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Colorism is a form of discrimination where human beings are accorded differing social and/or economic status and treatment based on skin color. Colorism can be found across the world. The term generally is applied to non-white peoples who discriminate against members of their own ethnic group.

With colorism, usually lighter skin tones are preferred and darker skin is considered less desirable although it is possible for the opposite to also be true. An example of this phenomenon in the United States occurs in African-American communities, where it is often called color consciousness. In the U.S., the phenomenon also occurs in other populations, such as among Chicanos and other Latinos and Indian immigrants.

Also labelled as colorism, but rarely discussed, is the phenomenon of darker skinned people discriminating against lighter tones within the same ethnic group. This most often occurs in African-American communities. It seems to stem from residual anger from perceived historical discrimination against those with darker skin tones by those with lighter skin, who were often favored by white people dating back to slavery. While colorism still exist in the U.S. it has greatly diminished since the black power movements.

Contents 1 African-Americans 2 The "Blue Vein Society" 3 Colorism outside the United States 4 Colorism in Brazil 5 Colorism in Indian societies 5.1 Colorism in Anglo-Indian societies 5.2 Colorism in Bengali societies 5.3 Colorism in Indian societies today 6 See also 7 References 8 Books about colorism 9 External links

The "brown paper bag test" was a ritual once practiced by certain African-American and Creole fraternities and sororities who discriminated against people who were "too dark." That is, these groups would not let anyone into the sorority or fraternity whose skin tone was darker than a paper lunch bag so as to maintain Mulatto and Creole cultural standards.Spike Lee's film School Daze satirizes this practice.

While stated less explicitly, Colorism can be seen in instances on the NBC drama Homicide: Life on the Street.^[1] On the show, a main character Baltimore Police Lieutenant Al Giardello, a darker skinned African American officer is discrimated against by his lighter skinned African American superior officers Deputy Commissioner of Operations James C. Harris and Colonel George Barnfather. Additionally, Giardello is discriminated against by African American women as his appearance is "too black".^[2]

In Black Magazines such as Essence and Ebony, colorism still exists in some form. Light-skinned models are generally prefered over darker-skinned models. The same occurs within many musical videos today.

This section does not cite any references or sources. Please improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (December 2007)

Following the Emancipation, mulatto societies such as as "The Blue Vein Society" came into prominence. Its members were often well-connected free-born or freed individuals of mixed African, European, and occasionally of Native American blood. To be eligible for membership, one's skin color had to be pale enough that the "blue veins" on the underside of the arm were visible. Such restrictive organizations allowed its members and their offspring to meet, co-mingle and marry, thereby preserving what small privilege the mulatto elite had enjoyed before all slaves were set free. Uneducated, or economically disadvantaged mixed race individuals, even those whose skin color was technically light enough to qualify them for admission, were still rarely welcomed.

The original "Blue Veins" were said to have been organized in New England. Their primary objective was to establish and maintain "correct" social standards amongst a people whose social condition, by virtue of their white bloodlines and powerful family connections.

This section does not cite any references or sources. Please improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (September 2007)

Colorism also occurs in many eastern cultures where fair people are considered to be more superior, affluent, and powerful then those of a darker skin tone. In some Latin American countries such as Brazil, "race" is often more a matter of skin tone and social status than actual ancestry.

Colorism can be identified as a direct consequence of the social stratification of colonial societies, especially the ones affected by slavery. The phenomenon can be identified in the Americas from United States to Caribbean countries to South America.

In the French West Indies, new born children can be deemed as "sauvé" (saved) when their skin tone is light enough to represent a chance at better social status.

The same patterns that discriminate dark skin are also applied to other physical features that are directly linked to African heritage: hair, face features, etc.

Brazil has the second largest population of African descendents in the world. This large number was a result of the African Slave trade. In Brazil, skin color plays a large role in differences among the races. Social status and privileges are related to skin color. Individuals with lighter skin and who are racially mixed face higher rates of social mobility ^[3].

Like in the United States, there are a disproportionate number of white elites than those of African descent. The Brazilian society is set up to have white elites continually stay in power. Individuals with darker skin have higher mortality, poorer health, higher rates of physical disease and mental health problems. There are large health, education and income disparities between the races in Brazil ^[4].

