For centuries, racial differences have defined the borders between tribes and classes, feeding discrimination and xenophoby. But with the arrival of the global village, interracial relationships are becoming norm rather than exception.


In a matter of years we'll have mingled ourselves into one giant amalgamated mega-race. But what will we look like? National Geographic built its 125th anniversary issue around this very question, calling on writer Lise Funderburg and Martin Schoeller, a renowned photographer and portrait artist, to capture the lovely faces of our nation's multiracial future. Meet the people beyond race.




Daisy Fencl, 3, San Antonio, Texas Parents’ ID for her: Korean and Hispanic Census Boxes Checked: has not yet been counted Daisy Fencl, 3, San Antonio, Texas
Parents’ ID for her: Korean and Hispanic
Census Boxes Checked: has not yet been counted



Kelly Williams II, 17, Dallas, Texas Self-ID: African American and German/multiracial Census Boxes Checked: black Kelly Williams II, 17, Dallas, Texas
Self-ID: African American and German/multiracial
Census Boxes Checked: black



Sandra Williams, 46, Chicago, Illinois Self-ID: biracial/“human being” Census Boxes Checked: black Sandra Williams, 46, Chicago, Illinois
Self-ID: biracial/“human being”
Census Boxes Checked: black



Christopher Braxton, 33, Brooklyn, New York Self-ID: half African American, half Korean/Blasian Census Boxes Checked: black/Korean Christopher Braxton, 33, Brooklyn, New York
Self-ID: half African American, half Korean/Blasian
Census Boxes Checked: black/Korean



Mariyam Nayeri, 33, Brooklyn, New York Self-ID: Mexican and Saudi Census Boxes Checked: some other race Mariyam Nayeri, 33, Brooklyn, New York
Self-ID: Mexican and Saudi
Census Boxes Checked: some other race



Adrian Adrid, 24, Haleiwa, Hawaii Self-ID: white Census Boxes Checked: white/Filipino Adrian Adrid, 24, Haleiwa, Hawaii
Self-ID: white
Census Boxes Checked: white/Filipino



Lula Newman, 7, New York, New York Self-ID: Chinese, Indonesian, German, Polish, Welsh Census Boxes Checked: white/Chinese/other Asian Lula Newman, 7, New York, New York
Self-ID: Chinese, Indonesian, German, Polish, Welsh
Census Boxes Checked: white/Chinese/other Asian



Alexander Sugiura, 27, Brooklyn, New York Self-ID: American, ethnically Jewish Census Boxes Checked: Japanese Alexander Sugiura, 27, Brooklyn, New York
Self-ID: American, ethnically Jewish
Census Boxes Checked: Japanese



Helen Robertson, 54, Los Angeles, California Self-ID: English Census Boxes Checked: white/Asian Helen Robertson, 54, Los Angeles, California
Self-ID: English
Census Boxes Checked: white/Asian



Jacob Benavente, 5, Torrance, California Self-ID: American Census Boxes Checked: Asian/native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander Jacob Benavente, 5, Torrance, California
Self-ID: American
Census Boxes Checked: Asian/native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander



Jesse Lee, 32, New York, New York Self-ID: half Chinese, quarter Swedish, quarter French Census Boxes Checked: Chinese Jesse Lee, 32, New York, New York
Self-ID: half Chinese, quarter Swedish, quarter French
Census Boxes Checked: Chinese



Yudah Holman, 29, Los Angeles, California Self-ID: half Thai, half black Census Boxes Checked: other Asian Yudah Holman, 29, Los Angeles, California
Self-ID: half Thai, half black
Census Boxes Checked: other Asian



Ariel Toole, 14, Chicago, Illinois Self-ID: mixed race/multiracial Census Boxes Checked: white/black/Vietnamese Ariel Toole, 14, Chicago, Illinois
Self-ID: mixed race/multiracial
Census Boxes Checked: white/black/Vietnamese



Joshua Ahsoak, 34, Anchorage, Alaska Self-ID: Jewish and Inupiat Eskimo/“Juskimo” Census Boxes Checked: Alaska Native Joshua Ahsoak, 34, Anchorage, Alaska
Self-ID: Jewish and Inupiat Eskimo/“Juskimo”
Census Boxes Checked: Alaska Native



Hosanna Marshall, 32, New York, New York Self-ID: African American, Native American, white, and Jewish Census Boxes Checked: black Hosanna Marshall, 32, New York, New York
Self-ID: African American, Native American, white, and Jewish
Census Boxes Checked: black


Via National Geographic

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