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Rachel Dolezal Responds To Ethnicity Questions: 'Yes, I Do Consider Myself To Be Black'

Rachel Dolezal Responds To Ethnicity Questions: 'Yes, I Do Consider Myself To Be Black'

Dea. Ron Gray Sr. · Saturday, June 13th 2015 at 10:44PM · 1749 views

 NAACP leader Rachel Dolezal had choice words Friday for those questioning her ethnicity: “I don’t give two s**ts about what you think.”

For nearly a decade, Dolezal, who heads the NAACP chapter in Spokane, Washington, has claimed to be African-American. However, her parents, who appeared on HuffPostLive Friday, have revealed that she is white.

In an interview with CBS affiliate KREM 2 News on Friday, Dolezal maintained she is black.

“Yes, I do consider myself to be black and that’s because … you know, that’s how I identify," she told the station.

“I actually don’t like the term ‘African American.’ I prefer the term ‘black,’” she said.

Dolezal said she has nothing to say to critics outraged by her racial identification. She also said any concerns people may have about misrepresentation of her race is something she’d rather discuss only with the black community.

“It’s more important for me to clarify that with the black community and my executive board than it is to explain it to a community that I, quite frankly, don’t think really understands the definitions of race and ethnicity,” she said.

Dolezal encouraged critics to “maybe think about W.E.B Du Bois that said race is usually biological, always cultural.”

Dolezal chairs a police oversight commission that monitors the fairness of investigations. The police department said Friday that all cases involving her have been suspended.

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Comments (42)

Jeni Fa Sunday, June 14th 2015 at 2:20PM

...“It’s more important for me to clarify that with the black community and my executive board than it is to explain it to a community that I, quite frankly, don’t think really understands the definitions of race and ethnicity,” she said."...

This woman is mentally ill and a pathological liar. I feel badly for her mother and father.

Helen Lofton Sunday, June 14th 2015 at 2:46PM

The transgender finds more support than the transracial. Right or wrong she is about to be ostracized by her own race, and desperately needs help from the people that she has helped in the past.

Steve Williams Sunday, June 14th 2015 at 3:21PM

The census bureau assures us that race is self-identified.

MIISRAEL Bride Sunday, June 14th 2015 at 4:07PM

In seeing this story revealed, I was reminded of the similarity of author John Howard Griffin's story. From his book "BLACK LIKE ME" He was a white man who changed his race by using make-up to change his skin color. As he traveled about the rural South to further understand racial tensions that Blacks underwent. Although, this woman's story is not quite the same, she may have a comparison in becoming a Black woman to help; or develop a deep sense of commitment to help better conditions for Black Women and Blacks. If she has some mental problems, she has proven she is mentally capable to achieve a most important goal to make change is to make a difference. I cannot truly say this was her true goal. However, she and John Griffin did something that I consider as extraordinary. As far as her birthright as being White, it appears she has abandoned that, but as far I know she doesn't deny her parentage. Instead, she has chosen to evolve into a race she wanted to be. "She adopted herself to become Black." The book by Griffin made headlines in the 70's and at that time it had mixed reviews, some found disgraceful, others found him as a hero. The book is still compelling today.

Jeni Fa Sunday, June 14th 2015 at 4:27PM

...'Although, this woman's story is not quite the same'...

Its definitely not.


MIISRAEL Bride Sunday, June 14th 2015 at 4:42PM

LOL!
Jeni ..You are being fair to stick with first your thoughts... Truth is exposed when there is light!!

robert powell Sunday, June 14th 2015 at 5:41PM


Thank you Helen...........

Dea. Ron Gray Sr. Sunday, June 14th 2015 at 10:15PM

There is something that we all must keep in mind and up front, Sister Rachel Dolezal has been at that job for 20 years, can anyone speak to her job performance?

Jeni Fa Sunday, June 14th 2015 at 10:53PM

All I know is that she's a great pretender and hoodwinked, bamboozled, run a muck on an entire Black organization. It's no wonder that the Europeans came to Africa and was able to over throw ppl out of their own Continent. It's not good to be too, accepting. If anything, this woman gets an A+ is cultural diversity and transcultural awareness... but she's taken her bull swanky to a whole new level.

I'm not buying what she's selling. She is disqualified, has no integrity, and gets a F for character. How can someone throw away their own parents because they are White?! Isn't that reverse discrimination? lol

Jeni Fa Sunday, June 14th 2015 at 10:54PM

@Miisrael,

Absolutely! Light always dispels darkness and in this case it was her own parents. She's a pretender!

