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July 16, 2008, - 12:37 pm

Pop Star Tells of Black on Light-Skinned Racism

By Debbie Schlussel
I’m no fan of pop singer Rihanna a/k/a Robin Rihanna Fenty’s music. But I do admire that she has the guts to speak frankly of the racism that we not dare speak of. And her description certainly betrays the claim made by many Black activists that Blacks can’t be racist.
She details the racism she suffered in her native Barbados, where Blacks are majority race and control its government and institutions. The August issue of “In Style” Magazine reports:

As a child in Barbados, singer Rihanna, 20 stood out. “Having lighter skin wasn’t a problem in my household, but it was when I went to school–which really confused me at first,” she said. “The harassment continues to my very last day of elementary school.”

Rihanna
Bottom line: Racism is all over. It’s neither exclusive to White people and Americans, nor even dominant among them. Contrary to what the race merchants would like you to believe, America is relatively moderate on race, when you compare it to Black, Arab, and Muslim countries and their treatment of minorities, where it is universally atrocious.
Just ask the White farmers (oops! there are basically none left) of Zimbabwe. Ditto for the virtually extinct Black Christians of Sudan.
And remember, how they treat light-skinned Blacks is not a good omen for how they will treat White people.

34 Responses

Like you said, if light-skinned Blacks are discriminated againstby darker-skinned blacks, I can imagine where that leaves Whites. the racism on black talk-radio stations is staggering.

c f on July 16, 2008 at 1:04 pm

Several years ago I read an article about Natalie Cole. She said when her parents married her mother’s family did not want her to marry him, Nat King Cole, because they were light-skinned blacks and he was not. It was pointed out that even in the black community they discrimmenated their own depending on the how light or black someone was. I found that to be very interesting.

formerwm on July 16, 2008 at 1:06 pm

I am a white woman engaged to a light skinned black man. His sister (now deceased) was also very light skinned. He has told me stories of his youth when they both would be called yellow by fellow blacks. While in family gatherings I have heard some of his extended family make comments abouth dark skinned blacks, “They are so black, they are purple.” My point is, blacks can be just a racist as whites. And I would agree with cf above that racism on talk radio is quite prevalent. Tom Joyner has no problem flinging “Whitey” and Cracker on his show. It is appalling that he can do that and NOT be held accountable. This is a double standard, plain and simple!

musiccgirl on July 16, 2008 at 1:21 pm

Deb, she’s a black entertainer, so rest assured that someone will grab her ear and have a talk with her. My guess is that Rihanna will soon release a statement attempting to ‘clarify’ her remarks. Probably something like: “….but it was never as harsh as the white discrimination I’d encountered…..”
Also…..anyone catch the statement by Julain Bond recently? (Loose quote): ‘Even if Barack is elected President, we (black people) still have a long way to go. Our struggle goes on…’
Of course.
The struggle will never go away.
If it does, he’s out of a job.

guitarguy on July 16, 2008 at 1:33 pm

Its a reality that racist and degrading treatment of people is not a province of whites only. The Arabs are the most racist people on the planet in how they view Jews. Then of course there are others such the black despot and his gang who have chased and driven whites out of Zimbabwe. The dark side of human nature is not by any means, politically correct, as the Left likes to pretend.

NormanF on July 16, 2008 at 2:13 pm

“….she’s a black entertainer,so rest assured that someone will grabe her ear and have a talk with her.My guess is that Rhianna will soon release a statment attemptin to ‘clarify’ her remarks. Probably something like:”….but it was never as harsh as the White discrimination I’d encountered.”
Damn straight. And it will most likely be some Farrakhan/NOI/Sharpton/Jackson/”New” Black panty,errr,Panther-type, threatenting her and/or her family or relatives somewhere.
Blacks,you ARE more racist than Whites, and nothing you’ve ever acheived has ever been legitemate.Take the criticism like “the man YOU think YOU are.”

