"Any perceptible trace of African blood" (United States, 1870)
Record: the document says itPattern: documents line upLens: our readingOpen: not yet proven
Year: 1870 · Places: Africa
SUMMARY3. "Any perceptible trace of African blood" (United States, 1870) [Connections: Who decided who's Indian, Nov 5, 2026]
RECORDThe 1870 enumerators were told: "It must not be assumed that, where nothing is written in this column, 'White' is to be understood. The column is always to be filled. Be particularly careful in reporting the class Mulatto. The word is here generic, and includes quadroons, octoroons, and all persons having any perceptible trace of African blood." It adds: "Important scientific results depend upon the correct determination of this class." HOSTILE
WITNESSthe census office was feeding race science of the day
PATTERN"Mulatto" was defined by sight ("perceptible trace") and by one direction only (African). There was no matching rule for a "perceptible trace" of Indian ancestry
LENS (WW9)The clerk's eye was trained to see Africa and nothing else, so an Aboriginal face could be written "Mu."
OPENWhether the Census Office ever issued guidance on how to tell Native from "mulatto" by appearance (needs deep research in Census Office correspondence, NARA RG 29)