Steve Williams Monday, June 15th 2015 at 5:13AM

Jen, I don't think she's thrown away her own parents. They should be able to accept their daughter's view and choices. Sometimes parents don't but it's because their own egos get in the way, not out of concern for their child.

Steve Williams Monday, June 15th 2015 at 5:32AM

They should be proud of what their daughter has done. I would be.

Dea. Ron Gray Sr. Monday, June 15th 2015 at 7:27AM

What has she done as NAACP leader in Spokane, Washington over her career?

Jeni Fa Monday, June 15th 2015 at 8:38AM

@ Deac,

..."What has she done as NAACP leader in Spokane, Washington over her career?"...

Lie.


Steve Williams Monday, June 15th 2015 at 9:02AM

Chapter supports her
The regional NAACP leader has said her race is not a factor.

What Dolezal has done is more important than what race she is to the NAACP, regional President Gerald Hankerson said. He called the NAACP a civil rights organization first that includes "leaders from all different ethnicities," adding that it "doesn't do a genealogy search on what a person's ethnicity is when they" take a top position.

"We represent all civil rights issues, regardless of a person's ethnicity. And the quality of the work that she has done to elevate the issues of civil rights in that region is what we applaud," he said.

Jeni Fa Monday, June 15th 2015 at 11:14AM

Of course the NAACP would make a statement like that because it playing political correctness... What would the backlash be from getting rid of her? NAACP doesn't allow non Black people to join or have leadership roles in their organization.

I'm waiting for the petitions to start calling for her to resign; I'll be happy to sign it. Imposter, fraud... Rachael has to resign that position and give it to someone that really values the ..."it take a village" >>> I wish there were some Africans that would comment on this issue. I'm sure that they wouldn't support her. I'm positive.


Jeni Fa Monday, June 15th 2015 at 12:40PM


The New York Times | BREAKING NEWS ALERT
Rachel Dolezal Steps Down as President of Spokane, Wash., N.A.A.C.P.
The head of the N.A.A.C.P. chapter in Spokane, subjected to national scrutiny and ridicule after it appeared she lied about her own racial background, announced Monday that she was quitting that post.
“It is with complete allegiance to the cause of racial and social justice and the N.A.A.C.P. that I step aside from the presidency and pass the baton to my vice president, Naima Quarles-Burnley,” Rachel A. Dolezal said in a statement that was posted to the chapter’s Facebook page.
It was not clear whether Ms. Dolezal would also give up her part-time teaching position in African-American studies at Eastern Washington University, or her membership on the Spokane police ombudsman’s commission.
Ms. Dolezal was elected president of the N.A.A.C.P. chapter last year, and had been credited with lifting its finances, visibility and membership.
But N.A.A.C.P. officials and other community leaders said she had represented herself as being of partly black ancestry, and she checked boxes for white, black and Native American on her application to the city for the ombudsman commission, where she was appointed by the mayor. Reached by reporters last week at their home in Montana, Ms. Dolezal’s parents — from whom she is estranged — said that in fact, she has no black background.

READ MORE »
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/16/us/rache...

NYTimes.com

Steve Williams Monday, June 15th 2015 at 12:45PM

I hope her parents aren't hoping for reconciliation.

Jeni Fa Monday, June 15th 2015 at 12:54PM

@ Steve,

...'I hope her parents aren't hoping for reconciliation."...

Listen, I don't know a lot but what I do know I speak. Blood is thicker than water... Of course her parents are hoping for reconciliation. What parents wouldn't? I'm sure they have been praying. I don't know of too, many in the Black community that will continue to embrace her. She has to run back to her parents... at least she should ask them to forgive her. You don't treat your parents any ole' kinda how!

Our people are funny... now that they know she ain't one of us... look out! She's going to have take that weave out to get a job now. Watch what I say. I know this because all the white women I've worked around and with don't like to work hard and are very bossy (with the exception of a few...emphasis on FEW)!





Steve Williams Monday, June 15th 2015 at 1:08PM

I think it was professor Gates whose first instructor in Black Studies was white. I'm sure she can get a job that doesn't depend on her ethnicity. But reconciliation with her parents? Not a chance.

Jeni Fa Monday, June 15th 2015 at 4:17PM

But his first professor wasn't an imposter.... Integrity and honor has to still mean something today at least it does to me. If nobody enrols in her class, she's out of a job.


Steve Williams Monday, June 15th 2015 at 5:00PM

But Jen, her parents have no integrity and honor. Her father said in the interview I saw, the reporters came to them and they had only three choices, lie, tell the truth, or say 'no comment'. Bull****. I guarantee if they'd come to me asking about one of my children, I would had something a lot more colorful than that to say.

Steve Williams Monday, June 15th 2015 at 5:01PM

What's this, now this site won't let let me say bull****?

