# HARRY POTTER question: Are there any black students mentioned at Hogwarts? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 12, 2013, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-question-are-there-any-black-students-mentioned-at-hogwarts/655537 "2013-04-12T19:33:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-question-are-there-any-black-students-mentioned-at-hogwarts/655537/1 "2013-04-12T19:33:16Z")
I’m not asking if there are any black witches & wizards in the PotterVerse. As I understand it there are wizarding academies in many countries, and I’m sure a dark complexioned person or four showed up in _Goblet of Fire_. I am also not accusing J. K. Rowling of racism in her writing. I’m just wondering. Anyway: in Rowling’s novels, are any Hogwarts students (or for that matter faculty) specifically mentioned as being black? ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-question-are-there-any-black-students-mentioned-at-hogwarts/655537/2 "2013-04-12T19:35:45Z")
Yes - a Gryffindor quidditch player specifically that I recall. Probably others. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-question-are-there-any-black-students-mentioned-at-hogwarts/655537/3 "2013-04-12T19:36:32Z")
Lee Jordon, who gives the play-by-play for Quidditch games, and as a conspirator with the Wesley twins. He’s described as a black boy with dreadlocks in Order of the Phoenix. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-question-are-there-any-black-students-mentioned-at-hogwarts/655537/4 "2013-04-12T19:37:40Z")
There are at least two black students in the films: Dean Thomas and Angelina Johnson. I’m almost sure they were both described as such in the books. Someone else can probably confirm or deny. ---
**Author:** ![Yodalicious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yodalicious/32/8195_2.png) [@Yodalicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yodalicious)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-question-are-there-any-black-students-mentioned-at-hogwarts/655537/5 "2013-04-12T19:37:42Z")
[Lee Jordan](http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Lee_Jordan) ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-question-are-there-any-black-students-mentioned-at-hogwarts/655537/6 "2013-04-12T19:39:20Z")
> [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > Lee Jordon, who gives the play-by-play for Quidditch games. I don’t have an exact cite yet for his description. That was in the movies. I don’t remember if he was described in the books. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-question-are-there-any-black-students-mentioned-at-hogwarts/655537/7 "2013-04-12T19:41:38Z")
Yes, Angelina Johnson was who I was trying to remember. I remember the books saying she was black. I can’t swear to it, but I’d almost bet money Lee Jordan was described that way too. According to a google search, it’s canon that Angelina married into the Weasleys. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-question-are-there-any-black-students-mentioned-at-hogwarts/655537/8 "2013-04-12T19:43:27Z")
[Found this website](http://www.retrocrush.com/archive2/harryp/) analyzing the black student population of Hogwarts, but that’s for the films, not the books. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-question-are-there-any-black-students-mentioned-at-hogwarts/655537/9 "2013-04-12T19:46:34Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > That was in the movies. I don’t remember if he was described in the books. He was. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-question-are-there-any-black-students-mentioned-at-hogwarts/655537/10 "2013-04-12T19:47:21Z")
Thanks, all. For the record, I’m not all that interested in the movies. I don’t have time to watch all the movies I’d like to so I’ve crossed the HP series off my list to ever bother with. I don’t mean I have anything AGAINST THEM, of course; it’s not like we’re talking about the Hobbit movies or the new Trek, both of which I have preemptively decided to hold in contempt to save time. 😃 The whole mudblood thing the Potter books has racist undertones. Does Voldemort or … um–okay, I don’t remember the name of the character I’m trying to think of–ever express any bigotry toward non-white wizards? It would seem out of place from what I recall of the first book, but I’ve been wrong before. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-question-are-there-any-black-students-mentioned-at-hogwarts/655537/11 "2013-04-12T19:52:33Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > The whole mudblood thing the Potter books has racist undertones. Yes. You could even say that it’s kind of the entire point of the series. > [@](#): > > Does Voldemort or … um–okay, I don’t remember the name of the character I’m trying to think of–ever express any bigotry toward non-white wizards? It would seem out of place from what I recall of the first book, but I’ve been wrong before. No. ---
**Author:** ![Katriona](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/katriona/32/113_2.png) [@Katriona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katriona)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-question-are-there-any-black-students-mentioned-at-hogwarts/655537/12 "2013-04-12T19:53:57Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > The whole mudblood thing the Potter books has racist undertones. Does Voldemort or … um–okay, I don’t remember the name of the character I’m trying to think of–ever express any bigotry toward non-white wizards? It would seem out of place from what I recall of the first book, but I’ve been wrong before. In the Potterverse it’s someone who wasn’t a full-blooded wizard, like Hermione, since she didn’t come from a wizarding family at all, or someone who had a wizard and a non-wizard parent. I do think Rowling should have come up with a better term for it, but I never got the impression it was based on race. