The Blacker the Berry the Sweeter the Juice
The Blacker the Berry the Sweeter the Juice
Jasmine Arbeary
Senior Project
Dr. Kimberly Johnson
December 4, 2013
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Abstract
This study was conducted to evaluate how we as people see ourselves and the feeling we
get when others view us. One question we have to ask ourselves is, “Are we truly happy living in
our skin?” I pose the research question: “Does Colorism cause low self-esteem in African
Americans?” I chose this topic and question because it is a major issue within our society and not
many people actually know what colorism deals with. They think that colorism and racism is the
exact same thing in which it is not. After doing numerous interviews, I found that we, as a black
community, limit ourselves due to the fact of our origins. The scope of this project includes
personal interviews, article reviews I have researched and read pertaining to Colorism, the Skin
Color Paradox and the American Racial Order, Critical Race Theory, and Gendered Racial
Identity of African Americans. The scope also includes an extensive overview of the many
voices of different authors comparing and contrasting their views and outtakes on Colorism in
our society today. I will compare and contrast the perspectives of the article reviews in which I
researched, and briefly state my perspective in the comparison and contrast as well. Using the
author’s methods will help me in my research and findings. The fact of knowing that people of
darker skin are discriminated against is just a mind blowing statement. Perceptions should be
measured by the heart, not by pigmentation. My methodology consists of quantitative research.
Interview questions were given to numerous prospects in the black community in order to gain
more knowledge and statistics on how the self-esteem of African Americans relates to their
behavior patterns. As for my findings, after comparing the interviews and the research of my
literature review, I noticed that more people have a problem with colorism growing up and get
over it as they get older. More findings is that after doing in depth interviews of individuals, only
2 out of 5 have an issue with being African American. The problem is that African Americans were
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being perpetuated during slavery and by the media which seems to suggest lighter skin females to
be of a higher stance than darker ones; also being perpetuated by rappers who often show more
lighter skinned women in videos and hardly any darker ones.
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Table of Contents
Chapter One: An Introduction to Colorism………………………………………….....4
Colorism Leading to Low Self-Esteem…………………………..……………………4
Overview of the Project………………………………………………………………..4
Statement of the Problem……………………………………………4
Research Question………………………………………………….5
Significance & Purpose…………………………………………....5
Scope & Limitations…………………………………………………6
Methodology & Organizational Pattern………………………………7
Chapter Two: Literature Review………………………………………………………10
Introduction to Colorism………………………………………………………10
Review of the Literature………………………………………………………10
Chapter Three: The Creative Project…………………………………………………11
The Narrative of Colorism………………………………………………………….14
Production Book/Creative “Deliverables”…………………………………………16
Chapter Four: Conclusion………………………………………………………………….17
Summary……………………………………………………………………….22
Findings…………………………………………………………………….22
Future Research………………………………………………………………23
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Chapter One:
An Introduction to Colorism
Type of Project: Research Paper/Video Documentary
Subject: “The Blacker the Berry the Sweeter the Juice”
Research Question: Does Colorism affect the self-esteem of African Americans?
Statement of the Problem
African Americans deal with the question of being black every day of their lives.
Traditionally speaking, colorism does not only affect younger adults, but older ones as well.
When we say “blacks” or “African Americans,” we forget to characterize them as a whole.
Instead, we characterize them as dark-skinned and light-skinned. I believe that darker African
Americans have to fight harder for what they want in life. Darker skinned individuals are less
likely to hold executive level positions in the government, or any other type of job. The
phenomenon of colorism is an old stereotype in a new generation. The problem with colorism is
that it lowers one’s self-esteem. When one is dealing with low self-esteem, nine times out of ten
it will lead to more negative and aggressive behavior. The idea of Colorism is basically how skin
tone is symbolized by physical attractiveness, and the goal is to overcome not being accepted by
others about the color of your skin, so it will not lead to low self-esteem or negative behavior.
Colorism is defined as the discrimination of African Americans by skin tone in their own
community, and is usually subconsciously done. For instance, colorism would be light-skinned
African Americans looking down on and discriminating against darker-skinned African
Americans. Colorism is just as harmful as racism perpetrated by whites on blacks.
