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Colorism: Light Skin vs. Dark Skin

Since the days of slavery in America light skin African-Americans have always been treated as smarter and given more privileges in society compared to their darker skinned brothers and sisters.  This "colorism" occurs, not only by white people, but it even occurs in groups of African-Americans! 

This may not always be the case if you are highly talented but, for example, if you are applying for regular jobs or regular parts in movies or music videos, the lighter skin African-Americans are typically cast in the more upscale, smarter more business-like roles while the darker skin people will likely be cast more as the not-so-pretty not-so-smart types or even as criminal-types!

In music videos the dark skinned women typically get cast as the "booty bouncing" dancers while the light skin women are typically the ones put up on a pedestal, so to speak, and more sought after by the males in the music video.  When questioned about "colorism" African-Americans freely admit that it exists even in their own peer groups.

SUPPLEMENTAL SOURCE:  ABC-TV 20/20  3/4/05

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