The concept of racial categorization has historically been based on the social construct of race, which is a complex and often arbitrary system. In many societies, including the United States, the concept of race has been rooted in a binary view that assigns individuals to distinct categories based on their physical characteristics.
In the case of Susie Phipps, her classification as African American was likely based on the dominant social and legal norms of racial categorization prevalent at the time. The concept of the "one-drop rule" was historically used in certain parts of the United States, which deemed anyone with even a small amount of African ancestry to be classified as African American. This rule was primarily a product of institutional racism and slavery, and it aimed to reinforce racial segregation and the oppression of non-white individuals.
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