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Research Question
My research question: “Does Colorism affect the self-esteem of African Americans?” is a
major issue within our society today. When someone has a problem with him/herself it causes
low self-esteem. It can lead to suicide or negative behavior. One can fall into a state of
depression. Colorism is a practice of discrimination by which those with lighter skin are treated
more favorably than those with darker skin in the African American community. Personally
speaking, African Americans have dealt with this issue longer than any other ethnicity; which is
why I am curious to examine the long-term effects of colorism.
Significance & Purpose
This project is significant because most scholars have done research on the topic, but
haven’t studied the issues pertaining to the topic thoroughly. My project will thoroughly discuss
the issues of Colorism and how it affects the self-esteem of African Americans, as well as how
individuals deal with it on a daily basis. My project is different because after researching
numerous journal articles, I noticed that the topic was rather broad and that Colorism and its
effect on self-esteem was generalized. Journal articles such as: “What’s so critical about critical
race theory,” “Gendered Racial Identity of Black Young Women,” “The Skin Color Paradox and
the American Racial Order,” and “The Critical Race Theories, Colorism, and the decade’s
Research on Families of Color,” all speak on colorism and its effect in whole, without having a
main case study. My project will consist of one main case study, India Ward, and the experiences
she has encountered with being discriminated against because of the color of her skin. My main
purpose in doing my project is to make people realize that this issue of colorism is very serious
and after showing statistics, realize that it could possibly have an effect on numerous individuals
in our society today. The major change I hope to make is that people will realize that no one is
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any different from the next person. God made us all equally the same. Just because our skin color
may be a shade darker or a shade lighter than the man next to us does not mean we are any better
than them, or any less than them. The purpose of my entire project is to open the minds up of
individuals who believe that Colorism is not a serious issue in the twenty-first century.
Scope & Limitations
In this project, I will examine colorism within the African American community, and
how it leads to low self-esteem. I find this issue relevant in society because many individuals
suffer from low self-esteem because they are not content with themselves in their own skin. I
will focus solely on critical race theory, the racial identity of blacks, how individuals view
themselves within our society, and how all of this leads to low self-esteem. Research from the
University of California Los Angeles’s School of Public Affairs and Critical Race Studies define
the Critical Race Theory as a theory that provides a critical analysis of race and racism from a
legal point of view. I will not discuss the topics of other races although they may suffer from
colorism as well. I will set up personal interviews with individuals and ask them the question,
“Has Colorism Personally Affected their Self Esteem”. Although my research question is a
universal topic, my research is limited to the African American community in Nashville,
Tennessee. I did 1 main case study on a former friend of mine, India Ward, and the experiences
she has encountered; she had been discriminated against because of the color of her skin. The
case study will focus mainly on her day to day life, and an interview of her past and the things
she had to deal with growing up, which lead to causing low self-esteem and negative behavior.
Methodology
Throughout my research paper, I will conduct quantitative research. Interview questions
will be given out to numerous prospects in the black community in order to gain more
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knowledge and statistics on how the self-esteem of African Americans relates to their behavior
patterns. Throughout my project, I will thoroughly discuss why the personal self-esteem of
African Americans is lower than that of White Americans. I will also use, “Critical Race
Theories, Colorism, and the Decade’s Research on Families of Color” to further explore the
concept of Colorism and how the impact of low self-esteem effects relationships with family,
friends, and significant others. Theoretically speaking, Colorism possesses a psychological effect
of skin color on the self-esteem of African Americans.
Moreover, I will conduct personal interviews with different individuals in the Nashville
area, asking them the question, “Does Colorism affect the self-esteem of African Americans”
and how it relates to their personal lives. So it will not be opinion based, these studies will also
acknowledge facts from research they have done on colorism. Finally, I will focus on the life
experiences of a student named India Ward, who has been discriminated against within her own
family because of the color of her skin. I will examine how colorism has affected her selfesteem, which led to behavioral problems as she got older.
Organizational Pattern
Chapter one will introduce my research question: “Does Colorism affect the self-esteem
of African Americans?” Secondly, I will elaborate on why colorism causes low self-esteem,the
reason I chose to do research on this topic, and its effect on the African American community in
Nashville. The main portion of the project will focus mainly on my case study, India Ward and
the experiences she has encountered while being discriminated against because of the color of
her skin.