OldSchoolW on July 16, 2008 at 2:58 pm

If you’re Black in America, this is nothing new. The whole debate about skin-tone in the Black community has been debated for years. In the past, certain Black organizations and social groups would not allow anyone in they deemed to be too “dark” (the brown bag test) or allow their children to date darker Blacks (for example, the Nat King Cole example mentioned above). Yes, lighter-skinned Blacks have also long complained of being teased because of their complexion. However, any body who has actually dared picked up a book and studied the situation would know that historically lighter-skinned Blacks have always held positions of prominence and favor in the Black community, much more so than their darker skinned brethen, so I have no idea where Debbie is coming from with that race-baiting “And remember, how they treat light-skinned Blacks is not a good omen for how they will treat White people.” comment. Look at Atlanta…among Blacks in Atlanta, the joke is that Black folks there have not ever and never will elect a mayor darker than a paper bag. Historically, light-skinned Blacks have found favor and have been treated very well in the Black community.
We can blame Black “racism” all we want and yes, it most certainly exist, but people who dare to think critically will ask what is the root cause and source of color-based racism in the Black community? Did African captives brought to our shores 300 years ago bring that kind of color-coded racism with them, or was it taught to them by their captors? Explorers, slavers, and missionairies in Africa in the 1500 and 1600’s reported that the tribes they encountered found their pale skin very unattractive. Yet when these same tribal members were sold off by African Chiefs and brought to America, these same people began to believe (or were taught) that lighter skin was better, probably based on who had power in American society. It’s the old “house slave” (Lighter) vs. “field slave” (darker) tension. And that mentality has lasted for the last 300 years…witness all of the bleaching creams and skin-lighteners that were sold in Black communities until the 1960’s “Black is Beautful” movement companies to quietly remove them from their shelves. Even today, I have older relatives who still uses terms like “good hair” to refer to Blacks who have straight hair instead of curly. Who made the determination that straight hair was “good?”
The skin tone situation even extends to dating. On the last ski trip I went on with a group of other Black professionals, one couldn’t help notice that most of the Black doctors on the trip, no matter how dark-skinned, were married to sisters who were light-skinned or looked “other than” Black. That’s why I thought it was hilarious that Grey’s Anatomy has “the Chief” married to Loretta Devine. Sorry, I’ve seen the kind of sisters Black doctors and other high income Black men marry….they don’t look like Ms. Devine! Back in the day (and today too), the light-skinned Black woman with the long straight hair is still considered a prize catch.
All of this favored treatment of light-skinned Blacks did build up resentment among their darker brethern, so I have no doubt Rhianna was teased as a child about her complexion. Because of certain sexual “practices” by “Massa” on the plantations, Black Americans come in at least 48 different shades of color, so I have no doubt there has always been tension based on skin tone in Black America. However, if anyone would actually like to READ about the subject before spouting off their own agenda-driven racialist nonsense about how bad Black people so they can feel better about their own racial biases, I recommened:
“The Color Complex: The Politics of Skin Color Among African Americans” by Kathy Russell
“Don’t Play in the Sun: One Woman’s Journey Through the Color Complex” by Marita Golden
“Blacker the Berry…” by Wallace Thurman
“Our Kind of People: Inside America’s Black Upper Class” by Lawrence Otis Graham
The bottom line is this…be proud of whatever skin tone God gave you and ignore the taunts of the ignorant, no matter what color, who would tell you otherwise. YOU determine your level of success in this country, not the skin you’re in.
[JJ: NO-ONE IS SAYING THIS IS A NEW PHENOMENON, JUST THAT NO-ONE TALKS ABOUT IT. THE REASON I BROUGHT IT UP IS NOT “RACE-BAITING.” I REPORT ON PLENTY OF BAD WHITE PEOPLE, TOO. BUT I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT WHITES DO NOT HAVE A MONOPOLY ON RACISM. THERE IS PLENTY OF RACISM IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY, AND IT IS FREQUENTLY DIRECTED NOT JUST AT VARIOUS BLACKS DEPENDING ON THEIR SKIN-SHADE, BUT AGAINST WHITES. TO SAY THERE ISN’T ANTI-WHITE RACISM IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY IS TO DENY REALITY. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE A LITTLE EVENHANDED COVERAGE OF RACISM IN ALL COMMUNITIES.
OTHER THAN THAT, AS ALWAYS, I ENJOY READING AND APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS, WHICH ARE USUALLY INTERESTING AND EDUCATIONAL FOR ME AND THE REST OF THE READERS. AND I ESPECIALLY LIKE YOUR LAST SENTENCE. I AGREE. DS]

JibberJabber on July 16, 2008 at 3:01 pm

When I was in 10th grade geography class, one thing stood out in my mind as we studied each country in different parts of the world. I found it interesting that in most places (especially in the eastern hemisphere) entire countries would consist of one race, religion, or group of people. The idea that America is the most racist place on earth seems ridiculous to me, seeing as how it is one of the few places where ANYbody can live – even if you’re Islamofascist scum.

