Letter to Dr. Nicholson re: multiracial classification

07/02/98 Letter to Dr. Nicholson, Admissions at Howard University


From: James A. Landrith, Jr.
To: Dr. J.L. Nicholson
Cc: Luis Pena, Susan Graham, Charles Michael Byrd
Subject: Multiracial Identity
Date: Thu, 02 Jul 1998 09:14:23 PDT

Dr. Nicholson,

Allow me to introduce myself, I'm James Landrith, Director of Project RACE of the National Capitol Area, a local chapter of Project RACE. Project RACE advocates for multiracial children and adults through education, community awareness and legislation. Our main goal is for a multiracial classification on all school, employment, state, federal, local, census and medical forms requiring racial data.

I am writing you in support of Mr. Luis Pena, who petitioned Howard University's Board of Trustees regarding adding a multiracial category with racial sub-identifiers on all forms used to obtain race-based data. Project RACE has been advocating this type of category for years. In fact, several states including Maryland have added this type of category to their state forms that collect racial data.

We feel that adding the category at Howard University would show an unprecedented understanding and tolerance of racial diversity as well as providing a real choice to multiracial people, instead of relying on Jim Crow leftovers, such as the current mindset, which is to check one only. Will Howard University be in the numbers that support true racial diversity or will they be on list of those who fear and oppose multiracial identity and interracial relations? Dr. Nicholson, I urge you to help in cause of fostering real racial tolerance by helping discard the leftovers of Jim Crow and support Mr. Pena's right to be who he is in mind, body, spirit and finally on paper. Any assistance you can provide in this matter would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Sincerely,

James A. Landrith, Jr.
Director,
Project RACE of the National Capitol Area
http://projectrace.home.mindspring.com/

cc: Luis Pena Susan Graham, Executive Director, Project RACE Charles Byrd, Editor & Publisher, Interracial Voice

 

James Landrith is the notorious editor and publisher of The Multiracial Activist and The Abolitionist Examiner, two cyber-rags dedicated to freedom from oppressive racial categorization. Landrith can be reached by email at: editor@multiracial.com or at his personal website/blog.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *