East Indians: People Of Color Or Not?

The term person of color (PoC) is used to describe any person who is not considered white. In the United States, the term is used to define non-whiteness, including African Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, Pacific Islander Americans, multiracial Americans, and some Latino Americans. The categorization of East Indians as people of color has been a subject of debate, with some sources classifying them as brown or black, while others view them as ambiguously non-white. Historically, the term colored was used to refer to black people and is now considered offensive, whereas person of color is seen as a respectful term that emphasizes political solidarity among non-European peoples.

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Indian Americans are considered ambiguously nonwhite

The racial classification of Indian Americans has been a complex and evolving issue in the United States. Historically, the courts and the census bureau did not classify Indian Americans as a distinct race due to their small population in the country. Early Indian immigrants were often classified as "black", “white”, or “brown” based on their skin colour, and some were even held as slaves and later blended into the free African American population.

In 1923, the Supreme Court ruled in United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind that people of Indian descent were not considered white by common American definition and were thus ineligible for citizenship. This ruling reinforced the binary racial categories of "white" or "coloured" that dominated early American history and shaped the civil rights and citizenship status of various racial groups.

Over time, the racial categorization of Indian Americans has become more nuanced. In the 1980 U.S. census, the racial category of "Asian Indian" was introduced following advocacy from the Indian American community. However, Indian Americans continue to be perceived and self-identify in various ways. A 1978 survey found that Americans had diverse responses when asked about the racial classification of people from India, with many classifying them as “other”, “brown”, or “black”.

Indian Americans are often misidentified as being of Arab or Middle Eastern origin, especially after the September 11 attacks. Within the broader category of Asian Americans, some South Asian Americans have adopted labels such as “Brown Asians” or "Brown South Asians" to differentiate themselves from East Asian Americans. The term "Asian American" itself is often associated with people of East Asian descent, leading to a sense of exclusion among South Asians.

The ambiguous racial status of Indian Americans reflects the limitations of the binary racial system that persists in American society. The official classification of "Asian American" represents a compromise for South Asians navigating their position within the black-white racial spectrum. Depending on the social and legal context, some Indian Americans may identify as either "white" or "black". The fluidity in racial identification is further evident in the varying proportions of multiracial American Indians across different census years.

The Brown Asian label to differentiate South Asians from East Asians

The term "Brown Asian" is used to distinguish South and Southeast Asians from East Asians. The term is used as a self-identifier by Filipino Americans, as well as some Americans of Southeast Asian or South Asian descent. The term "Brown" has been used as a self-identifier by Americans of South Asian, Middle Eastern, Hispanic, and Luso Latino descent.

The use of the term "Brown" to describe a person's race has a long history. In the 18th and 19th centuries, European "racialist anthropologists" divided people into racial groups based on physical characteristics such as skull measurements and hair texture. During this time, the term "Brown" was used to describe Southern Europeans, Italians, Spaniards, Persians, Turks, and Laplanders. In 1795, German naturalist Johann Blumenbach wrote about a “fifth brown race" consisting of Southeast Asians and Pacific Islanders.

Today, the term "Brown Asian" is used to differentiate people who have felt invisible due to the "model minority" myth associated with East Asians. East Asians are often perceived as more economically successful compared to South and Southeast Asians, which confers unwanted stereotypes on Americans who trace their origins from these regions. As a result, the term "Brown Asian" has emerged to give a voice to those who feel left out of the Asian American conversation.

However, the use of the term "Brown Asian" is not without controversy. Some light-skinned Asians, particularly those of East Asian descent, may feel excluded from the "Brown" label due to their skin colour. Additionally, the term "Brown" may be considered a pejorative term by some, while others may use it as a form of pride and self-identification.

It is important to note that the way someone identifies racially has never been strictly about physical appearance but rather about drawing arbitrary lines between groups of people. As such, the use of the term "Brown Asian" should be considered in the context of shared experiences, discrimination, and stereotyping rather than solely based on skin colour.

East Indians were historically held as slaves in Maryland and Delaware

The racial classification of Indian Americans has been a complex issue in the United States, with various South Asians in America historically challenging their classification as "coloured" and seeking to be considered white. This is due to the binary "white" and "black" racial and skin colour classification system that dominates American society.

Court records from the 1700s indicate that a number of "East Indians" were indeed held as slaves in Maryland and Delaware. Upon gaining freedom, these individuals are said to have blended into the free African American population, where they were considered mulattoes.

One such example is the case of Peter Charles, who was ruled by the court to be an "East India Indian" and entitled to his freedom in 1777. Another case involves Mary Dove, a "Negro woman" slave listed in the Anne Arundel County, Maryland, inventory of the estate of Eleazer Birkhead in 1744. Mary Dove sued her owner, Leonard Thomas, for her freedom in 1746, but the outcome of the suit is unknown as Thomas moved to another county. Mary Dove's granddaughter, Rosamond Bentley, also sued for her freedom in 1781 based on her descent from an East Indian man, but it is unclear whether she was successful.

