Man Claims He’s Minority After DNA Test Says He’s 4% African

An insurance agent claims he should qualify as a minority business owner because a DNA test shows he’s 4% African — which he believes makes him “a certified black man.” Ralph Taylor knows on the outside he looks like an average white guy, but is using the results from his AncestryByDNA test to bolster his business in Lynnwood, Washington. “I’ve always known that I’m multiracial,” the 55-year-old declared. The 2010 test showed that he’s 90% European, 6% indigenous American and 4% sub-Saharan African.

Taylor is now in the midst of a legal battle with the government for denying him a minority business owner qualification, which would give him a leg up in nabbing government contracts. He was denied for not being “visibly identifiable” and accused officials of not having any clear guidelines.