This is irrelevant. How many references to e.g. Edison will you find online, remarking that he was "white"? In a context of ethnic debate in the US, mentioning

This is irrelevant. How many references to e.g. Edison will you find online, remarking that he was "white"? In a context of ethnic debate in the US, mentioning "white" anything, will most likely revolve around "black" anything.