But it was not until I applied to college in the early 1990s that I encountered people like Claudine Gay and truly saw behind the curtain of identity politics. That was when, with grades and SATs that were borderline acceptable for top-tier colleges, my high school counselor—along with most university officials—urged me to boost my chances of admission by checking the “black” box on applications. And when they saw my reluctance, they routinely dismissed my misgivings with the same line: “Oh, it’s nothing, just check the box and you’ll get the upper hand.” …

I knew that if I checked the black box, administrators and corporate executives would feel like they owned me. They had opened the doors to their esteemed institutions and, in return, I would be expected to show fealty to their racial politics and ideologies.

Checking the black box on college applications would have forced me to enter what I call the Minority State of Mind, divorcing myself from my larger American identity to embrace a far narrower identity based on the politics of race. In my case, that meant embracing a racialized and victimized mindset in which everything is defined by slavery, segregation, disparities, and racism.

People have mocked me, saying that I give far too much importance to the black box, but they have no idea what awaits a black student who puts that check mark next to “black.”

[It’s a fascinating story, especially in light of Steele’s heritage. Be sure to check out his Substack as well. — Ed]