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Vaineglory
First Time Poster
Username: Vaineglory
Post Number: 1
Registered: 11-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 11, 2005 - 07:50 pm: | 
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First Post!
Hi, I've been doing some research on colorism/intra-racism (I'm not entirely sure what the proper term is) and I stumbled across this board.
To make a long story short, I'm a college student who has to present a speech on this subject for my African-American Literature class, so I wanted to get some first hand opinions on the subject.
I'm aware of the origins of colorism, and I'm aware of some the ways in which it still occurs to this day, such as under-representation of darker african americans, especially women, in the media.
However, I would like to know some of the reasons why their seems to be an underlying resentment between darker african-americans and their lighter counterparts, especially those of mixed race.
Also, this question is a bit more...esoteric, or vague might be a better word. Why does colorism favor those with lighter skin? Is it because they are closer to white, or is there some other underlying reason?
Anyways, I'm aware that this is a very sensitive subject, but I'd really appreciate any help/insight that anyone could give me.
Thanks! |
Yukio
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Yukio
Post Number: 974
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 11, 2005 - 09:55 pm: |
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Literary Source material: Nella Larsen, Passing; Toni Morrison, the Bluest Eye; Wallace Thurman, The Blacker the Berry.
Here is an academic source:
Ronald E. Hall, An empirical analysis of the impact of skin color on African American education, income, and occupation.
There is much literary scholarship on the color issue...good luck with your paper.
I have a bit of a commentary: Colorism is an issue among black folk because they live in a white supremacist and antiblack world, country, etc....Cultural racism, via images and knowledge, has been as detrimental to black people as economic, social, and political racism.
Your professor should have told you this...or have you not been listening? If it is the former, the professor needs to be fired and if the latter, you must not be negligent....read, read, and read more!
At any rate, in a very basic way, lighter complexion people often have more power. I say often...that means not always. A good essay makes both general and specific points. So becareful not to generalize too much! |
Vaineglory
Newbie Poster
Username: Vaineglory
Post Number: 2
Registered: 11-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 11, 2005 - 10:47 pm: |
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Thanks a lot for your help, Yukio.
Actually, we haven't gone too indepth into the subject in class, we read Wallace Thurmans "The Blacker The Berry" though, and I got quite a bit of insight from that, and we're fixing to read "The Bluest Eye"---we'll probably cover it more after we read that. 
But once again, thanks. :-D
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Nels
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Nels
Post Number: 157
Registered: 07-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, November 12, 2005 - 03:24 am: |
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Been down this path before.
While the darker half bitches, the lighter half enriches.
Colorism? It ain't goin' away. |
Tonya
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Tonya
Post Number: 856
Registered: 07-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, November 12, 2005 - 03:29 pm: |
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Vaineglory,
Marita Golden's book: "Don't Play In The Sun" is THE BIBBLE when it comes to colorism. It's not that long, therefore, it takes a short time to read; but, at the same time, it contains loads of information that's priceless! Also, the woman who runs "The Kool Room" (Kola Boof) has written several books that deals with the subject: "Flesh And The Devil", "Long Train To Redeeming Sin" & "Nile River Woman" to name a few. Another thing, since you're here, you should check out some of the archives; within it, Kola Boof speaks thoroughly and very candidly about colorism, white supremecy, Who benefits & why, everything you said you're looking for, with a lot of insight and fairly raw details.
Tonya |
Roxie
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Roxie
Post Number: 309
Registered: 06-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, November 13, 2005 - 11:21 am: |
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---Colorism? It ain't goin' away.---
It's easy to accept that philosophy when it DOESN'T EFFECT YOU PERSONALLY. |
Tonya
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Tonya
Post Number: 863
Registered: 07-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, November 13, 2005 - 02:11 pm: |
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Aint that the truth, Roxie.
And did I spell bible wrong? That's it -- I know I'm going to hell now! (lol).
Or, maybe if I write: "I know I'm going to hail now!" that will even things out.... Hey, it's worth the try!
