mulatto

mulatto is a slaveholder's word derived from the notion that, like mules, we were unable to have children. Racist pseudo-science said that since inter-species breeding produces infertile offspring, the children of whites (humans) and Africans (sub-humans) would be sterile. Hopefully, sensible people have abandoned the notion that human genetic pools—races—are different species and will therefore abandon this offensive word (Jaimie Markham, in Colors). Use instead (if a reference is needed at all) biracial, multiracial, mélange, métis/métisse.