To become white, which is not a color but the lack of one

In one of the conversations in the old country, a member of the extended family criticized "those Americans."

I cleared my throat. "Ahem," I started with a smile. "I am an American."

In that context, I was an invisible man!

Here in the US too, my "American" identity is not always self-evident to people.  Because, the default definition of an American is a white.

One middle-aged white man asked me a little over a year ago at a protest gathering: "where are you visiting from?"  And he is a liberal!  "For Brutus is an honourable man; So are they all, all honourable men." 

A visiting white Ukrainian or a Czech can pass off as an "American" as long as they don't engage in conversations because, well, because of the white skin, but a brown-skinned American might be stopped in Arizona! 

I am reminded of Ralph Ellision in his powerful and compelling Invisible Man:

Whence all this passion toward conformity anyway?—diversity is the word. Let man keep his many parts and you'll have no tyrant states. Why, if they follow this conformity business they'll end up by forcing me, an invisible man, to become white, which is not a color but the lack of one. Must I strive toward colorlessness? But seriously, and without snobbery, think of what the world would lose if that should happen. 

"they'll end up by forcing me, an invisible man, to become white, which is not a color but the lack of one."