FOR A DARK-SKINNED GIRL: A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS ON THE HISTORY OF COLORISM IN AMERICA FROM 1950 TO 1990
Abstract
For this study, I explored the trajectory of colorism from 1950 to 1990 through literature, film, poetry, and scholarly sources. I tracked the changes in the discussion and demonstrated repositioning of the narrative after the Black Power Movement from bias solely against darker skinned black women to include discrimination against lighter skinned black women. My findings suggest that colorism has been viewed predominantly as a dark-skinned women’s issue. Efforts to design an individualized approach towards color bias against lighter skinned black women and darker skinned black women, would be instrumental in capturing the challenges faced and reducing the separation associated with skin tone bias.
This paper has been withdrawn.