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Calvin Henry
Professor Singleton
UNIV 100
11 October 2023
Biracial Identity Development Bibliography
Clayton, K. A. (2020). Biracial Identity Development at Historically White and Historically
Black Colleges and Universities. Sociology of Education, 93(3), 238–255.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0038040720926163
The study focuses on the complex experiences of biracial students in HWCs and
HBCs and how this affects their identity development. The study was conducted
on 49 biracial students throughout their college journeys. The research suggests
that biracial students in HWCs, especially those who lean more towards their
“Blackness” or Black identity, will find that race is a more salient component of
their identity development. These students are likely to be encouraged to join
Black organizations and take racial study courses, creating a strong sense of Black
pride. They may also develop a stronger sense of identity as a result of
discrimination. The results of the study showed that students in HBCs identified
more closely with their Blackness after their time at college due to their increased
understanding of racial issues and knowledge of Black history. As for HWCs,
initially, a majority of students aligned closer to their whiteness but progressively
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developed a stronger Black identity over time. The study is effective at backing
up my claim about alienation among Black biracial students especially in the
HWC experience. Students in these campuses added that they learned more
racism due to discrimination, exclusion and political discourse rather than
learning about it in an educational course among their peers. This study did reveal
to me that the biracial experiences in both types of universities did ultimately lead
to a heightened sense of Black identity despite the different environments and
circumstances. On one hand, HBC students felt a sense of belonging while HWC
students, who felt excluded, found refuge in their Black community.
Kim, Hyein Amber. “Biracial Identity Development: A Case of Black-Korean Biracial
Individuals in Korea.” International Journal of Multicultural Education, vol. 18, no. 3,
2016, pp. 40–57, https://doi.org/10.18251/ijme.v18i3.1193.
The study gives context on how Biracial and multicultural families in South
Korea are often ignored in favor of “pureblood” Korean representation. The study
also shows how racism and colorism both play a role in the identity development
of biracial individuals. In the study, two Black-Korean teachers described their
experiences being mixed race. Both were perceived as foreigners or Americans
due to their darker skin tones. Some Black-Koreans who grew up in the U.S. also
described being seen as “not Black enough” and when they moved to Korea they
faced similar issues regarding their mixed race identity. The interviewees had a
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difficult time connecting with their Black and Korean heritage. This study adds a
broader perspective to my claim as it deals with Black-Korean experiences. It
further supports my claim about Black biracial individuals facing alienation from
their communities as seen from the experiences described in the study. It is
important to note that Korean culture favors lighter skin complexions and western
body types, which is something that I was unaware of, but further substantiates
the experiences provided by the biracial teachers.
Denyer, Simon. “Being Black in Japan: Biracial Japanese Talk About Discrimination and
Identity.” The Washington Post (Washington, D.C. 1974. Online), 2020.
Simon Denyer interviews four Black biracial individuals about their experiences
growing up in Japan amid the Black Lives Matter protests happening in the
country. Raimu Kaminashi, who’s mother is Japanese and father is Nigerian, said
that she grew up being made fun of by other students and was often mistaken as a
foreigner. Despite the negative comments she received, her mother told her to
keep a positive attitude which eventually garnered her support from her circle.
Ayaka Brandy said that she did not feel a sense of belonging growing up in Japan.
She added that most Japanese people were indifferent towards Black issues and
would make comments on how her braided hair was the reason she faced
difficulties in Japan. Jun Soejima, who is an actor and television personality, said
that he experienced isolation and violence due to his skin color in school settings.
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In social media, he also added that some people can be “somewhat severe” in
their comments relating to Soejima as a T.V. personality. Similarly, Aisha Harumi
Tochigi receives similar comments about her being Miss Universe Japan. She
talks about how some people don’t consider her Japanese due to her mixed race.
She also explains how some Japanese people believe that racism and
discrimination doesn’t exist in their country. The article highlights the alienation
that Black biracial individuals face in Japan further supporting the idea that Black
biracial people are more likely to feel excluded from their own communities on an
international scale. Some of the interviewees described their experience with their
Black heritage more positively until they moved to Japan. Something noteworthy
about the article is that the two of the four interviewees mentioned that some
Japanese people believe that racism is not an issue in Japan.
"One Drop Rule." , directed by James Banks. , produced by James Banks, California Newsreel,
and Elixir Productions. , California Newsreel, 2001. Alexander Street,
https://video.alexanderstreet.com/watch/one-drop-rule.
The documentary “One Drop Rule” explores colorism within the Black
community through interviewing dark-skinned, light-skinned, and biracial Black
folk. The film displays the interviewees as they talk about their experiences in the
Black community with different skin tones. Those with darker skin tones
described feeling disadvantaged while light-skinned people felt they were disliked
for wanting to exclude themselves from the Black community which was false in
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most cases. They also address how light-skinned Black people were treated
differently by white people, particularly in business settings. Lighter-skinned
Blacks were often treated like they belonged but darker skinned Black people did
not get the same treatment. The biracial interviewees always felt a need to prove
their Blackness in one way or another in order to not be excluded from their
community. They described experiences where they were told they didn’t act
Black and had to change the way they acted around certain groups of people. This
documentary is a perfect example of alienation that Biracial people face in their
own communities. The experiences highlight the divide in the Black community
and the perception of lightness. The documentary also introduced me to the ways
darker-skinned people experienced disadvantages in the workforce compared to
their lighter-skinned counterparts.