Accused of ‘Ethnic Fraud,’ Rachel Dolezal Says Being Black Wasn’t ‘Something That I Faked’

“When it comes to being Black – it’s not something that I faked,” says former Spokane NAACP Chapter President Rachel Dolezal. “It’s just me being me.”

In 2015 the self-described civil rights leader was “outed” as White by her own parents, Larry and Ruthanne Dolezal

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On Monday’s episode, Dr. Phil asks Dolezal whether she’d misrepresented herself. “Did you allow others to perceive you one way when you were another way?”

“I represent myself to be who I am,” she responds.

Dolezal recently authored the memoir, In Full Color: Finding My Place in a Black and White World in which she recounts her childhood and the 2015 controversy; and outlines her view that race is not biological, but rather – a political and social construct. Now 40, she tells Dr. Phil that she has identified as Black since the age of 4.

When Dolezal is challenged as to if she allowed others in her personal and professional lives to believe that she was genetically of African descent, what does she say?

This episode of Dr. Phil airs Monday. Click here to find your local listing.

Rachel Dolezal recently penned the memoir,In Full Color: Finding My Place in a Black and White World. The book is available now.


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