Chapter two examines my research question: “Does Colorism affect the self-esteem of
African Americans”. The Huffington Post states how low self-esteem possibly leads to negative
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behavior. The fact that one has been teased or bullied about his or her skin color is what leads to
low self-esteem. Author, Jennifer L. Hochschild, a graduate of Harvard University states in her
article “The Skin Color Paradox and the American Racial Order,” ways on how to deal with low
self-esteem, and overcoming the negative force of Colorism. The Merriam Online Dictionary
defines Colorism as a practice of discrimination by which those with lighter skin are treated
more favorably than those with darker skin in the African American community
Chapter three will explain the creative project which is a video documentary, in a written
format. The documentary will dissect the causes of low self-esteem in African Americans. The
main case study will be on a young lady by the name of India Ward, and the experiences she has
encountered as an African American growing up. I will follow her day-to-day activities to get an
inside scoop of her life and how Colorism plays a part, how she had been passed around from
family member to family member, and how that led to negative behavior. Separate interviews
will also be of other people in order to find out if they struggle with similar issues. I will conduct
interviews of about 15 individuals, men and women, to see how many lives are actually affected
by low self-esteem. The interviews will be of random students throughout campus, friends,
professors, and black locals who live in the city of Nashville. They will be asked to give a
personal fact or statement about themselves and how they deal with colorism on a daily basis and
if it affects their life. The amount of students who deal with low self-esteem on a daily basis, and
the students who don’t deal with low self-esteem on a daily basis will be totaled in the end.
In chapter four, I will offer my opinion of the research question, “Does Colorism affect
the self-esteem of African Americans?” Based on my research will be an explanation on why I
think my research matters and further studies I will be doing. I will thoroughly critique and
analyze the findings and methods that other authors have used in their research to do my project.
The Blacker the Berry the Sweeter the Juice
Also in this chapter, I will take the comparisons and contrasts of the different authors and
compare their arguments to my own.
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Chapter Two:
Literature Review
Introduction to Research
The literature review portion of my project will basically just discuss different views on
colorism. Many quotes, statements, and justifications are made within the text. Authors state how
they feel in a factual sense, and then another author comes along and either agree or disagree.
Also in the literature review is comparisons and contrasts. Most importantly beginning the
literature is the definition of “Colorism”.
What the Authors have to Say
What is colorism? Does it cause low self-esteem in African Americans? Does it cause
individuals to act out with negative behavior? Colorism is defined as discrimination in which
human beings are accorded differing social treatment based on skin color. Anita Thomas, Jason
Hacker, and Denada Hoxha states, “Colorism in the black community is prevalent throughout the
world” (2011).
According to Elizabeth Freeman (2010), research has shown that colorism is linked to
smaller incomes, lower marriage rates, longer prison terms, fewer job prospects, and lower selfesteem. She also states that colorism is a persistent form of discrimination that should be fought
with the same urgency against racism (2010). Authors of “Gendered Racial Identity of Black
Young Women,” Anita Thomas, Jason Hacker, and Denada Hoxha (2011) strongly concur with
Elizabeth Freeman based on their study that sought to explore the salience and meaning of
gendered racial status, and developmental aspects of gendered racial identity of African
Americans. During their studies, participants indicated that race and gender simultaneously
influenced their perceptions of themselves. What emerged from Thomas, Hacker, and Hoxha’s
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research, was the importance of gendered racial identity status, which lies hand-in-hand with the
research of Elizabeth Freeman. Freeman basically says that people of darker skin are less likely
to move up the corporate ladder and less likely to hold important positions within a company,
rather lighter skinned people are first picks (2010). Therefore, darker skinned African Americans
are less likely to gain racial identity status.
Jennifer L. Hachschild, of Harvard University, and Vesla Weaver, of the University of
Virginia, (2007) both address the idea that of the twenty-two African Americans in Congress, all
are of mixed ethnicities with the exception of three individuals. A person of lighter skin is
overrepresented among elected political elites (2007). On page 643 of the journal article, “The
Skin Color Paradox and the American Racial Order” by Jennifer L. Hochschild, and Vesla
Weaver states that, “In our society, they look at minor details such as complexion and how
straight your hair is to determine your position in office. Skin color indicates a pattern of
significant secondary marginalization”(2007).
