I couldn't agree with you more! There's been a puzzle with me on the Federal census where my great grandmother Lydia Catherine (Waters/Walters) Cox is listed as a "mulatto" in addition to her husband, Charles R. Cocks/Cox/Coxe.

I have pictures of both relatives, Charles, could easily be mistaken as a white person and who could have "passed" if he wished, however, Lydia's photograph indicates her regal rich black complexion, not brown-skinned at all. I figured this is just the judgement of the enumerator. That's why when beginners' are researching for their family roots, I always tell them to forget whatever classification is on the census. Who, I ask, was the deciding person who wrote this on the original census?