The Effect Of Racial Segregation On Children

204 Words1 Pages
In the 1940s, psychologists Kenneth and Mamie Clark, performed an experiment using four dolls, identical except for color, to test children’s racial perceptions. The majority of the children chose the white doll, because it was prettier. Segregation had a horrible effect on black children’s self-esteem. The children didn’t want to be black, because being black was considered bad. African American’s were not given the opportunity to achieve an adequate education, only the necessities. The Clark doll experiment evaluates and proves that the children were condition throughout their life to believe that they were not important and that it is better to be white. As I was reading the material, I became curious and wanted to know more about the subject.