So much happened by 1:30 p.m. today, I had a hard time choosing what to write about. So, I decided to be bold after talking to my co-worker over lunch. She asked a question quite of few people have asked me in some different chats over the last couple of weeks. So, strap in kids, today we are going to talk about COLORISM! Oooh I’m about to piss some people off! Don’t flood my inbox!

I keep being asked (really it’s more like an accusation), “why are Black people racist against each other?” This answer first requires that I once again define racism as I discuss it in my posts. Racism is race prejudice PLUS power = racism. The power is the operative word here. The dictionary definition (which I do not subscribe to) of racism is:

1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human racial groups determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one’s own race is superior and has the right to dominate others or that a particular racial group is inferior to the others.

2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.

3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.

The problem with this definition is, it doesn’t recognize the power differential between the oppressed and the oppressor. Although the first definition does seem to touch on it with this part: “involving the idea that one’s own race is superior and has the right to dominate others or that a particular racial group is inferior to the others.” If I were writing the definition I would talk about how the domination is not overt now, but covert and is mostly perpetrated by omission as opposed to commission, and affects the lives of the oppressed. By that I am referring to educational, health care, governmental policy, etc. outcomes. However,  when White people define racism, it almost always absolve them of any guilt. 

The definition of colorism is intra-race prejudice based on the skin tone of individuals within the SAME race. In the black community, for a very long time (I don’t experience it  as much as I have in the past), light skinned people were considered superior to darker skinned individuals like myself. The reason why is dark and ugly and has it’s vestiges in slavery. Why? Let’s go deep. 

Light skinned slaves were more often than not the result of slave masters raping their female slaves. This resulted in light skinned biracial children. Children who were fathered by slave owners were still slaves, but they often “enjoyed” (I don’t know how one enjoys slavery) the privileges of being the slave master’s child/ren. Some of those privileges included learning to read, working in the big house and better slave quarters. Some even enjoyed having darker skinned slaves at their disposal. In addition, many of those slaves gained their freedom and that of their offspring in the wills of their biological fathers. Many of these families are what are considered “old money” and “Black aristocracy.” They copied White culture by having societies and balls, so that their children could meet each other, marry and continue to “lighten up the race.” 

As one can imagine, this lead to a feeling of superiority on the part of light skinned people while reinforcing the inferiority of dark skinned people. Light skinned people were seen as more intelligent and capable than their darker skinned counterparts. 

Everyone absorbs the vestiges of racism in a racist society. You can’t help it. White people, White women in particular, then and now, are the standard of beauty in this country. That is changing, but a law still needed to be passed to prevent discrimination against natural hair. That means that standard of beauty is what people absorb and judge others by. For a very long time, Hollywood only hired light skinned bBlack people to play roles if Black people were to be represented at all. When that did begin to change, however, light skinned people played more coveted roles than dark skinned people. Dark skinned people were often stuck in roles as maids or slaves. I mean it wasn’t too long ago that “Oscars So White” trended on Twitter. 

Given all this said, it is not unusual to hear Black people make fun of each other, very light skinned people have been called “light bright and damn near white.” Or, for any of a number of slurs for being “too dark” can be hurled at me in the middle of the summer. We tan just like everybody else. When my sons act arrogant in any way, they’ll say to each other “oh you on that light-skinned shit.” This is a somewhat non confrontational means of saying, you’re acting uppity and like you’re better than everyone else. I don’t know, though, cuz I ain’t light skinned! 

Let’s get to the power issue. Do light skinned black people have enough power in this country to be racist against darker Black people or vice versa? I know there used to be “paper bag parties” where if your skin was darker than a paper bag, you couldn’t get in. I remember my father being hurt by that and talking about it often because he was NOT NEVER NOT EVER getting in. So, I guess that is powerful, but does it affect outcomes? It could if resources are taken out of a community, instead of put back in. However, I do not see that happening. 

The flip side to that is, what did light skinned people who chose to lighten up the race lose when they decided it was better to pass? I read an article about that and it was stated that they lost 1/2 of their family to pass. Is this privilege worth it? 🧬