Black, White, Or Other

Articles

Patricia Jacobs

Black, White, Or Other
Apr 5, 2003

To Joshua Pollack,12,being bi-racial is no big deal. "I don't see this as a problem," he said. "My classmates have been fully accepting of me."

His brother, Aaron, nine also concurs: It's had no major impact.

"There's advantages; we're learning and are a part of BOTH the Jewish and African-American culture," Joshua said.

One of these advantages is academics: Due to their parents' knowledge, both kids are getting a tremendous boost in their own education. Their father, Dr. David Pollack, is an Associate Professor of Math and Statistics at Youngstown State University, Youngstown, Ohio. Their mother, Mrs.Jane Pollack, is also a college graduate and is currently studying for a master's degree in chemistry.

Both brothers not only attend public school in Liberty, a Youngstown suburb, but are in classes for the exceptionally talented. Joshua is currently in PACE, (Providing Academic Challenging Experiences) a program that explores mathematical equations, philosophy, analyzing and performing the complete works of Shakespeare, among other topics.

Joshua and Aaron are often the only children of color in their classes: "There aren't many black kids in the Liberty school system, but we don't feel uncomfortable at all," said Joshua. "When I first entered, there were minor hassles. But people got to know me, and vice versa. We're just fellow students now."

Dr. Pollack doesn't feel that having two bi- racial children has been a hardship overall and particularly among their friends and acquaintances.

There have been a few incidents, however. Joshua, in particular, has been teased and called racial slurs.

The entire family has experienced housing and job discrimination.

"Not too long ago, a kid, visiting a teenager across the street, made racial remarks that he knew I could hear," said Dr. Pollack.

"Youngstown is a very racially divided place. And I don't like that. When I first moved to town, I had to change barbershops several times due to the racist remarks that were made in them."

"Joshua is now just 12;he hasn't started dating yet. A lot could change once he starts, however. And that situation could have a big effect on his life soon. I don't know yet how he'll be accepted by ANYONE at this point."

Regardless of future situations, Joshua and Aaron intend to openly claim and retain their dual heritage. "I hope I never HAVE to choose," Joshua said. "I'm not JUST one or the other; I AM a Jewish African-American."(Many bi-racial children are often pressured or forced to choose one race or the other, or to focus on half of their identity.)

Mrs. Pollack believes it all depends on what the two things (if they're just two) are that they're choosing between. "In our culture, society often makes that choice for you. If you were to really look at the gene contributions my two sons have, the portion that's pure African may be less than half. I'M nor really pure African; I also have Irish and Native American ancestry. But society will judge them on their looks and declare that they're one thing or another, irregardless of what they say. For example, very brown-skinned bi-racial kids can't come into a room and say 'I'm white.' Nobody would believe them. But a very fair bi-racial child could come into a room and say 'I'm black' and be accepted."

"Now the religion will come up in quiet ways, because they don't 'look Jewish'.

"Many Jews don't have a 'Jewish look', Joshua pointed out.

Dr. and Mrs. Pollack hope that their sons' religious upbringing will stay with them and they'll attack anti-semitic comments as passionately as racial prejudice. "Many people, particularly older Americans, aren't examining their mindsets, so ingrained beliefs are simply passed on, like a tradition. That's why prejudice has a long history and won't go away, though many things HAVE improved."

On the SAT (Scholastic Altutude Test) that Joshua recently took, there was a bi-racial category he could check. "I usually have to mark "Other", he said. "I haven't noticed that particular category on the SATs before, until this past year," added Mrs. Pollack.

The Pollacks believe that while racism won't die, demographics should decrease it dramatically, due to the growing number of bi- racial children and minorities. Data confirms this: The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) tabulates births by race and reports that birth rates of children with one black and one white parent have been climbing.

In 1991, 52,232 such births were recorded, compared to 26,968 in 1981, and 8,758 in 1968.

And the NCHS itself acknowledges that these numbers are probably undercounts because the father's race is unspecified in a significant number of births each year.

"Brown-skinned people who have always been a minority in this country will increase greatly. Not just black people, but Latinos, Asians, etc." said Mrs. Pollack. "That'll be an opportunity to see how racism and discrimination changes."

"I think what you mean is, practically ANYBODY then could be a minority," said Joshua. "As these different groups continue mixing, the contrast between each group will get softer and softer, until hundreds of years from now, there'll be barely any distinct white people, black people, etc. Different racial features will be blurred out; there'll be one homogeneous mixed race."

Patrol Officer Robert Clark, Jr., now 28, is also bi-racial, (His father was African-American and his mother's Italian)but has a different perspective.

Clark lived a normal childhood for several years, until midway through grade school, when the other kids began to make him aware that he was different. "They'd call me names such as "zebra","half-breed", and other derogatory terms. This was primarily done by other black children. As a result, I became very afraid or uncomfortable to associate with other black kids. And I started to make friends with a lot of the white kids in my classes. I really felt comfortable with that, for they SEEMED to accept me. As I grew older, into high school, I don't really think that being from a mixed background made much of a difference. Until I got to college, I really had, I guess, denounced who I was as an African-American. I believe in my mind that's what I did. I tried to assimilate myself to what I thought at the time was a certain segment of society that was accepting me, only to find out that really wasn't true."

Upon entering college, Clark began a journey of self-education about his African heritage and found he has enormous reasons to be proud of it. He also used sports as an outlet for his frustration: "In sports, you're just an athlete. And as long as you perform, you're accepted."

"I'm very proud of my dual heritage now; I think it makes me a very diverse and unique person."

His mother and Uncle Bill were the greatest role models Clark had while growing up and their influence continues today: "My mother supported anything that I wanted to do; she was always there for me; she was a MOM. Uncle Bill, once my dad passed away, stepped in as a father figure and was also there for me. Most of all, he made me believe in myself, because HE believed in me. We joke around today. I credit everything I am today to him; I don't know where I'd be without him. He was there for me as a father AND friend."

His mother's family accepts Clark fully, often forgetting he's part black: "There'll be times we'll get into a discussion and I tell them, 'You have to remember that once I leave this house, everyone sees me as an African-American. They don't see me as the Robert you know.' So I have to make sure that I do certain things certain ways to counteract the way people are going to treat or view me. I make sure that I'm prepared for situations that may arise. I believe greatly that education is the best weapon you could ever have, for then YOU have the upper hand."

"I will now live my life with desire to learn and see more, and experience all that life has to offer me through the unprejudiced eye; with BOTH eyes I will see all, fill all, and God permitting, understand just a portion of it, for then I feel I will be able to live my life in the light and never again shall I remain in darkness because of ignorance and fear."

Email Patricia Jacobs: Patj25@yahoo.com

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