Skip to content
  • Essence GU
  • Beautycon
  • NaturallyCurly
  • Afropunk
  • Essence Studios
  • Soko Mrkt
  • Ese Funds
  • Refinery29
  • WeLoveUs.shop
  • 2026 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
  • Celebrity
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Lifestyle
  • Entrepreneurship
  • News
  • Shopping
  • Video
  • Events
  • Subscribe
Home • News

Rachel Dolezal Still Identifies Herself as Black, Plans to Address Controversy

Rachel Dolezal, president of the Spokane chapter of the NAACP, is facing questions about her racial identity, with her family saying she is white, while she's portraying herself as black.
Is 'Transracial' Identity Real? 11 Opinions That Will Leave You Thinking
Tyler Tjomsland/The Spokesman-Review via AP
By Deena Campbell · Updated October 27, 2020
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready…

Rachel Dolezal, president of the Spokane chapter of the NAACP, is facing questions about her racial identity, with her family saying she is white, while she’s portraying herself as black.

Dolezal recently sent a message to NAACP members saying she would address the situation at a Monday night meeting with the group.

“As you probably know by now, there are questions and assumptions swirling in national and global news about my family, my race, my credibility, and the NAACP,” Dolezal wrote in an email. “There are many layers to this situation,” the 37-year-old activist added.

“Actually, I don’t like the term African-American; I prefer black. So, if asked, I would say, yes, I consider myself to be black,” Dolezal told KREM-TV.

The NAACP responded by saying the civil rights organization has a “long and proud tradition of receiving support from people of all faiths, races, colors and creeds.”