part of the Cherokee nation because they have been a part of the Cherokee culture for generations. However, this right is denied to them by the Cherokee people based on the race distinction, due to which they are considered non-Indian.

The question is, if people have belonged to a particular culture for generations would they be considered part of that culture? By current standards for American citizenship I'm guessing yes - like the people of numerous races who have settled in America for generations. I wonder then, if in an argument for inclusion in the Cherokee nation, should the people of African descent be included in the fold of this Native American group?

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