Anyone who is of a mixed heritage in our country has probably come across this so many times. It’s almost expected. The incessant staring at your face, even when you are engaged in conversation with a person. And then comes this uncomfortable but inevitable question: “What are you?” For mixed people, this question is a major part of the story of our lives.


            I am for the most part, a bi-racial person. I am the child of a black father, and a white...