Elizabeth Freeman (2010) claims that when one can’t accept themselves as a person,
there is no way they can accept others. These individuals do things to draw attention to
themselves sometimes in order to be accepted by society due to low self-esteem. The way an
individual acts at an older age has a lot to do with the way they had been raised. The way one
feels about themselves has a lot to do with what they heard from others growing up. Racism is
not only of skin color, it can also be of different groups such as gays, and women in comparison
to men (2011).
The question, “Does Colorism affect the self-esteem of African Americans?” is a
universal issue in our society today. Also, the question, “How did colorism surface?” goes all
the way back to slavery days. In the book entitled, “Slavery in the United States,” by Robert
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Sutton, it states that slaveholders would give the lighter skinned slaves less tasks to do while
giving the darker skinned slaves the harder tasks (2013). Sometimes, the dark skinned slaves
would be put outside to work in the hot sun and rain, while the light skinned slaves would be
kept in the house to do housework. Author Gregory Adamo (2010), an Assistant Professor and
Coordinator of the Graduate Program of Communication Studies at Morgan State University in
Baltimore, Maryland states that African Americans to this day have to cope with the derogatory
barriers they’re put in; being victimized by stereotypes. For instance, African Americans in
television see their role as creators and how television offers them unprecedented insight, and
how the increased involvement of African Americans in the production of television images has
impacted the way television portrays the diversity of American life (2010). Arguing against this
matter is author Joseph Lelyveld (2001), a narrative journalist and editor of the book entitled
“How Race Is Lived in America,” shares his hopes, fears, and assumptions towards derogatory
barriers. Lelyveld focuses on the common and uncommon as well as common views of the
discourse on race and television. He thinks that there should be no means of coping with
derogatory barriers because that is nothing an individual should be accustomed to. He tries to
find a way that African Americans can avoid stereotypes, and clichés. Lelyveld states, “The
range of reality uncovered is extraordinary” (2001). This means that the number of individuals
out here living with the issue of being black and not happy with themselves outweigh the ones
who truly are.
As stated before, Colorism is defined as discrimination in which human beings are
judged based on their skin color. All authors addressed in the literature review had some type of
controversy with African Americans and the positions they held on their job. Colorism is a topic
that many journalist and authors come into disagreement about. . When the day comes where the
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uneasy relationships between minorities, which are African American’s and any individual of a
different race will relate to each other as equals, a goal will be accomplished.
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Documentary Narrative
The entire time I was working on my creative project ideas just would not be clear
enough for me to actually take action. I would begin to write the script and scratch everything
out. The process was very difficult but I made it through all of the pre-production, shooting, and
editing. I would have to say that the shooting was the easiest part, but working with so many
different personalities who didn’t have their lines ready was a drag.
Beginning this documentary the first thing I told myself was that I need a really good
story. I sat and thought for about a week and then remembered my line sister India Ward and her
telling me her testimony one day. I immediately contacted her and asked her if she would like to
be a part of my documentary and she agreed. I then began to write out interview questions to ask
her pertaining to colorism and how it leads to self-esteem issues. With these interview questions
it got really deep and personal. Next, I began to think about other individuals I needed as side
studies on the same topic. I found about 5 other individuals who were willing to share their
stories and testimonies as well. I did personal interviews with each study and they told me
examples of issues they had to deal with growing up, at school, with family members, or just
with themselves. One thing I realized while doing interviews was that guys are less likely to
open up about this touchy subject than girls are.
After shooting all interviews it was time to edit. The editing really went well and I didn’t
run into many complications. I actually ran out of time and didn’t get to do some things that I
would have liked to do but the video overall was well put together. I put my heart and soul into
this documentary on colorism to make it a reality. Interviews went well, shooting went well,
editing went well, and the overall documentary went well. This project taught me so much about
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life and the people around us. You never know when someone is dealing with colorism issues
because they can be beautiful on the outside but feeling horrible about themselves on the inside.
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Chapter Three:
The Narrative of Colorism
FI Mus Add SFX
FSPO
India:
Well hello everyone, my name is India Ward and I am a sophomore here at
Tennessee State University; and I was asked about Colorism. This subject really
hits home because before I moved here I lived in Kentucky due to the fact my
mom was in the military, so I always was moving from state to state. I went
through a lot of issues with being too dark. When I was younger a lot of the older
boys didn’t like me because of my skin tone. I would ask my mom what was it
about me; was it my hair?
