In general, there is this idea  that some black people have…….. that there is actually something wrong/negative with having dark skin (see Mental|Black|Bondage), which is all together unintelligent considering that dark skin is the ultimate “blackness”; it is the foundation, root, and therefore life source of all the different array of colors seen in the black tree (race) . See (Skin Deep|REALLY Deep) 

Common Ideas:

• Light skin is more attractive than dark skin

The key word here is skin, determining someone’s beauty solely based on the color of their skin ….obviously, there’s a little more than just “preference” at play.

- Many blacks resort to skin bleaching for lighter skin

 -I have personally heard and know of blacks who have children by  white, mixed, or very light skin guys/women to increase the probability of having a light skinned baby .

-I have personally heard and know of blacks who would not have a child with a dark skin man/woman for fear of  having a dark skin baby

Comments often directed to attractive dark skin black people:

“She/he is pretty/attractive to be dark skin”| “She/he is pretty/attractive to be a black girl/guy”

Comments often directed to attractive/unattractive light skin black people:

 In America “Red-Bone” is a name given to light skin blacks– like something different from being black all together. In Jamaica they are called ”Brownin” .

Dark skin slurs:

“Blackie”|“Tar baby”|”Tar”|“African” |”Skillet“|” Shadow” (All referring to dark skin tone)

“African” is used in complete ignorance with the mindset that all Africans have very dark skin.

Light skin slurs:

“High yellow”|“House nigger”|“Conceited” (All referring to light skin tone)

”House nigger” is in a historical context when the lighter skinned black slaves were allowed to work in the house with the white slave owners, while darker skin slaves were forced to work outside in fields.

• Dark skin people should not wear bright colors like (cloths, makeup, etc): Yellow, orange, red, lime green etc.

                       (Oluchi)

In truth, however, when darker skin people wear brighter colors, it makes their skin tones more appealing, as it brings out and complements their skin tone. Try colors like turquoise, peach, soft yellows, bright yellows.  It’s really a plus for anyone to wear color, but a double plus for people of darker hue because it makes your skin more noticeable.

• Speak “properly” around whites /Speak “ebonics/street” around other blacks

This is a classic, some people have their “white cent” and their “black cent” and they use them when around either white or black people respectively. Just stirve to be a better you everyday and be yourself around everyone!

• Many blacks are considered “stuck up”| “Sell outs” etc. and such if they go against things…much like the ones I’ve already stated. You’re not black or you’re stuck up if you….

-Don’t go “clubbin”

-Don’t speak “hood”

-Don’t support some of these ridiculous, almost blackface… black “parody” movies

• Bad hair

Bad hair is seen as basically the natural state of mostly every black person’s hair–small, tight curls; it is often called  “nappy” or “kinky”

• Natural hair/dreads is seen as being “Afrocentic”

So I suppose relaxed/chemically altered hair is “Eurocentric”

• Relaxed/chemically altered hair

-Chemically alters hair, straightens hair, even burns scalp/hair

- Female children usually start getting their hair relaxed at age 5& up

Check out India.Arie’s “I am not my hair”

• Good hair

-Good hair is seen as soft, loose curls, straight with the texture is more stringy and Caucasian-like

- I know of people that have children with someone of another race or the same race who supposedly has “good hair” so that the child will have a higher probability of having supposedly “good hair”

The next step is dealing with the problem by loving who you are, directly and indirectly, inside and out. There are beautiful black people, dark and light. There are beautiful black people all over the world who are not light skin and are as dark chocolate as wet sand lit only by  moonlight (another post).

  Top: (Josephine Rukia) Bottom: (Kaone)

             Skin color —some black people argue— is preference, but is it really? Then I ask….preference for what? For maintaing a white is right attitude?…because…if someone is attractive, they are attracitve with or without having light or dark skin. Free yourself from slave-like mentality lest you press your children and future generations with the same burden many of us already have. Embrace your blackness by loving yourself.