Colorism in Modern America Essay Example

Modern America is currently, and has been tackling for centuries, colorism. It is the prejudice or discrimination against individuals with a dark skin tone, typically among people of the same ethnic or racial group. After the Civil War and the official freedom of slaves, America went through major changes in its economy. The abolishment of slavery led to incorrect social acceptances that as a result caused the concept of colorism among African Americans. Understanding where it comes from and its purpose could potentially help us as African Americans overcome it.

Literary works over the years give us personal insight along with effects that the tone of your skin has your life and its impact on others. A short literary piece written by Charles Chestnut gives an example of how being a lighter tone separates you from your darker toned brothers and sisters. “The Wife of His Youth” is about a man named Mr. Ryder and ow he came to find the love of his past, while he was a slave. The story keys in on how the color of this man’s skin and his opinion towards fitting into society because of his lighter complexion, and how that ultimately leads to finding her ,Liza Jane. His newly found life due to being so light put him higher on the social status chain; a spot so high that his dark-skinned ex-lover visited his home in hopes he would have the connections to find her husband. As it turns out, he was her husband but not the man she spoke of; he was not looking for her or concerned for her. After the end of slavery, he took opportunities and elevated his self. Sadly, his past wife had not lived such a happy and productive life 

Whites setting standards that “lighter is better” allowed mixed individuals and light skinned blacks to receive more opportunities and ultimately an easier life. On the other hand, however they faced discrimination and prejudice from those of a darker skin tone. In the beginning of the story Chesnutt elaborates on The Blue Vein Society and that it experiences hate because it was known for uplifting the community and providing educational purposes, but only lighter toned individuals were members. Blacks were put at odds with each other because of economic and social opinions. Even with slaves now being free, they were still controlled by white man’s opinions and the laws set in place behind those reasonings.

Colorism was rooted in slavery and its regimens and thought process were infused into the minds of blacks, most of the time without them knowing it. “Enslavers typically gave preferential treatment to enslaved people with fairer complexions. While dark-skinned enslaved people toiled outdoors in the fields, their light-skinned counterparts usually worked indoors at far less grueling domestic tasks”(Nittle, “Roots of Colorism”). Lighter colored people’s privileges carried over with them after slavery, created hate and envy in those of a darker complexion. 

Unfortunately, mixed kids and sometimes their parents were giving better treatment on the account that they were offspring of the slave owner due to rape. Research within history has shown that some slave owners would do this to create lighter toned individuals because they could not stand to look at blacks. Being mixed or light skin became an asset in the midst of slavery. “Outside the United States, colorism may be more related to class than to white supremacy… white skin is superior to dark skin may derive from ruling classes typically having lighter complexions than peasant classes….peasants became tanned as they labored outdoors, the privileged had lighter complexions because they didn’t. Thus, dark skin became associated with lower classes and light skin with the elite” (Nittle, Roots of Colorism). Standards like these were potentially carried over into the United States when slavery first started.  In addition, other factors initially played a role in how the complexion of your skin color determined how well you were treated and even if you were freed or not. “In early years of American slavery, African slaves in the Virginia and Carolina colonies could be released from bondage if they converted to Christianity, but after 1667 this loophole was eliminated and the legal status of Africans became tied to skin color…white skin came to be synonymous with freedom and black skin with slavery” (Norwood, 592). Blacks were put into a corner psychically to understand that if they were passed a certain tone that they should not expect good treatment. 

Blacks became at conflict with each other and began to form identities based off white peoples’ ideals. During and after the abolishment of slavery, lighter skinned blacks were told that they are better than their dark-skinned counterparts. “Dark-skinned blacks believed their light skinned brethren were not a part of their community…They were ostracized from the black community by their dark-skinned counterparts, as well as, in most cases, by themselves” (Pinkney, “Oppression”). Colored people began to question how related they really were to one other and challenged the fact that they were equals. They began to cluster together and confide in similar issues, creating an even bigger ripple within African Americans. The story The Wife of His Youth touches on this separated  mindset of mixed blood and light skinned blacks; “…but we people of mixed blood are ground between the upper and the nether millstone. Our fate lies between absorption by the white race and extinction in the black. The one doesn’t want us yet, but may take us in time. The other would welcome us, but it would be for us a backward step” (Chesnutt, 742). This issue is still seen today between blacks because of efforts to embrace our history and the culture that comes with it.

Currently, the modern take on colorism is more subtle than what it was over a century ago, but the generational opinions and upbringings keeps this barrier between us as African Americans. Some blacks feel that they may even have a better history or a different history all together from other African Americans. “Finally, racial angst is reflected in the heightened prominence of conflicts among nonwhite racial communities…They have become more tense, more provoking, and more confusing” (Yamamoto, “Interracial”). 

Colorism is a disease that has been carried through millions of families over the decades. The hope is to break these incorrect notions and rewrite history, one with a united African American race. One that acknowledges its hardships, light skinned or dark-skinned. One that loves all skin tones, no matter its origin. We must first learn the history in which this concept was rooted and next must take the steps to quash it. 

Mr. Ryder had enough compassion to acknowledge Liza Jane. Even though they had gone on separate paths and taken on different lives due to their situation, he did not let his newly found social capacity block Liza Jane from knowing the truth. We as African American’s must not make fault of one another for the injustices that occurred during and long after slavery. Colorism is one of many issues that America has dealt with, but it is not any less important. Being on the same page in terms of racial equality is extremely important in the long-term success of our country.