Since the early stages of interaction between Europeans and Indians, colorism has been an issue for Indian cultures. Historical Indian caste differences as well as a long history of invasion and colonization may play a part in this prejudice. Individuals of these societies began to see “white” as what is beautiful. In Anglo-Indian cultures, skin color serves as a signal of status. Those individuals who Individuals with fairer skin color tend to have larger opportunities than those with “dark skin.” Anglo-Indians with more “European” often face social mobility and live in European statuses. These individuals gain advantages in education and in employment. Fairer skill Anglo-Indians are socially and economically advantaged due to their appearance. Being dark skinned, black or “colored” constitutes a disadvantage in society for Indian men and women ^[5].

In Bengali Societies, colorism affects perceptions of women. Men evaluate a woman’s beauty based off the color of their skin instead of their inner qualities. The Bengali gods Kali and Krishna show the negative connotations associated with dark skin in the Bengali culture. When a woman, has darker skin, she makes a negative impression upon society. Black skin on women signifies ugliness and she receives a negative response within society. When a woman has whiter and fairer skin, she receives a different impression in Bengali society. White skin signifies beauty, purity, happiness and cleanliness. Women with whiter skin tend be more privileged than those women with darker skin. Despite the impressions of women’s skin color, skin color for men doesn’t have any significance in their roles in Bengali society ^[6].

In the Indian Sub-continent, light skin is deemed more beautiful, in both men and women. Indian actors and actress almost always have milky white skin, or use lots of makeup to made to look lighter. Actress Bipasha Basu who has darker skin than most other Indian actresses, has been made to look lighter through makeup and her pictures are airbrushed for the same purpose. Indians have many skin colors, ranging from white to black and everything in between. Many Indians think it's natural to consider light skin to be more beautiful than dark skin. Evidence of this comes from beauty products used help women achieve fairer skin. The product “Fair and Lovely” by Lever Brothers was created to help brighten darker skin. This facial cream is one of the best selling facial creams in the world. This cream shows the importance of fairer skins in Indian societies ^[6].

• Blackness
• Black is Beautiful
• Colonial mentality
• Skin whitening
• Human skin color
• Nordicism
• Paper bag party
• Pigmentocracy
• One-drop rule
• Race
• Racialism
• Racism
• Social interpretations of race
• Whiteness

• The Color Complex by Kathy Russell & Midge Wilson (ISBN 0-385-47161-0)
• Don't Play In the Sun by Marita Golden (ISBN 0-385-50786-0)
• The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison (ISBN 0-452-28219-5)
  
• Flesh and the Devil by Kola Boof (ISBN 0-9712019-7-8)
  
• The Blacker the Berry by Wallace Thurman (ISBN 0-684-81580-X)
• Caucasia by Danzy Senna
• Is Lighter Better?: Skin-Tone Discrimination Among Asian AmericansJoanne L. Rondilla Paul R Spickard ISBN 0742554945

• Dealing with Colourism: A Step Towards the African Revolution
• THE PAPER BAG TEST, an editorial by Bill Maxwell about blacks discriminating against blacks, St. Petersburg Times, August 31, 2003, discusses the history of the test.
• AUTHENTIC BLACKNESS...Magazine article inwhich Nigerian Scholar Chinweizu and Sudanese novelist Kola Boof document the African viewpoint of what is a "black" person and analyze colorism's effects on that criteria.
• Black African Focus
• Mascaro, Thomas A. (2004-03-22). "Homicide: Life on the Street: progress in portrayals of African American men". Journal of Popular Film and Television. ISSN 0195-6051. OCLC 4652347. 
• "The Face of Colorism (Black is beautiful....only if you're light-skinned)"
• http://students.ou.edu/M/Craig.A.Marroquin-1/colorism.html
• Origin of Rainbows: Colorism Exposed Documentary (http://www.colorismexposed.com)
• http://abcnews.go.com/2020/GiveMeABreak/Story?id=548303&page=1
• "Light, Bright, Damn near White" documentary film