Skin Colorism In America

During the mid-twentieth century African Americans were at the lowermost tier of society's hierarchy. However within the black race, there was a further social division between lighter-skinned and darker-skinned African Americans. A black individual with more Caucasian features signified high status and beauty which was sought after by members of the African American community (Dibleck). In Zora Neale Hurston's novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, the author uses Janie Crawford to depict how colorism affected African Americans on both sides of the skin color spectrum. By demonstrating the attitude society (mostly men) had towards skin color, the author displays the realities of being an African American in the early 1900s and the deep

The struggle for equality has existed throughout history. The color of a person’s skin seems to depict everything about them. Not only was this an issue in earlier times, but the present as well. The battle to overcome inequity was made significantly more troublesome in the Plessy v. Ferguson case of 1896.

There are approximately 7 billion people in this world. Each person has a unique combination of traits such as skin tone, face shape, body type, eye color, hair color, and other characteristics. These traits vary due to genetics, environmental factors, and much more. An individual 's race is defined by their physical characteristics and how they differ among others. Race is not defined by the way an individual behaves or portrays themselfes; it is based strictly off of their physical traits. Since America was founded, race has played a significant role in the relations of the citizens in this country. For decades, different races have been stereotyped and been prejudice towards one another, without realizing how invalid their judgements are. Specifically, African Americans have been discriminated by caucasians in America since it’s founding. It began by the enslaving of African Americans, and today, the discrimination and inequality is more hidden in society. Although America has made significant progress in overcoming racial inequality in the country, many African Americans are still being subject to hardships that Caucasian Americans do not face, especially in regards to the justice system.

Inequality in today's america towards people of color is the result of a history of slavery in segregation in the united states. Michelle Alexander, a highly acclaimed civil rights lawyer and author of the book “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness” talks about racial hostility in

Back in the early 1800’s, the color of one’s skin mattered amongst African Americans and Caucasian people. There was infidelity between the Caucasian slave owners and the African American slaves. Of course, the outcome of that produced a fairer toned child. In most cases the child could pass as white. The mixed toned kids got to be inside doing housework, while the dark Negroes worked in the fields, under extraneous work conditions,”their dark-toned peers toiled in the fields”(Maxwell). From the early 1800’s to modern day, there is controversy that light or bi-racial African Americans are better than dark colored African Americans. African Americans had to go through tests to see if they were able to receive priviledges

When looking at topics, such as, colorism we have to first take a look at the history behind it. In the journal article “Skin-color Prejudice and Within-Group Racial Discrimination: Historical and current Impact on Latino/a Populations”. We can go all the way back to the conquest of Latin America and look at the massacres

In this chapter, the author Bonilla- Silva speaks on race in contemporary America and the concept of color blindness in today’s society. Color blindness is the idea that our society no longer takes race into account in our social policies, because we as a society have overcome racism. The author believes that is false and proves his case with studies he has done. According to him racism is committed by the major race population, which is the white population. He states that African Americans and Latin Americans are extremely discriminated against by the white community as a result of white privilege. White privilege is defined as societal privileges that benefit white people, beyond what is commonly experienced by non-white under the same social,

Racism and racial stereotypes have existed throughout human history. The radical belief associated by thinking the skin color, language, or a person’s nationality is the reason that someone is one way or another has become extremely detrimental to society. Throughout human existence it has sparked tension between groups of people and ultimately influenced wars and even caused slavery. Racism in America dates back to when Native Americans were often attacked, relocated, and assimilated into European culture. Since then, racism within the states has grown to include various other cultures as well. In the essays by Brent Staples, Bharati Mukherjee, and Manuel Munoz, they discuss the various causes as well as the effects that racial stereotyping can place on a victim and the stigma it leaves behind for the society to witness.

