With Black History Month coming to an end, many are reflecting upon the accomplishments and struggles of the African-American community. Throughout history, it is safe to say that African-Americans have overcome adversity. From slavery to segregation to the civil rights movement, African-Americans have struggled and prevailed over the hostilities that were thrown at us simply because of our skin color.
We have survived brutal beatings, unlawful arrests, and unfair deaths to achieve equality. One would think that such an intense 150-year-old struggle would bring us together. Unfortunately, that is not the case.
Despite the fact that an African-American has been elected president and racism has substantially decreased, racism within the African-American community has grown. Within our race, people are looked down upon on the basis of class, education—and ironically—skin tone.
Even in the African-American community, those with lighter skin are deemed “better” than those with darker skin. Fair skinned African-Americans are commonly thought to be prettier, smarter, and overall more worthy than darker skinned African-Americans. The media holds lighter African-American women such as Beyonce, Halle Berry, and Alicia Keys on a pedestal, while darker-skinned celebrity women such as Lisa Leslie are given less attention.
The intra-racism phenomenon began during slavery. While dark skinned, “nappy-headed” slaves worked in the fields, fairer African-Americans were entrusted with maintaining the household. Not only did this produce self-hatred that is evident among African-Americans and blacks all over the world, it also created a jealousy for lighter skinned African Americans.
The desire to be lighter is so strong that there are bleaching products promising dark skinned women fairer and “more beautiful” skin, which cause African-American women to spend thousands of dollars trying to satisfy an insatiable hunger to look lighter.
In a way, black has always been a negative symbol in society. We wear black at funerals, but white at weddings. Black represents what is vile and dirty, whereas white symbolizes purity and innocence. Instead of seeing her own beauty, an African-American Hoover student even said that she feels her dark skin is “a punishment and a disgrace.” These sorts of feelings are not only remnants of pain, but feelings of inadequacy as well.
However, the “brown bagging” goes much deeper than skin color. During segregation, the general opinion was that those darker than a brown lunch bag were too black, so they were restricted from certain public areas such as restaurants. Today, many hold the notion that being black entails “acting black.” Therefore, if one dares listen to anything that is not rap or speaks a certain way, sometimes that person is accused of “acting white.” Ironically, the same people who would prefer to be on the lighter-skinned end of the spectrum have the audacity to criticize others for not acting “black enough,” forgetting that at the end of the day, our race does not define us—our actions do.
So the question I pose to all communities is this: If we cannot treat ourselves equally, what entitles us to get angry when others discriminate against us? The fact that we victimize each other eclipses all forms of racism.
Abraham Lincoln once said “a house divided against itself cannot stand.” We need to accept each other regardless of the way we act, talk, or the amount of melanin in our skin. It is up to us whether we empower each other and take pride in our rich culture or continue judging and classifying ourselves until we begin to question our worth and our race fades into the background.
February is Black History Month. It is the celebration of the African-American culture. But, celebrating our unique heritage should not be limited to one month out of the year. It should be commemorated everyday, and it begins by accepting all shades and personalities of black.
