In a conversation with Doris McMillon, a former brown baby and author of the best seller, “Mixed Blessings”, she said, “… in America, you have to choose.” We were on a plane from Chicago to Washington. I was returning home from my first meeting with my biological extended family in early April of 2006. I was recalling the “Guess Who’s coming to Dinner” moment I experienced as I had dinner and met with my biological uncle and cousins. Several times that day I found myself questioning my American orientation and ‘racial’ identity. When my newly found Uncle asked, “Are you married?” I replied, “Yes!” He then asked, “American girl?” I hesitated, and then said, “Yes!” Then I said to myself, “What’s an American girl?” Could it be that he meant a white girl? What did he think I, the son of his sister, was? Enjoying the trophy of finding my biological family after an aggressive 30 year search…, I found myself in quiet retreat.
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