Is It The Word “Mulatto” Politically Incorrect & Obsolete ?
Last night, during our phone conversation my close friend and I started to talk about a coworker he is having some problems with at work. He says the girl is from St. Vincent and she is a “mulatto”. I sat up when my close friend used the word “mulatto”. I cringed. The word “mulatto” is a term many people still use to refer to someone that has black and white heritage.
I know he didn’t use the word in a negative way or whatever he was just talking. I also do not believe he was being politically incorrect. I just recall during my undergraduate days in Caribbean Studies my professors drilled into my mind to never use the word “mulatto”. The word “mulatto” means “mule” it refers to people that have African and European ancestry. I suggested to my friend that perhaps a more appropriate term to use can be “mixed race” or “biracial”.
He asked “why would it be politically incorrect to use the word mulatto?” All I remember is how passionate my Caribbean Studies professors were about the word “mulatto” they said the word is “obsolete” and it is “wrong” to use the term. I try not to use the word “mulatto” to refer to people of mixed ancestry because I remember the course lessons and the legacy of slavery in my Caribbean Studies classes.
What do you think? Do you think the word “mulatto” is “obsolete” and should be removed from the English language? Or is the word “mulatto” simply a word with a long history that should be utilized when necessary?
Gayblackcanada 
This is a very interesting topic. I think “mulatto” is one of these words that certain (black) cultures have been brought up to use it. I have never been told off for using it because I was always told it was another word for “mixed-race”. My other African friend uses it too but never in a disparaging way at all.
I would never dream of meaning it in a disparaging way. However, you have raised some great points. We must be on the same level, I was literally going to do a post on whether mixed-race people are ‘black’ or whether they are wholly separate.
Gorgeous new template too!
Hi Aulelia, thanks for your comment about the change in design for my blog! I have conflicting feelings about the word mulatto because I remember my Caribbean Studies professors were so against the word. The term “mulatto” has been so ingrained in society since the days of slavery that people know what the word means.
I dont know. I know its politically correct but it never sounded right from my mouth or in my ears. Dont know why. Never use it but dont blame people who do.
It reminds me, I was in a class recently and we were talking about product branding. We had a product to review and the lecturer asked why isnt it plain and black instead its full of color and all these fancy words… etc. This sweetest asian girl said “Well, because black isnt beautiful.” It hit me like a brick. I looked around and realised I was the only one uncomfortable with that sentence. Then I realised she I was being oversensitive and she didnt mean it THAT way. Anyway, I digress but my point is sometimes we say things not really knowing they are might be offensive but we just never know.
ps is the prison break guy biracial?
Hi Miss S yes Wentworth is biracial his father is African American and his mother is a white American woman.
Yes; I think it is obsolete and inappropriate, reminiscent of another time and mood. It is outdated terminology.
I have two acquaintances (one, a co-worker and the other, a neighbor) and I cringe when they use the term “Oriental” to describe Asians. The word is Asian — not Orientals or Oriental.
Grrrrgh.
Actually, I was going back and forth about if I should mention this to them.
Should I?
Never would have guessed. He looks white to me. But then again, this is someone who at one point could swear Halle Berry is 100% black.
I also heard its inappropriate to describe someone as Indian. Instead, people should use Asian.
@The Black Actor I think you should reprimand the person that uses the offensive term “Oriental” instead of “Asian” because it is politically incorrect and offensive.
@Miss S you know for a long time I didn’t even know Halle Berry was half white until she mentioned it on television. When I saw Wentworth on Prison Break I can tell he is part black by looking at his hair, nose, skin tone. I like that Wentworth has never denied his black heritage. I think he was excellent in the film the Human Stain.
You think so, Orville?
I know. You are right.
Okay. I will mention this to both of them the next time they use the term.
THank you.
(And thanks for your supportive comment on my blog. That lady was being mean to me. 😦 LOL
Girlfriend, I totally agree with you about that woman on your blog I guess she is a big fan of that particular actress. I love how you examined the actress movies though and broke down all the classic stereotypes. I think your post was very thought provoking. I guess some people can’t handle the truth.
@Orville, Wentworth was amazing in the Human Stain. I think that was one of the best performances of a newbie actor.
I think I am going to sit on the fence about Wentworth. Please correct me if I am wrong, but I think for his career anyway, he needs to be sure that he is a black man. Ambiguity in cinema does not work which is why his role in the human stain was fabulous.
