COLORISM AGAINST IT”S OWN COLOR
Colorism is a form prejudice and discrimination in which an individual will be treated a certain way because of their skin color or tone and the social meaning attached to it. Colorism, although often overshadowed by racism, is the same as racism. (Alice Walker, 1982). Across America, people yet in this day and time associate wealth and status to a skin tone or color. This is in fact a form of racism that yet broods in the minds consciously and subconsciously of people not only in America but also around the world. From the European colonists through and beyond slavery to the twenty-first century, one may yet become oppressed and discriminated against because of an uncontrolled physical attribute.
It has been a part of a black man’s world to be looked upon as the less than by a white man because of the aged old racial ideology and white supremacy system. But it is most disturbing when this mindset rests among someone of the same skin tone and color. Black on black discrimination is no secret in the black community.
I myself have been a victim of it. In Birmingham, Alabama I experienced the epitome of racism and discrimination by black staff members of a well-known seafood restaurant. They refused to prepare for me a particular combination of seafood favorites as a meal; however, gladly did it for the white couple that was in line ahead me. After complaining to the white owner of the restaurant, he shared with me how members of his staff who are black tend to treat other blacks with little respect and courtesy. In return, they will treat a White, Asian, Hispanic or even high yellow African American completely different. It blew my mind to experience such.
The “paper bag” test is yet administered in black America, only without the bag. Slave owners would allow slaves lighter than a brown paper bag to work in the big house; the darker slaves were sentenced to work in the field. You think that’s something? Well until recent years, certain sororities and fraternities in black colleges would not allow a person to join if they were darker than a paper bag.
What does this have to do with poverty you may ask? Seemingly, in predominantly black communities you have black leaders, officials, teachers and business owners. With unemployment at a high and causing poverty to be the norm for so many blacks, it simply adds to the struggle and disparities to have blacks not employing blacks if they are “too dark”. Not only that, there are many blacks who refuse to patronize a business if it’s owned by a black. This has caused many black businesses to go out of business and suffer lost of investment. The community as a whole suffers when the small amount of dollars and tax dollars in the black community are constantly going elsewhere for goods and needs. Blacks tend to hire Hispanic, Asian or White plumbers, construction workers, etc. instead of giving another black an opportunity to prosper. A nation divided against itself cannot stand. (Holy Bible Matthew 12:25). This type of mentality reduces the economic potential in the black community. When will we learn?
Brazil has the largest population of African descendants outside of Africa in the world. In Brazil, skin color is the controlling factor in so many ways. Individuals with lighter skin have a much higher rate of social mobility. A lot of European elites now live in Brazil along with those of African descent. Study shows that are a number of health, education and income disparities between the different skin colors even in Brazil.
Ghetto poverty among blacks in the 1980s, 2007
ALICE WALKER, 1982
Black Men Who Racist Against Other Black Men, 2011
SKIN DEEP DISCRIMINATION, 2005
The Impact of Skin Color Discrimination in the U.S.
and Beyond
KING JAMES VERSION HOLY BIBLE MT 12:25
It has been a part of a black man’s world to be looked upon as the less than by a white man because of the aged old racial ideology and white supremacy system. But it is most disturbing when this mindset rests among someone of the same skin tone and color. Black on black discrimination is no secret in the black community.
I myself have been a victim of it. In Birmingham, Alabama I experienced the epitome of racism and discrimination by black staff members of a well-known seafood restaurant. They refused to prepare for me a particular combination of seafood favorites as a meal; however, gladly did it for the white couple that was in line ahead me. After complaining to the white owner of the restaurant, he shared with me how members of his staff who are black tend to treat other blacks with little respect and courtesy. In return, they will treat a White, Asian, Hispanic or even high yellow African American completely different. It blew my mind to experience such.
The “paper bag” test is yet administered in black America, only without the bag. Slave owners would allow slaves lighter than a brown paper bag to work in the big house; the darker slaves were sentenced to work in the field. You think that’s something? Well until recent years, certain sororities and fraternities in black colleges would not allow a person to join if they were darker than a paper bag.
What does this have to do with poverty you may ask? Seemingly, in predominantly black communities you have black leaders, officials, teachers and business owners. With unemployment at a high and causing poverty to be the norm for so many blacks, it simply adds to the struggle and disparities to have blacks not employing blacks if they are “too dark”. Not only that, there are many blacks who refuse to patronize a business if it’s owned by a black. This has caused many black businesses to go out of business and suffer lost of investment. The community as a whole suffers when the small amount of dollars and tax dollars in the black community are constantly going elsewhere for goods and needs. Blacks tend to hire Hispanic, Asian or White plumbers, construction workers, etc. instead of giving another black an opportunity to prosper. A nation divided against itself cannot stand. (Holy Bible Matthew 12:25). This type of mentality reduces the economic potential in the black community. When will we learn?
Brazil has the largest population of African descendants outside of Africa in the world. In Brazil, skin color is the controlling factor in so many ways. Individuals with lighter skin have a much higher rate of social mobility. A lot of European elites now live in Brazil along with those of African descent. Study shows that are a number of health, education and income disparities between the different skin colors even in Brazil.
Ghetto poverty among blacks in the 1980s, 2007
ALICE WALKER, 1982
Black Men Who Racist Against Other Black Men, 2011
SKIN DEEP DISCRIMINATION, 2005
The Impact of Skin Color Discrimination in the U.S.
and Beyond
KING JAMES VERSION HOLY BIBLE MT 12:25
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