Dissolve
Braun:
I grew up in a very diverse town. In my town there were rival sections. I never
met colorism or racism growing up. We had the largest organized chapter of the
KKK which I thought was odd because I thought that was a southern thing. I
didn’t meet colorism until I came to Tennessee State University; I began to
question and doubt myself on a lot of things internally. I fell into the light skin
dark skin complex where I was too light to hang with the black people, and too
dark to hang with the white people. Some people would be lenient but not many.
The Blacker the Berry the Sweeter the Juice
Leslie:
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Colorism is discrimination based off ones color. Growing up as a lighter skinned
African American in the black community has affected my life very much. People
think I am very stuck up because I am light skinned and just don’t want to talk to
anyone but I am nothing like that
TSU Panning Shot with VO
Leslie:
I also have to deal with colorism being a musician. People say all of the time, “Oh
because she is light skinned and can sing she thinks she is better than everybody
else”. No, I just let my talent speak for itself. Another thing I think people
misconstrue is they think darker skinned people are less intelligent than lighter
skinned people. A study was recently done where a child was given pictures of
different shades of faces and they had to choose which child was the smartest and
which was the dumbest. The child chose the darkest child as being the dumbest
and the lightest as being the smartest. The most ignorant statement I have ever
heard was that someone is better or less than someone else because of the color of
their skin. . It’s sad that things have to be that way. I think we all should just come
together because no man is greater than the next. Honestly, I have to work twice
as hard just to fit in with dark skin people because they automatically assume and
jump to conclusions about me being stuck up.
The Blacker the Berry the Sweeter the Juice
Braun:
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Growing up I also listened to punk rock and heavy metal. That’s when the black
children didn’t like me and when I would listen to rap and hip hop the white
children wouldn’t socialize with me. I had friends and acquaintances, but to this
day I only talk to about five people. After truly doing some soul searching I found
who I really was as a person, my likes and dislikes, and I am just truly happy with
myself.
FPO
F2Title
Diss 2 Vid
Tony:
I really have never been teased about my color. I’ve always been comfortable
with the skin that I am in.
F2Title
Diss 2 Vid
Tony:
Even when it comes to relationships I don’t try to pursue a relationship with a girl
because of the color of her skin. That obviously doesn’t mean anything. No one
should feel as if they should be lighter or darker because it doesn’t make that
much of a difference.
India:
I began experiencing colorism because of my grandmother. She would always tell
me I’m too dark an would never be pretty enough because of my skin
complexion; and my mom went through similar issues with my grandmother as
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well. Growing up I went through suicidal issues. I had to go through a lot of
counseling at a young age. I didn’t really know who I was.
India:
It was really hard because in high school was when the suicidal and depression
really started. I had to be put in the hospital; I didn’t like myself, I didn’t like
black people, I didn’t like being black, or anything of dark nature. I didn’t like my
hair; I had weave down to my butt. I felt like I had to meet tis standard to get
approval from other people. When your family is telling you that you are too dark
and then you’re hearing it from other people and guys made it really hard for me.
In high school I was very promiscuous. I was looking for love in all the wrong
places because I feel like no one liked me because I was too dark so wherever
acceptance was is where I went. Good and bad things came from it. That’s the
past; I’m over it now. Black and white is just a color. I didn’t like looking in the
mirror. I would try to scrub my skin thinking it would be lighter. But God worked
it out in the end.
Ashley:
I have been turned down because of my skin color. During the adolescent stage
you want a boyfriend and white men were not accepting to black women. When I
got to high school white guys did want to talk to me; they wanted me to “split the
oak” one good time; but that wasn’t happening.
Dissolve
Ashley:
There also was a time when I was younger and I wasn’t comfortable being
African American because I did go to a predominately white school. But I do
thank God for who I am, and all of the trials and tribulations that I’ve been
through. It helped me understand being a black woman in a white man’s world.
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Leslie:
My black is beautiful no matter what my skin tone is.
