80.7 F
Charlotte Amalie
Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeNewsArchivesThe Bookworm Takes an Updated Look at 'Colorism'

The Bookworm Takes an Updated Look at 'Colorism'

“The Color Complex: The Politics of Skin Color in a New Millennium” by Kathy Russell-Cole, Midge Wilson and Ronald E. Hall
c.1992, 2013, Anchor $16.00 Canada 288 pages

The more things change, the more they remain the same. In the last two decades, America has seen a revolution when it comes to issues of race. The generation that was born and has grown up in that time is “much more racially diverse than any other before it…” acknowledge the authors of the newly updated book, “The Color Complex.” Kathy Russel-Cole, Midge Wilson and Ronald E. Hall demonstrate how much “colorism” still matters.

There’s been a lot of change, but “colorism” – a word referring to prejudices surrounding skin-color differences, particularly within the African-American community – remains. What’s worse, the authors argue it has infiltrated popular culture with a subtler, seemingly nastier, effect on its victims.

They write that “skin color has maintained an intimate relationship with class” since “the earliest times,” saying the issue of colorism has its American roots in the early 1500s when “mulatto” offspring of white men and black women gained power through education and social bridging between black and white populations. Preference was later shown for lighter-skinned individuals as “house slaves,” who largely disparaged darker-skinned field workers.

Several decades after discrimination based on color was made illegal, colorism still exists today. Some blame it on music videos and black songwriters. Others accuse fashion and movies. The authors here also point at politics and world policy; yet they say that there are things you can do to “lessen colorism’s pernicious effects.”

Contact television networks if you notice a lack of black journalists or actors. Let editors know that you won’t purchase their magazines until they stop Photoshopping pictures of models of color. Use the power of social media to further your cause, state your opinions and gather support.

These days, it seems that we like to pretend we live in an enlightened world that’s on its way to being “colorblind.” We have a black president, after all. Some think we’ve gotten past skin color, but reading “The Color Complex” shows otherwise.

With great dismay and a surprising amount of quietly cynical humor, the authors reexamine the divisiveness of colorism today, in contrast to what it was two decades ago.

New, eye-opening research and fresh information show readers that, although there are gains in some areas, colorism is far from a dead issue; in fact, with the rise of globalism, it’s actually spread.

This is a fascinating, albeit quite uncomfortable, book that I recommend for audiences both black and white. Newly updated, “The Color Complex” deserves a whole new look.
__
The Bookworm is Terri Schlichenmeyer. Terri has been reading since she was 3 years old and never goes anywhere without a book. She lives on a hill in Wisconsin with two dogs and 12,000 books. Her self-syndicated book reviews appear in more than 260 newspapers.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Keeping our community informed is our top priority.
If you have a news tip to share, please call or text us at 340-228-8784.

Support local + independent journalism in the U.S. Virgin Islands

Unlike many news organizations, we haven't put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as accessible as we can. Our independent journalism costs time, money and hard work to keep you informed, but we do it because we believe that it matters. We know that informed communities are empowered ones. If you appreciate our reporting and want to help make our future more secure, please consider donating.

UPCOMING EVENTS