The answer lies, not in the biological facts, but within the history of slavery and racism in America. The legislation was designed as a means of using African genealogy to constrain all children of biracial unions to a lower socio-economic status within post-slavery society. The rule was passed into law in the early 20th century, beginning in Tennessee in By , most states in America had adopted some form of one-drop law.
Although the last of these laws are now gone — repealed in the late s — their original classifications remain very much in use today. Clearly there are many out there who are ignorant of the singer's genealogy and family history.
Indeed, many of the online searches about Carey's nationality and ethnicity come from countries outside the United States, where fans may be unaware of the history of racial politics that govern identity. Understandably, after almost 20 years of scrutiny, Carey herself has grown weary of the whole race question. When it was suggested on Lopez Tonight that she undertake ancestral DNA testing to determine her exact genealogy, she avoided the opportunity, keen to finally put the issue to rest once and for all.
I am a London-based author and publisher, specialising in fiction, non-fiction and online journalism. Discover more about me and my latest projects, at Ben Arogundade bio. In a Dec. Search term.
Billboard Pro Subscribe Sign In. Top Artists. Top Charts. Hot Songs. Billboard Top Videos. Top Articles. She started her singing career before she was even old enough to drink— and it's been strong ever since. But for someone who has spent so much of her life in the public eye, there are a surprising number of unknowns surrounding the pop diva.
I thought it would be fitting to revisit some of these mysteries on her birthday. We all love to obsess over who Mariah doesn't know. But after pondering these enigmas, maybe the real question we should have been asking is: Do we know her?
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