The idolization of lighter skin colour that has occurred within black communities within America, as mentioned earlier, stems from colonization and has persisted into the modern age through racialized beauty standards, as well as economic and social opportunities. Due to their perceived proximity to white individuals within the racial hierarchy, lighter skinned black Americans are considered to be more beautiful and are presented with the opportunity to receive a higher income and level of education than darker skinned individuals based on their physical appearance, as examined by Margaret L. Hunter. Nevertheless, these individuals are still barred from reaching the same levels of opportunity as white individuals, which is depicted through a lower employment and income rate, indicating their inability to transcend beyond their social racial category. Instead, there appears to be an unhealthy racial hierarchy created within the black race which stigmatizes and divides coloured individuals from collaborating, as per the wishes of early colonizers in my perception. Through accommodating to the desires of early European colonizers, colorism exhibits tendencies of Nobles conceptual incarceration, in which coloured individuals are still submissive and uncritical towards their reasons of perceiving lighter skin as being more socially acceptable based on a European

In America’s attempt to create a social hierarchy, we have historically classified people based on their appearance. Our country has been ruled by white males since its beginning, with minorities treated as lesser beings and, our historical narrative reflects that. Within the last 50 years our country has attempted to make strides towards changing this narrative through the civil right’s movement and changes in modern perspectives. Despite these attempts, things are still not even close to being equal. However, some “model minorities” have found it easier to adjust to our dominantly white culture. Because of America’s continuous institutionalized racism, our country favors minorities who favor them; we typically like Asians and light skinned Latinos. Not only do these minorities favor the white majority physically, but they also assimilate into our system with little to no resistance. African Americans are typically viewed as complete opposites of what I’ve described above—our modern stereotypes perpetuate African Americans as angry, aggressive people. Through racial stereotypes that maintain that lighter skin is more favorable, we are creating a system that results with African Americans at the bottom of our social hierarchy.

The Color Complex: The Politics of Skin Color Among African Americans is one of the text used. This book was written by Kathy Russell, Midge Wilson, Ronald E. Hall in 1993 to inform readers of the color gap in how lighter skinned people of the black community are treated differently than those of a darker skin tone. It further explains how African Americans have been taught to see themselves based on their skin tone. This book was a valuable resource that it assisted in the understanding of the Black color line; its inception and how it created an environment of self segregation. While this text was helpful, it like many other text had limitations. One limitation was that the text does not present a counter argument to support another point

Many are unaware of the effects that race has played in their lives over the years. Some may not understand its implications, but are very oblivious to it. Race can influence such things like attitude and behavior. Nowadays being white or black means something more than just a Crayola color. No longer are they just colors, they are races with their own rules and regulations. People of color have been inferior to the white race for centuries. In their own way Zora Neale Hurston shows this concept in her story “How it feels to be Colored Me” as does Richard Wright in his autobiographical sketch “The Ethics of Living Jim Crow”.

Throughout history, many different minority groups have been treated unfairly. Although African Americans, Latino Americans, Native Americans, and Asian Americans are all minorities, they are similar in the ways of getting treated negatively, but they differ significantly. While some experience different situations in their early histories, stereotypes, discrimination, and other important issues. Some of these minority groups have these issues similar or worse than others.

Kassie, I loved how you stated, "Color, race, and ethnicity does not define an individual, their personality is what defines them." Throughout today's society, many individuals do not realize that we all are the same within, and love should not be defined by an individuals race, ethnicity, sex, or religion. Also, throughout history, many individuals have fought for equality, but still faces racism everyday. So, therefore, Jane had an amazing exercise that switched racism to people with "blue eyes" instead of African Americans.

For many years now the people in power or “whites” have passed laws so that other racial groups are kept at the bottom of the social hierarchy. These racial group that are kept at the bottom become racialized and oppressed therefore they become unequal to the people that are at the top of this hierarchy. The racial groups that are kept at the bottom vary from the Native-Americans to the Mexican-Americans and obviously the African-Americans. In this essay I will be comparing how the racialization process has been similar and different between these racial groups. I will also define race and racialization. Furthermore, I will explain how class, gender, sexuality, and citizenship has impacted the racialization process within these groups.