Colorism Corner

Skin color discrimination, also known as colorism, is the differential treatment of individuals based upon the relative lightness or darkness of their skin. For example, a person with light brown skin (like Beyonce’s) may be viewed differently from someone whose skin is darker brown (like Serena Williams). Colorism generally favors those with lighter skin tones, and it can negatively affect a person’s self-perception as well as their social, economic, and other life opportunities. Colorism is a worldwide phenomenon and has garnered increasing attention as discriminatory practices have focused on differences within members of a racial groups, which is known as intra-group preferencing or intra-group screening. This site includes resources on colorism and, in coming months, will include interviews with key scholars about their work in this area. Check back soon for updates.