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Essay On My African American Women

1007 Words5 Pages

My African-American Women and Colorism

Black women have been ridiculed physically, and spiritually for centuries. Looked upon as non-human, we were the ultimate targets of mental and sexual abuse, public discrimination, and emotional cruelty. These generations of abuse, and hurt have a great impact and has affected us as individuals, families, and our communities. The movie Dark Girls gave me an opportunity to take a complex aspect on the effects of colorism, the self-perception of Black women personally and as a group. How it mainly relates to how we perceive complexion, the history, family, and how it affects us globally. Colorism is one expression of assumed racism. In the US, colorism has origins in early European culture. The enslavement …show more content…

Black is not always black. Indirect differences in skin tone render into substantial variances in outcomes. Studies on more than 3500 households interviewed during the 1860 census displayed severe variances in riches between white, mulatto, and black households in the metropolitan South. Whereas White women were romanticized as all things righteous and fragile, Black women were cast as basic, immodest, seductive, forceful, unwomanly and filthy. The color caste system was secured through numerous laws. One law in Virginia stated that mixed children born to slave women would share the legal status of their mother. Therefore, the children that the slave owner had with an enslaved woman were viewed as slaves. The divisions formed during enslavement led to separations based on differences in skin color, hair texture and physical appearance amongst black women. These early laws essentially influenced …show more content…

Teaching Black history; history that consist of the enslavement period of America. This can shape a logic of ethnic distinctiveness and self-perception however, a tough identity may not be enough to ease the risks of colorism. Other things need to also be in place including; teaching critical thinking skills to evaluate the common messages and examples of discrimination associated with colorism. Another beneficial ethnic tool is cultural armoring, the role of community armoring through the influence of mother roles in the socialization progression of African American girls. Mother and sister roles can be vital vehicles for partaking in serious lessons about opposing oppression with the younger generation. Having done their own judgement about colorism, and sexism they can suggest guidance and shield to Black girls unprepared to deal with the destructive messages circulated about African American womanhood. If such resources do not exist, then it’s our job to create them. The will to do so is there; the next door neighbor, the college student home for the summer, the community establishments, the local libraries, the parks and recreation centers, the churches, and the national Black organizations are starting places. Assistance and understanding are essential parts of our human survival. In other words, we need our

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