This petition to include ‘mulatto’ as its own racial category on the 2030 U.S. Census is aimed at providing a more accurate description & representation of (white & black) bi-racial people’s of the United States of America. Historically, Mulatto people’s have often not been accepted as either fully white or black by their counterparts. Therefore, this amendment would warrant (white & black) bi-racial people’s to identify as their own race & no longer be restricted (limited) to diminishing their identity to exclusively white, black, or ambiguously checking multiple boxes. 

While it has been argued that the term ‘mulatto’ can be perceived as offensive, on the contrary it is the flagrant dismissal of mulatto people’s autonomy to correctly identify that is of the utmost significance. If this amendment to the census is not made we would be hindering the progress of how mulatto people are accounted for & their contributions to historical progress in America. This subsequently would diminish the U.S. Census’ validity by failing to accurately reflect a large portion of its valuable citizens. 

By re-instating mulatto to the census we would not only recognize mulatto people’s as their own inherent race, but take a crucial step toward fully relinquishing the antiquated one-drop rule. Despite the one-drop rule being abolished in 1967 (Loving v Virginia), it is still being perpetuated in America today by not allowing mulatto people the right to accurately self-identify. 

Mulatto people must be accounted for in the 2030 U.S. Census as their own race to facilitate a more universal understanding of their distinct identity & the role they play as integral citizens of The United States. As mulatto children continue to be born at an exceedingly increasing rate in the U.S. it warrants the question if not now, then when? 

*The mulatto race option would be solely for those who have 1 majority white parent & 1 majority black parent or 2 mulatto parents.