Braun:
Something that has led up to colorism is the names we have been called from past
decades till now. We began as slaves, then eventually led to Negro’s, Coloreds,
Niggas, Blacks, and now African Americans. Embracing the beautiful caramel
skin I am in, I joined an organization entitled, Het-Heru Sorority Incorporated
which is African Central. This organization teaches you about your origins and
make you feel comfortable in your own skin.
Leslie:
We have to make a difference. We have to make a change. But first that change
has to be in the black community.
India:
Honestly at this point and stage I wouldn’t change anything about myself. There
is some things I don’t like but God made me this way for a reason. I love growing
stages. I need to be bolder about myself. If I want to wear a tacky outfit then
that’s what I’m going to do. I just need to know who I am and have more
confidence in myself.
Jerran Guthry:
I love the skin I’m in…I love being black!
Ashley Banks:
I love being black!
Tony:
I love being black!
Leslie:
I love being black!
The Blacker the Berry the Sweeter the Juice
Braun:
I love being black!
Chris:
I love being black!
India Ward: I don’t know about you but I love being black!
FSPO
F Mus In
Fade 2 Blk
22
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Chapter Four:
The Conclusion
Summary
My project sought to answer the research question: “Does colors lower the self-esteem of
African Americans?” I did research and interviews of individuals in the Nashville area to answer
the questions I had. My review is evidence of what the scholars had to say about Colorism. All of
my research led up to each part of my project. Chapter three of my project which focuses on the
creative portion answers my research question effectively. My project is composed of interviews
of different students on campus that is involved in athletics, Greek organizations, and student
government association.
Findings
After comparing the interviews and the research of my literature review, I noticed that
more people have a problem with colorism growing up and get over it as they get older. I also
realized that guys have more of an issue with opening up than girls do. During my interview with
my case study, India Ward, I learned that as she was growing up she went through a state of
depression and ended up in the hospital at a very young age after almost committing suicide.
Her grandparents would not accept her because of the color of her skin. Struggling with these
issues as a child, to her adulthood has really caused an impact on her life. It has also caused her
to have low self-esteem and act out of character with negative behavior. In high school India was
very promiscuous when it came to guys because wherever love was offered she would go to
seek. 2 out of 5 of my studies proved to have issues dealing with colorism.
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Ultimately, the future of Colorism relies mainly on individuals themselves. The way you
see yourself is all that actually matters. Residents of the Nashville community really dealt with
the issues of colorism, but has grown to overcome certain challenges.
In my creative project portion, I also conducted two studies of children at a daycare. The
children were given a picture with different shades of African Americans on it, and was asked to
pick out the smart person and to pick out the dumb person. Next, they were asked to make a
choice between the different shades of individuals and to say which one is prettier and which one
is ugly.
Future Research
Future research would be very interesting with this topic. I would like to explore outside
of just causing low self-esteem. I would like to explore the topics of colorism in different areas
of the country just to see if it affects people differently depending on where they are physically
located. I will also explore the topic of colorism in the media alone. Furthermore, I think this
topic needs to be broadened to examine its impact on other ethnicities outside of the African
American race. I would like to engage in future research on colorism and Caucasians, and how
they deal with it, to determine whether or not it effects Caucasians in a different manner.
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References
Adamo, G. (2010). African americans in television. (pp. 132-164). New York, NY: Peter Lang
Publishing.
Burton, L. M., Bonilla-Silva, E., Ray, V., Buckelew, R., & Freeman, E. (2010). Critical Race
Theories, Colorism, and the Decade's Research on Families of Color. Journal Of
Marriage & Family, 72(3), 440-459.
Hochschild, J. L., & Weaver, V. (2007). The Skin Color Paradox and the American Racial
Order. Social Forces, 86(2), 643-670.
Lelyveld, J. (2001). How race is lived in America. (pp. 45-86.). Markham, Ontario: Henry Holt
and Company
Taylor, C. (2000, July 27). Untreated racism/colorism defined as mental illness. New York
Amsterdam News. p. 12.
Thomas, A., Hacker, J., & Hoxha, D. (2011). Gendered Racial Identity of Black Young Women.
Sex Roles, 64(7/8), 530-542.
Treviño, A., Harris, M. A., & Wallace, D. (2008). What's so critical about critical race theory?.
Contemporary Justice Review, 11(1), 7-10