# Another Obama Birth Certificate Question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 29, 2011, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-obama-birth-certificate-question/580189 "2011-04-29T18:19:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jormungandr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@Jormungandr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jormungandr)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-obama-birth-certificate-question/580189/1 "2011-04-29T18:19:09Z")
One of the reasons given that the certificate is fake that I’ve come across is Box 9. This box lists the race of Barack Obama Sr., which is listed as “African.” The objection to it is that since this was 1961, the race should be listed as either “Negro” or “Colored.” Hence, some people state the certificate was written/created recently. My thinking is they simply put him as “African” as he was from Africa. However, since this was before my time, would they have disregarded his country/continent of origin and listed him as “Negro” or “Colored” ? ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-obama-birth-certificate-question/580189/2 "2011-04-29T18:22:08Z")
I think this needs to be adressed by a Hawaiian. Because of all of the races and blend of ethnicities, I think their concept of “race” may be different from the rest of the U.S. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-obama-birth-certificate-question/580189/3 "2011-04-29T18:25:37Z")
It’s been reported that the recorders put down what the parents called themselves for race. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-obama-birth-certificate-question/580189/4 "2011-04-29T18:29:21Z")
Here’s a cite in a previous post of mine: > [@Obama is a Negro](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-a-negro/579923/46): > > The reason that the birth certificate identifies his father as African is not because that was the standard but because that’s what the parents said. From [Factcheck.org](http://www.factcheck.org/2008/08/born-in-the-usa/): “why is Obama’s father’s race listed as “African”? Kurt Tsue at the DOH [Hawaii Department of Health] told us that father’s race and mother’s race are supplied by the parents, and that ‘we accept what the parents self identify themselves to be.’” ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-obama-birth-certificate-question/580189/5 "2011-04-29T21:33:06Z")
Exactly. My BC says my father was Hawaiian/Japanese and my mother as Japanese/White. Not as Pacific islander or Asian. The majority of Blacks in Hawaii back then were from the Military. BO’s father would never have self identified as negro but as African. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-obama-birth-certificate-question/580189/6 "2011-04-29T21:49:13Z")
> [@](#): > > Kurt Tsue at the DOH [Hawaii Department of Health] told us that father’s race and mother’s race are supplied by the parents, and that ‘we accept what the parents self identify themselves to be.’" Which is why, thanks to a combination of misunderstanding and “what’s it to you?” my wife is listed as “white” on our marriage license. ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-obama-birth-certificate-question/580189/7 "2011-04-29T22:48:53Z")
My great grandparents were listed as “Prussian” or “German” on Census records.