In addition to these court cases, it is worth noting that three brothers from modern-day India or Pakistan received their freedom in 1710 and married into a Native American tribe in Virginia. The present-day Nansemond people trace their lineage to this intermarriage. These historical records provide evidence of the presence of East Indians in Maryland and Delaware, some of whom were held as slaves and later blended into the free African American population.

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Indian Americans are often misidentified as Middle Eastern

The racial classification of Indian Americans has been a complex and evolving issue in the United States. While the country's racial categories have traditionally been dominated by a binary "white" and "black" classification system, Indian Americans have often been misidentified as Middle Eastern, particularly in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. This misidentification has resulted in Indian Americans becoming targets of hate crimes and discrimination.

Historically, the United States only recognized two racial classifications: "white" or "colored". Early Indian immigrants to the United States, who were often referred to as ""Hindus", were classified as ""black", "white", or "brown" based on their skin color. Court records from the 1700s indicate that several "East Indians" were held as slaves in Maryland and Delaware. Upon gaining freedom, they blended into the free African American population and were considered mulattoes within the community.

In 1923, the Supreme Court ruled in United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind that people of Indian descent were not white by common American definition and were therefore not eligible for citizenship. This ruling reflected the perception of Indians as ""ambiguously nonwhite." However, due to the small number of Indian immigrants in the country, they were not classified as a distinct race in the census or by the courts. As a result, Indian Americans advocated for their inclusion in the racial category of "Asian Indian", which was introduced in the 1980 U.S. census.

Despite this official recognition, Indian Americans continue to face challenges in how they are racially identified by the broader American society. In a 1978 survey, 38% of Americans classified people from India as "other", 23% as "brown", 15% as "black", 13% did not know how to classify them, and only 11% classified them as "white". The perception of Indian Americans as ""foreigners" or ""nonwhite" has contributed to their exclusion from the "Asian American" label, which is often associated with East Asian Americans.

The misidentification of Indian Americans as Middle Eastern became more prevalent after the September 11 attacks. Several incidents of hate crimes against Indian Americans have been reported, with perpetrators associating their victims with Middle Eastern or Muslim backgrounds. For example, in 2006, Balbir Singh Sodhi, a Sikh, was murdered at a Phoenix gas station by a white supremacist who associated his turban with Osama Bin Laden. In another instance, a pizza deliverer in Massachusetts was mugged and beaten because he was assumed to be "Muslim". These attacks reflect a broader trend of violence and discrimination targeting those perceived to be of Middle Eastern descent in the aftermath of 9/11.

In conclusion, Indian Americans have often been misidentified as Middle Eastern due to the complex racial landscape in the United States and the country's history of binary racial classifications. This misidentification has had significant consequences, leading to hate crimes, discrimination, and the exclusion of Indian Americans from mainstream societal categories. While efforts have been made to advocate for the inclusion and accurate representation of Indian Americans, the issue of misidentification persists and underscores the need for continued dialogue and education on racial diversity and inclusion in the United States.

Indians were historically not considered white and thus not eligible for US citizenship

The racial classification of Indian Americans has been a subject of debate and confusion in the United States. While anthropologists classify Indians as Caucasians, people of Indian descent have not historically been considered white by the common American definition. This discrepancy has had significant implications for the eligibility of Indian Americans for US citizenship.

Historically, the racial categories included in official census questionnaires and legal contexts in the United States have been based on social definitions of race rather than biological, anthropological, or genetic criteria. The racial categories have reflected the country's predominantly white and black racial and skin color classification system.

In 1923, the United States Supreme Court ruled in United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind that, despite being classified as Caucasians by anthropologists, people of Indian descent were not considered white by the common American definition and, therefore, were not eligible for US citizenship. This ruling reinforced the prevailing perception that Indians were ambiguously nonwhite.

The Indian Citizenship Act, signed into law by President Calvin Coolidge in 1924, marked a significant shift in the citizenship status of American Indians. The Act granted birthright citizenship to all non-citizen Indians born within the territorial limits of the United States, ending a long debate and struggle over their citizenship rights. However, it is important to note that this Act did not automatically confer voting rights to American Indians in certain states, and they continued to face barriers to voting until the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1965.

The racial classification of Indian Americans remains complex and evolving. In the 1970s and 1980s, various South Asians in America advocated to be considered white instead of colored, and the racial category of "Asian Indian" was introduced in the 1980 US census. Today, Indian Americans may identify as white, black, or other depending on the social and legal context, and they are often misidentified as being of Arab or Middle Eastern origin.

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