In the past, their self-identification was often overlooked as the state tried to impose a binary breakdown of society into white and black.
ɪnðə pˈæst, ðɛɹ sˈɛlfaɪdˈɛntɪfɪkˈeɪʃən wʌz ˈɔfən ˌoʊvɚlˈʊkt æz ðə stˈeɪt tɹˈaɪd tʊ ɪmpˈoʊz ɐ bˈaɪnɚɹi bɹˈeɪkdaʊn ʌv səsˈaɪəɾi ˌɪntʊ wˈaɪt ænd blˈæk.