Type of Document Master's Thesis Author Graham, Charlene Jeanette Author's Email Address cgraham@tiaa-cref.org URN etd-11272007-165502 Title Coloring: An Investigation of Racial Identity Politics Within the Black Indian Community Degree Master of Arts Department Women's Studies Advisory Committee
Advisor Name Title Denise A. Donnelly, Ph.D. Committee Chair Elisabeth O. Burgess Committee Member Joseph B. Perry Committee Member Keywords
- Black identity
- Racial identity politics
- African American Indians
- Black Indians
Date of Defense 2007-10-29 Availability unrestricted Abstract ABSTRACT
Historical interconnections between Native Americans and many people of African descent in America created a group of Black Indians whose lineage continues today. Though largely unrecognized, they remain an important racially mixed group. Through analysis using qualitative feminist methodologies, this thesis examines the history and analyzes the narratives of African-Native American females regarding their racial identity and political claims of tribal citizenship. Their socialization, which includes kin keeping, extended families and the sharing of family stories, allows them to claim native ancestry because of the information usually passed down to them from mothers, grandmothers, aunts and other family members. Their culture and identity revealed that Black Indian women have particular attitudes regarding their racial identity. I conclude my investigation with the suggestion that Native and African American studies can be instrumental as an alternative method of studying American race relations and the ways race intersects with gender in the formation of identity politics.
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