The Difference Between Being Black and Having Black Skin: The Two Quarterbacks Debate - African American Facts Not Taught in Public Schools

1. The Misconception: Two “Black” Quarterbacks in the Super Bowl?

Many people assume that race is defined purely by skin color—but identity runs deeper than genetics.
The narrative that both Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes are “Black quarterbacks” oversimplifies the complexity of biracial identity and lived experience.
Yes, both men have Black ancestry, but their upbringings, cultural ties, and experiences as Black men in America are vastly different.

💡 Key Takeaway: Having brown skin doesn’t automatically mean someone shares the same Black experience—racial identity is shaped by upbringing, culture, and lived reality.

2. The Reality of Biracial Identity: Not All Mixed-Race People Are the Same

The speaker in this analysis identifies as biracial and points out a critical distinction—not all mixed-race people experience life the same way.
Growing up between two different households (one Black and poor, one white and wealthy) exposes the gap between “having Black ancestry” and “growing up Black.”
Jalen Hurts grew up in the trenches. His upbringing is directly tied to the struggles of the Black community.
Patrick Mahomes grew up with privilege—his father was a professional athlete, meaning Mahomes had financial security, access, and a different social experience.

💡 Key Takeaway: Not all biracial people share the same Black experience—environment and upbringing shape identity just as much as skin color.

3. Black Identity is More Than Just DNA—It’s About Struggle, Culture, and Connection

The Black experience in America is deeply tied to struggle, systemic oppression, and cultural bonds.
Jalen Hurts grew up in the trenches—he experienced the realities of Black America firsthand.
Patrick Mahomes, while racially Black by lineage, wasn’t raised in the same struggle and did not have to navigate the same challenges that many Black men face.
Being Black in America isn’t just about ancestry—it’s about the lived experience of navigating a society built on racial divisions.

💡 Key Takeaway: A person can be biologically Black but still experience the world in a way that is closer to whiteness, depending on their upbringing.

4. The Privilege Factor: Mahomes’ Experience is Different

Mahomes had financial security, opportunities, and access that many Black kids don’t have.
While his father is Black, his upbringing was not rooted in Black struggle—it was rooted in wealth and sports privilege.
Jalen Hurts, by contrast, had to work his way up through a system that often limits Black athletes unless they are exceptional.

💡 Key Takeaway: Race is not just about biology—it’s about access, privilege, and lived reality. Mahomes’ experiences are closer to whiteness than they are to the struggles of Black America.

5. The Danger of Oversimplifying Race

The assumption that all biracial people share the same experience erases the nuances of racial identity.
Saying there are “two Black quarterbacks” ignores the fact that one was raised in Black America’s reality, and the other was raised in privilege.
It’s important to acknowledge the distinction between having Black heritage and being shaped by Black struggle.

💡 Final Takeaway: Patrick Mahomes has Black ancestry, but he did not grow up in the same Black experience as Jalen Hurts. When discussing race, we must acknowledge both lineage and lived reality—because they are not always the same.