ABSTRACT
In order to have a strong sense of oneself as a member of a black or white group one must perceive these two groups as having distinct characteristics and cultures. It was clear that this perception was not shared by all of our sample. One-third of the mixed-parentage sample felt that their past and future lives had not been, and would not be, different if they were either black or white, instead of being of mixed parentage. Two-thirds felt equally comfortable with black and white people, and three-quarters felt that one cannot generalise about the characteristics of black and white people. Only a quarter thought that black and white people have different tastes in music and fashion, with the majority arguing that some did and some did not. Seventy per cent said that their colour had never prevented them from doing something they wanted to do.
