Now, deep into the 21st century, the socially constructed racial ladder continues to keep people of color, including individuals of mixed race, from enjoying the same privileges as Euro-Americans. Moreover, as we try to march forward with new members of a new multiracial movement pointing the way toward equality, those who have been discriminated against are now becoming the discriminators.

For example, black Indians, people of mixed African, African-American and Native American heritage, have strong ties to Native American culture. Their stories of struggle for freedom, identity and equality is slowly being accepted into mainstream Indian history and culture as well as various print media, academic journals and documentaries. However, most media and journal outlets showcase “dark-skinned” Indians. “Light-skinned” Indians (who also have African ancestry) are seldom seen or discussed.

In my own personal experiences, I wasn’t black enough to qualify as a black Indian. I was told I lacked dark skin and the same racial experiences, while white- skinned Indians told me they can see Indian features, and not black. So, why tell anyone?