The Negative Effects Of Colorism In The African American Community

What does it mean to you to be a black girl? If you aren’t one, what do you see when you visualize a black girl? If your imagination limits you to just an afro-centric featured, loud and slang-loving, uneducated woman, then this piece is addressed to you. The persistence of the stereotypes concerning average black girls have chained us all to the earlier listed attributes. One side effect of this dangerous connection is the wide opening for a new form of discrimination it creates. Whether it is depicted through slave owners allocating the preferable duties to lighter-skinned black woman, or in modern times where a dislike in rap music categorizes you as not really black, segregation within black communities occur. Tracing all the way back to elementary school, my education on the subject of racial segregation has been constricted to just the injustices routed by dissimilarities between racial groups. What failed to be discussed was the intragroup discrimination occurring in the black society from both outside observers and inside members. Unfortunately, our differences in the level of education, in physical appearance, and in our social factors such as our behaviour, personality or what we believe in have been pitted against each other to deny the variety of unique identities that we as black individuals carry.

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

Everyone is raised within a culture with a set of customs and morals handed down by those generations before them. Most individual’s view and experience identity in different ways. During history, different ethnic groups have struggled with finding their place within society. In the mid-nineteen hundreds, African Americans faced a great deal of political and social discrimination based on the tone of their skin. After the Civil Rights Movement, many African Americans no longer wanted to be identified by their African American lifestyle, so they began to practice African culture by taking on African hairdos, African-influenced clothing, and adopting African names. By turning away from their roots, many African Americans embraced a culture that was not inherited, thus putting behind the unique and significant characteristics

Through the years we have realized that the African American community has grown and developed. Our communities have come to live in harmony with one another. Although it took a long time for African Americans to get their say in society, they have come to show the world that they deserve their chance. We have learned that we need each other because it brings more color, music, and new ideas into our lives.

Historical archives discovered by Dorman show that colorism had tangible boundaries within the African American community during the 1920s (47). It is stated that blacks often divided themselves into four subcategories which consisted of “black”, “brown”, “light brown”, and “yellow” Negros (Dorman 47). The above ranking would be listed in a hierarchy from “black” being at the bottom of the socially accepted hierarchy to the “yellow negro” being the most revered and desired socially.

Everyone is raised within a culture with a set of customs and morals handed down by those generations before them. Most individual’s view and experience identity in different ways. During history, different ethnic groups have struggled with finding their place within society. In the mid-nineteen hundreds, African Americans faced a great deal of political and social discrimination based on the tone of their skin. After the Civil Rights Movement, many African Americans no longer wanted to be identified by their African American lifestyle, so they began to practice African culture by taking on African hairdos, African-influenced clothing, and adopting African names. By turning away from their roots, many African Americans embraced a

In her book “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?” , Beverly Daniel Tatum, explores the identity of racial development in the United States. She analyzes the definition of racism as well as the development of racial identity. Along with these topics she in turn offers possible solutions to racial problems that plague us today.

Many black girls go thru social identity issues on a daily basis. Skin color has created division even within black people because fairer skin tones are highly praised in the Negro community. Discrimination is used everywhere against black girls with a deeper skin pigment per example, makeup brands neglect the commercialization of darker shades of foundation, hair products for women of color

In regards to the conversation of children staying true to their African American culture, Parents must also teach their children on how to love themselves and not let the white society change who they are. Other reasons for African American children feeling self-hatred for their skin color is that they are not content with their features. African American children with dark skin complexion have to deal with the issues of colorism. They may have thoughts where they’re not feeling good enough about themselves, and believe that if they were to look white or have a lighter skin complexion then maybe people will start paying more attention to them. I happen to be that kid also because I to hated being and I thought that by being light skin I would

African Americans have had an extensive impact on the world throughout history but have not gotten the recognition that they deserve for all the good they have accomplished. As poverty, hunger, and unemployment matters grow bigger the color line problem grows as well. Black unemployment is two times as high compared to whites. Although segregation has ended many years ago we still see it going on in the world today. As a community and country we all need to come together to knock out the issue of racism, segregation, and the color barrier. (www.faithstreet.com)

The African American community has sat at the end of a discriminatory lens from the moment they set foot in the United States. For that reason, black communities have undergone the process of community building to ensure that all members feel a sense of belonging.

Colorism is an issue amongst African Americans that is slowly disunifying the culture. The idea that is constantly reiterated in the African American community is that if you are light skinned you have a better job with more income, more successful, have more relationships, and are deemed less of a threat, essentially living the “best of both worlds”. If are darker skinned you are jobless or at a job that is not moving you into the future, less successful, passed by a potential mate, and is labeled as a common crook. The ideas about color pigmentation in the African American community all goes back to the original argument made numerous of times: “White is good, Black is bad”. Slavery is a primary reason why African Americans have this

Colorism” is a form of prejudice in which people are treated differently based on skin color. The subject matter of colorism can be greatly argued amongst the African-American culture. Because of the direct biased attitudes towards skin color there has been a manifestation of internal oppression within the Black race. According to the article, “The Persistent Problem of Colorism: Skin Tone, Status, and Inequality” (Hunter 2007), researchers confirmed that fair-skinned people have clear advantages over dark-skinned people in areas such as education, politics and income. However, dark-skinned people of color are more genuine and approved than fair-skinned people.

I can distinctively remember the moment I became aware of my blackness. I was in the second grade and seeking attention from a boy I had a crush on. He would often kiss the hair of other girls in my class, but he never kissed mine. When I asked him to kiss my hair he informed me that he did not kiss “nappy” or “black” hair. It was at that moment that I began to associate blackness with “badness”. This is a theme that is consistently reinforced to young black children today. In media, it is not uncommon to see black people portrayed in a negative light whether it be violent or over sexualized. Through counseling, I hope to be able to teach young men and women of color the importance of loving

The “Youth of Color and Adolescent Identity” theory explains: “youth must integrate their image of being from an ethnic group while being exposed to values and images of the mainstream white culture. Young people often perceive a negative image from the white majority and then face the task of developing a positive identity as a member of an ethnic group” (Ashford & LeCroy, 2012, p.