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-question-are-there-any-black-students-mentioned-at-hogwarts/655537/13 "2013-04-12T19:56:32Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Does Voldemort or … um–okay, I don’t remember the name of the character I’m trying to think of–ever express any bigotry toward non-white wizards? It would seem out of place from what I recall of the first book, but I’ve been wrong before. No, but lots of wizards, whether ‘good’ or ‘bad’ have no problem seeing elves as inferior. Also a little bit with goblins. Then when you get to centaurs, it falls along the good guy/bad guy line. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-question-are-there-any-black-students-mentioned-at-hogwarts/655537/14 "2013-04-12T19:59:41Z")
I am pretty sure Dean Thomas was black in the books as well as in the movies. [Padma and Parvati Patil](http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Padma_and_Parvati_Patil) are not African black, but are certainly non-white. [Kingsley Shacklebolt](http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Kingsley_Shacklebolt), a member of the Order of the Phoenix was a former Hogwarts student, and is pure-blood wizard who is black (and seems to be actually African, or at least have direct African heritage). Furthermore (I had not remembered this from the books) according to the Potter Wiki he became Minister of Magic after Voldemort’s defeat. ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-question-are-there-any-black-students-mentioned-at-hogwarts/655537/15 "2013-04-12T20:00:53Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > The whole mudblood thing the Potter books has racist undertones. As does the description and treatment of the house elves only it’s not an “undertone”, it’s closer to Stepin Fetchit. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-question-are-there-any-black-students-mentioned-at-hogwarts/655537/16 "2013-04-12T20:02:19Z")
> [@bup](#): > > No, but lots of wizards, whether ‘good’ or ‘bad’ have no problem seeing elves as inferior. > > Also a little bit with goblins. > > Then when you get to centaurs, it falls along the good guy/bad guy line. :: ritually spits at mention of Centaurs :: Speak not to me of the sons of Ixion. Buncha drunken rapists ninnyhammers, the lot of them. As Deianira if you don’t believe me. Rhymer Enterprises policy is to hobble them on sight and then release the drop them in the nearest shark tank/live volcano/Sears Roebuck. The above does not apply to Chiron, of course. Though he was kinda freaking looking. Anyway, dude’s dead now, though I never understood why Prometheus needed his immortality anyway. What were we talking about again? And I’ve often wondered about the look on Philyra’s face during ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-question-are-there-any-black-students-mentioned-at-hogwarts/655537/17 "2013-04-12T20:09:14Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > I am pretty sure Dean Thomas was black in the books as well as in the movies. > > [Padma and Parvati Patil](http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Padma_and_Parvati_Patil) are not African black, but are certainly non-white. I believe they’re Indian. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-question-are-there-any-black-students-mentioned-at-hogwarts/655537/18 "2013-04-12T20:09:47Z")
> [@Katriona](#): > > In the Potterverse it’s someone who wasn’t a full-blooded wizard, like Hermione, since she didn’t come from a wizarding family at all, or someone who had a wizard and a non-wizard parent. > > I do think Rowling should have come up with a better term for it, but I never got the impression it was based on race. The “mudblood” thing is clearly intended as an analogue of racism in the wizarding world, and it it is made clear that caring whether someone is “pure blood” or not _bad thing_. Voldemort and his followers care, and all the “good” characters do not. Indeed, cleansing the wizarding world of mudbloods (or at the least, reducing them to a clearly inferior status) and asserting the rule of pure-blood wizards over muggles seems to be the principal motivation of the Death Eater movement. Thus, in a way the central conflict of the whole story is a fight against a kind of (or an allegory of) racism. In a way, the whole story is an anti-racist tract. > [@Guinastasia](#): > > I believe they’re Indian. Yes, I konw. I phrased it the way I did because I was not sure whether, as Indian, they met Skald’s criteria. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-question-are-there-any-black-students-mentioned-at-hogwarts/655537/19 "2013-04-12T20:23:40Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > The whole mudblood thing the Potter books has racist undertones. Does Voldemort or … um–okay, I don’t remember the name of the character I’m trying to think of–ever express any bigotry toward non-white wizards? It would seem out of place from what I recall of the first book, but I’ve been wrong before. As I said, it is not an undertone, it is clearly a deliberate allegory of racism. I do not recall Voldemort (or anybody) caring a whit about anyone’s actual race however (although I also do not recall any non-white Death Eaters). There does not seem to be any any actual racism in the wizarding world. Harry and Ron date the Patil sisters and Harry dates Cho Chang without anyone, even any Slytherins, seeming to raise an eyebrow. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-question-are-there-any-black-students-mentioned-at-hogwarts/655537/20 "2013-04-12T20:23:57Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > …[Kingsley Shacklebolt](http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Kingsley_Shacklebolt), a member of the Order of the Phoenix was a former Hogwarts student, and is pure-blood wizard who is black (and seems to be actually African, or at least have direct African heritage). Furthermore (I had not remembered this from the books) according to the Potter Wiki he became Minister of Magic after Voldemort’s defeat. Fun fact - George Harris, who played Shacklebolt, was also the tramp steamer captain in _Raiders of the Lost Ark_: [http://www.wearysloth.com/Gallery/ActorsH/25281-15555.gif](http://www.wearysloth.com/Gallery/ActorsH/25281-15555.gif) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-question-are-there-any-black-students-mentioned-at-hogwarts/655537.md?page=2)