Will Sutton: Kamala Harris says 'I'm Black.' Black Louisianans have been there before

There's so much presidential campaign news these days as we inch closer to electing our next president in November — after millions of votes are tallied.

This has been yet another moment in our nation's history when we Black people feel pressed to explain just how Black is Black. Two Black parents, or one? A Black granny, Big Momma or great-grandmother? In a Black fraternity or sorority? Went to a historically Black college or university?

Let me burst your bubble. There are Whites, Latinos, Asians and other ethnicities in each of those groups.

As he often does, Trump made race an issue in the campaign in late July when he said during an interview at the National Association of Black Journalists convention in Chicago: "I didn't know she was Black until a number of years ago, when she happened to turn Black, and now she wants to be known as Black. So, I don't know. Is she Indian or Black?"

During an interview with NABJ journalists at WHYY in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Harris did not reference her race in a response to Trump. However, when answering a question about Black men who might not be sure that they will vote for her, she said  "Black men are like any other voting group. You've got to earn their vote. I'm working to earn the vote, not assuming that I would have it because I'm Black, but because the policies and the perspectives that I have understand what we must do to recognize the needs for all communities."

In case you or Trump missed it, Harris said, "I'm Black."

I'm Black, too.

The truth is that many Black people are what one person called "Black Plus."

You see, Harris is also Asian Indian. I'm also Creole with some White and Indigenous blood.

We're biracial, mixed race, multi-racial and more. Some of us have light-skinned Black moms and darker-skinned dads. Some of our moms are White and our dads are Black. But how Black? 

So many of us, especially in New Orleans and southern Louisiana, have straight hair, skin light enough to be mistaken as White and facial features that look nothing like Motherland Africans we see in books or on television.

Harris didn't say she was Black Plus, but she is. So am I.

Being Black is a thing that many see when we walk by, but a brother or cousin might walk by and people would be guessing.

Now that Harris has solved the Black race issue for the balance of the campaign, we Black people should be called Black, biracial or mixed race — if that's how we want to be identified.

As for me, in the words of the late philosopher James Brown, "I'm Black and I'm proud."