Tonya |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 2992
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, November 13, 2005 - 02:57 pm: |
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And it should be "affect" not "effect." "Affect" is a verb and "effect" is a noun. Or is what Nels said a philosophy. It's an observation based on an existing situation. Enough nit-piking. Gotta focus solely on watching the Bear's game. Man! Did they just make a spectacular play! See ya. |
Tonya
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Tonya
Post Number: 866
Registered: 07-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, November 13, 2005 - 07:21 pm: |
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I thought "effect" was a verb and a noun. Are you sure, Cynnique? |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 2997
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, November 13, 2005 - 11:39 pm: |
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"Effect" can be a transitive verb, which means it can't stand alone as a verb. |
Yukio
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Yukio
Post Number: 991
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, November 14, 2005 - 12:10 am: |
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Main Entry: 2effect
Function: transitive verb
1 : to cause to come into being
2 a : to bring about often by surmounting obstacles : ACCOMPLISH <effect> b : to put into operation <the>
synonym see PERFORM
usage The confusion of the verbs affect and effect is not only quite common but has a long history. Effect was used in place of 3affect as early as 1494 and in place of 2affect as early as 1652. If you think you want to use the verb effect but are not certain, check the definitions in this dictionary. The noun affect is sometimes mistakenly used for effect. Except when your topic is psychology, you will seldom need the noun affect.
Main Entry: 1ef·fect
Pronunciation: i-'fekt, e-, E-
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, from Latin effectus, from efficere to bring about, from ex- + facere to make, do -- more at DO
1 a : PURPORT, INTENT b : basic meaning : ESSENCE
2 : something that inevitably follows an antecedent (as a cause or agent)
3 : an outward sign : APPEARANCE
4 : ACCOMPLISHMENT, FULFILLMENT
5 : power to bring about a result : INFLUENCE <the>
6 plural : movable property : GOODS <personal>
7 a : a distinctive impression <the> b : the creation of a desired impression <her> c (1) : something designed to produce a distinctive or desired impression -- usually used in plural (2) plural : SPECIAL EFFECTS
8 : the quality or state of being operative : OPERATION <the>
- in effect : in substance : VIRTUALLY <the>
- to the effect : with the meaning <issued> |
Roxie
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Roxie
Post Number: 322
Registered: 06-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 15, 2005 - 06:25 am: |
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Cynnique,
Is that all you can get me on? a single misspelling? I'm not writing an Essay here.
How low a denominator are you willing to go?
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Yukio:
(in response to that pasted webster's entry)
Good lord man. You've already proven yourself as a bright and intelligent man.
You don't have to do this, you know.
(And I though *I* had low self -esteem ) |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 3004
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 15, 2005 - 09:24 am: |
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No, there's a lot more to get you on; for starters, I didn't say you misspelled the word "effect", I said you misused it. |
Roxie
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Roxie
Post Number: 326
Registered: 06-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 15, 2005 - 09:56 am: |
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Why do you assume that I intended to type "effect" when I just simply misspelled "affect"? It happens when someone types almost-identically spelled words.
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Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 3006
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 15, 2005 - 11:12 am: |
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Well, you're a great one for correcting yourself. Why didn't you correct the error the way that Tonya corrected her misspelling of the word "bible" in this same post??? And while you're defending yourself, justify your use of the word "mutilate" in your "essay" about colorism. LOL |
Afroamerican
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Afroamerican
Post Number: 97
Registered: 08-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 15, 2005 - 12:02 pm: |
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This is one of the things that bugs me about Afro-American history!
We never are able to find the POSITIVE stuff about our people:
Its always something about "slaverY" or "Lychnings" or "colorism". We NEVER, ever ever learn about all the inventions we have made, the various music genres we have created nor our cultures PRIOR TO HIP HOP!
I'm tired of hearing about the bad... |
Roxie
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Roxie
Post Number: 330
Registered: 06-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 15, 2005 - 07:58 pm: |
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Completely agree AfroAmerican! |
Yukio
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Yukio
Post Number: 997
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 15, 2005 - 11:01 pm: |
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Roxie: I'm not sure what you mean.
I have always, more recently actually, tried to be conscious of word choice. In that regard, I can appreciate Cynique's nik-picking, as you know elder Cynique, if I remember correctly, is an ex-journalist. I often have to check The Elements Of Style for confusing words, such as affect/effect, compose/comprise and finally like/as...
cheers |
Roxie
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Roxie
Post Number: 336
Registered: 06-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 18, 2005 - 06:38 am: |
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--Roxie: I'm not sure what you mean.--
I'll guess you'll have to figure that out on your own.
Yes I had a grandmother (former MS teacher) who used to nitpick on my spelling too. That's why I bat all "A"'s in English. But now I save the concetration on grammar and spelling for my schoolwork, personal projects, bills, and other serious handwritten/typed reports. To me, Message boards are like casual talk that you have to read so minor mispellings here and there are not a huge concern to me. Just as long as the message is understandible and legible. |
Yukio
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Yukio
Post Number: 1000
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 18, 2005 - 04:06 pm: |
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well, if i have to figure it out on my own...then it wont happen. I'm not a mindreader, mind you!
Farewell! |
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