Steve Williams Monday, June 15th 2015 at 5:02PM

When the **** did that happen?

Steve Williams Monday, June 15th 2015 at 5:05PM

Let's see if I put in my own asterisk. Bullsh*t. F*ck.

Steve Williams Monday, June 15th 2015 at 5:08PM

The prud* patrol I guess.

Steve Williams Monday, June 15th 2015 at 5:19PM

Intercourse me! Ha! Ha! Ha!

Jeni Fa Monday, June 15th 2015 at 6:24PM

Steve,

That man answered how any man would have answered... if the tables were turned a Black father would be equally as colorful... "Sir, is your daughter of European or White decent?" Hell's to the No!

Jeni Fa Monday, June 15th 2015 at 6:25PM

Whoop... you can say Hell Steve! Lol

Steve Williams Monday, June 15th 2015 at 6:43PM

Jen, that family is caput, any way you slice it.

Jeni Fa Monday, June 15th 2015 at 8:17PM

Whoop... it looks like you can say Hell, Steve! Lol

Dea. Ron Gray Sr. Tuesday, June 16th 2015 at 12:34AM

@ Deac,

..."What has she done as NAACP leader in Spokane, Washington over her career?"...

Lie.

I like the term Trans race.

Steve Williams Tuesday, June 16th 2015 at 5:11AM

I do too Brother Deacon, I do too.

robert powell Tuesday, June 16th 2015 at 9:30AM


steveAdam writes......"her parents have no integrity and honor."

The no integrity and honor BEGAN when ----per the "blackBrother" says.......the Great Rachel Dolezal went to court to claim guardianship over her "blackBrother" over her "parents" RUMORS of childAbuse

the Great Rachel Dolezal WON that case to raise her "blackBrother" over her "parents"

go girl go.............CHANGE we have dreamed of --- the DEATH of Racism

Jeni Fa Tuesday, June 16th 2015 at 11:25AM

@ Deac,

..."I like the term Trans race."...

Ok, let me see if I understand what you are saying. Are you saying that you would have no problem with your daughter if she wants to disown ev'rything about you, your wife, herself, and Blackness to live as a White woman ?

@ Steve,
..."I do too Brother Deacon, I do too."...

Are you saying that you would have no problem with your daughter if she wants to disown ev'rything about herself, you, and your wife to live as a Chinese woman?


We have different ethnic groups for a reason... to have GOOD food! Sad to say what Cuisine would be if we had a so called transrace or transracial food. Let's just take a pill to get all our nutrients and calories for the day. How about that? What would our gatherings be like?

Give me a break, give me a kit kat bar!

Jeni Fa Tuesday, June 16th 2015 at 11:43AM

@ Rob,
..."the Great Rachel Dolezal WON that case to raise her "blackBrother" over her "parents"

go girl go.............CHANGE we have dreamed of --- the DEATH of Racism"...


Yeah right. I bet she looked like a White woman in the court at that time, because there was no way a judge would rule in a single Black woman's favor to give custody of a child to Rachael had she looked like what she looks like today against two perfectly good upstanding, White citizens. If she had this would be a different ending and the judge would have ordered her to undergo a involuntary Psych consultation!!!

Nope, she looked like a White woman when she was awarded custody... and then she continued to keep the ruse going by lying and telling all the people that her brother was her own son. Come on now! Even Ray Charles could see what this crazy fool was up to had he been alive! Ha!

Steve Williams Tuesday, June 16th 2015 at 12:21PM

Jen, I was thinking about the census question. I forgot about the food.

Jeni Fa Tuesday, June 16th 2015 at 12:28PM

Steve... how could you forget about the food? Come on! What about Oxtail?


Steve Williams Tuesday, June 16th 2015 at 1:10PM

I'll bet you can burn, huh Jen? You could probably talk me into it.

robert powell Tuesday, June 16th 2015 at 1:51PM


@ Rob,
..."the Great Rachel Dolezal WON that case to raise her "blackBrother" over her "parents"

go girl go.............CHANGE we have dreamed of --- the DEATH of Racism"...

the CHANGE was when I Voted for President Baraaaka Hussein Obama

yes --- that racistNonsense of 'blackWhiteRedYellow' is DYING

the Great Rachel Dolezal said this is "what I have Lived" ------

by the way-----Is she single?




Jeni Fa Tuesday, June 16th 2015 at 1:54PM

@ Rob,

...'by the way-----Is she single?'...

Divorceee.... Do you have anyone in mind for her?...

@ Steve,

..."I'll bet you can burn, huh Jen?"...

I can burn alright... the house down! My smoke alarm is always coming on.




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