Is Huckleberry Finn black or white?

Excuse me, but could you clarify something for me? In the novel "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain, is the protagonist Huckleberry Finn depicted as being of a particular racial background? Is he portrayed as being black or white, or does the narrative intentionally avoid making such a clear distinction for some literary purpose? I'm curious about the author's intentions in this regard and how it might impact our understanding of the character and the story.