It's interesting to see how the U.S. government categorized people in the 1940s. I'm looking at the draft registration card of my maternal grandfather.
Race: The choices are white, negro, oriental, indian, and filipino.
Eyes: blue, gray, hazel, brown or black
Hair: blonde, red, brown, black, gray, bald
Complexion: sallow, light, ruddy, dark, freckled, light brown, dark brown, black (on my grandfather's form, they wrote in "medium")
My Filipino wife was quite amused to see Filipinos and Orientals listed as separate 'races'.
Also, no distinction between American Indian and "India" Indian!
I suppose they did it this way because it was before the era of taking photos of everyone.
has been watching some documentaries lately set in the Western Desert, and was inspired to create this...
