Race

Race is a concept which classifies human beings according to broad physical characteristics such as skin color.

Some people consider it archaic (i.e., out of date, no longer considered valid) or unscientific.

Historical Perceptions of Race

The five races of mankind were considered to be:^{[Citation Needed]}

1. Black (Negro)
2. Brown (as in India)
3. Red (Native American)
4. Yellow (Oriental)
5. White (Caucasian)

The amount of melanin in one's skin naturally determines how dark it is. Some historical ideals of beauty exalted the lightness or darkness of skin. The 19th century American song, "The Yellow Rose of Texas", referred to the slightly dusky color of a girl's skin.

Modern Definitions

Legal

In constructing or deconstructing racial barriers, the law makes reference frequently to different kinds of "race." Cultural race is race based on a unique culture. Affirmative action post-Grutter makes appeal to cultural race as a partial justification for affirmative action. Historical race makes references to the shared experiences of a people that have enhanced or degraded their status as community members. Creating an Israeli nation, for example, is a reference to the genocide & discrimination that Jews have endured as a historical race.