@the black actor + orville, that person was a lunatic. what is with some people ? she/he was an internet troll for sure!
Glad to know Im not the only one who didnt know Halle is biracial. I think I didnt pick up on Wentworth because I was busy drooling over him :-). There is something good but mysterious about the guy. I hope it extends to his real character.
@Aulelia + The Black Actor that person on the other board is a complete psycho LOL!
@Aulelia, Wentworth is totally gorgeous and cute! I find it strange that such a sexy, strong, masculine man like Wentworth Miller isn’t getting more work? Wentworth has a large following so it has to come down to other factors. It is also interesting that Wentworth isn’t getting any work besides Prison Break. Wentworth’s white British co star on Prison Break is getting all kinds of roles while he’s getting nothing. I do believe that “race” is a factor into the reason why Wentworth isn’t getting more roles. Prison Break is an established program on the FOX Network Wentworth should be getting more work.
I think part of the difficulty for Wentworth is the casting directors don’t know what to do with him. It is true that Wentworth obviously looks more white then black but the ambiguity is the issue too. I applaud Wentworth for never denying his black heritage he has always been honest about being proud of his blackness. I hope Wentworth gets more roles though.
@ Aulelia and Orville
Thanks, blog buds. 🙂
I think that you have a very interesting subject here. And I also think that it all depends on where you are in the world that the word mulatto would be offensive to some people.
I’m currently writing a paper for a friend of mine. The subject is about Jean-Claude Duvalier and is rule in Haiti. The friend that I’m writing this paper for is from Haiti and has a strong sense of culture about everything Haitian. I’ve consulted with her about using the term mulatto and whether or not it’s politically correct. She informed me that the term is used in Haiti without much thought.
The word Mulatto is not derogatory in any way. It comes from Spanish (mulato), which took it from Arabic (muwallad) which means ‘person of mixed race’.
It is completely fine to use the word so feel free to.
im a mulatto girl…i actually like the word. because “biracial” and “mixed’ are so vague and ambiguous.
its like the words “blasian” and “eurasian” and “mestizo” its a way to describe someone who is of a specific mixed race.
20 years ago and sometimes today, when one says “biracial” we automatically think black and white.
but with more mixes coming into the mix, we are going to need to a word to describe someone of a specific race, so this way one doesnt have to keep saying stuff like “black and white mix” or “black and asian mix” or “white and asian mix” etc.
this is very interesting.
i’m mulatto myself. and i prefer to use that word.
any word can be made to be manipulated and used to be abusive.
just as many black people have adopted the term “nigga”, mulatto people themselves should not be afraid to use the word and shouldn’t feel that it is derogatory.
i feel like us as a people need to relate and unite on levels as far as mentality, action, language AND reaction. i don’t feel that “mixed girl” or even bi-racial is quite the correct term to describe myself.
I think society has given it negative connotations and we just went along believing them. If we ignored the words derogatory history and simply accepted the word, the rest of the world would follow. mulattoes are what we are….face it. I wrote an entire paper on the subject of the mulatto and the one drop rule. it’s posted on my blog now, feel free to read it!
I came across this article during a conversation with friends about exactly this.
I’m from a multi-racial family and we’ve never shied away from using the word ‘mulatto’ and I’m pretty sure no one in my family is aware of it’s background.
I don’t disparage a single persons view that it is improper and offensive…. but I have to say; I fear that the obsession that American’s have about whether or not a word is ‘proper’ is more-so indicative of a hyper-sensitivity to racism or at times (not always) a desperation to not appear racist when an individual is in fact battling with their own racist thoughts.
I live in a largely Somalian neighborhood and to say African-American is a wild insult because that means to many immigrants that you are personally from Africa and grew up with African culture and language. I just say black.
I personally try to view people’s words in context and live my life without worry because our skin is the least interesting thing about us.
It is strange to me that mulatto has survived but other race content specific words like quadroon did not.
There is a good chance in another generation or people are going to look at the hisorical context mulatto was used in and it’s use will be rethough.
Mulatto is a Portuguese derivation referring to shading; being either light or dark. This reference seems to this racial identifier, through research, seems to be politically correct. However, the day we can identify ourselves collectively as the human race instead of black or white, maybe racism will end!