Hopewell on July 16, 2008 at 3:17 pm

A somewhat black lady I worked with was mercilessly ridiculed for her pale complexion as a child. They would encircle her and call her Kimba the white lion. Strange thing is she was very sensitive about whites saying things that blacks could regularly get away with. My cousin went to Detroit public schools for about a year and her father had to move out of the chocolate city because the black kids were tearing her hair out and stealing her lunch for kicks on a regular basis. This was around 1970. She was 5 years old and teen agers would prey on her. Yeah blacks got a problem with policing their own. Looks like the 32% on time grad rate is in line with the idiots she was going to school with back in the day. Long live hip hop. Such a great cultural influence.

samurai on July 16, 2008 at 4:14 pm

Roundabout way of saying y’all crackers ain’t that racist???
You seem to forget that racism, along with incompetence, is one of Amerikkka’s biggest EXPORTS!!!
i CAN believe Samurai’s story…and it’s shit like that which made Rhianna’s story possible—there wasn’t none of that shit in the West Indies before Gerald Ford and the CIA fucked up Jamaica’s economy: http://www.afflictedyard.com/fun_in_76.htm

EminemsRevenge on July 16, 2008 at 10:34 pm

“Roundabout way of saying y’all crackers ain’t that racist???”
Nowhere near AS racist as Blacks are.No contest.
At least with White “racism”, you get 1st world level neighborhoods,streets, cities and countries,the transportation runs on time,better food,,better plumbing,the electricity never breaks down,streets paved better. When Black racists run the same things,what do you get? Detroit, New Orleans( Long before Katrina ),Harlem,East St.Louis, Atlanta,to name the tip of the chocolate mountain of destruction,at least in the States. And countries? Haiti,and 99.9% of Black-run Africa,all 3rd world,and below.

OldSchoolW on July 16, 2008 at 10:45 pm

Everybody in the whole world has always been racist, with the exception of naive Whites over the last 45 years. That’s when this new ‘anti-racism’ experiment began, solely among Whites, in a country that was 90% White with a White Senate, House, and President. And that’s when Whites began to fall apart as a people. No communities in the world are turning ‘whiter’, unlike the other groups who don’t apologize for being completely racist.

John Harper on July 17, 2008 at 12:08 am

KUDOS to Rihanna for speaking the truth. My grand daughter, who is 2 years old – is beautiful – is a blessing – and is a gift from GOD, happens to be “bi-racial” and I can say FIRSTHAND that racism…works BOTH WAYS.
Actually on the occassions when it REARS ITS UGLY HEAD and OPENS UP IT’S MOUTH it has OVERWHELMINGLY been…from African Americans (i.e. not white people).
However when it comes to “benefits”, such as things like College Enrollment, schools, etc., it is NOT a “50-50” white and black (just to used the colors themselves and not meant to offend anyone of course) issue. EVERYONE from Hospital personnell, to US Census takers, to Schools (pre school and otherwise) ENCOURAGE the use of the termonology…African American. They say that it “helps”.
I love my grand child, like I do every child as they truly are gifts from God, and it is (one) of my hopes/prayers that she will grow up simply to be…herself. Nothing more and nothing else.
Nuff said.
NOSTRADAMUSLIVES by Jeff Schrembs

Nostradamus on July 17, 2008 at 2:59 am

First things first: Ms. Schlussel I just want to say that I’ve been reading and enjoying your work for some time. I even remember when you did commentary on the Mancow show. Anyway, after reading your blog for a few months you’ve finally provoked me (in a good way) into making a comment.
>>And remember, how they treat light-skinned Blacks is not a good omen for how they will treat White people. …DS<<
To which “they” are you referring, the black majority of Barbados or the black minority of America?
You started out talking about generic “black activists”, which lead me to believe that you meant black American activists. After that you’re talking about Rihanna’s experiences in Barbados. Next it’s America and Zimbabwe, followed by that comment about “how they will treat white people”.
If your point is that black people in *this* country can be racist too — a point with which I agree, by the way — then please do black Americans the courtesy of not lumping us in with Bajans and Zimbabweans. Doing so implies that all black people everywhere on the planet are EXACTLY THE SAME. Which leads me back to my original question: to which “they” were you referring?

The Black Hornet on July 17, 2008 at 5:30 am

The comment made here by the reader who
is referred to as ‘The Black Hornet’
makes a number of excellent points
— with which I strongly agree.

AP on August 20, 2009 at 12:21 am

>>[NO-ONE IS SAYING THIS IS A NEW PHENOMENON, JUST THAT NO-ONE TALKS ABOUT IT. …DS]<<
By saying “no-one talks about it” you must mean that no-one *white* talks about it, because black folks most certainly HAVE talked about it. A LOT. Hell, back in the ’80s Spike Lee even made an entire movie about it called School Daze.

The Black Hornet on July 17, 2008 at 5:31 am

Sorry for the multiple post Ms. Schlussel. My browser is acting strange for some reason…
>>Blacks,you ARE more racist than Whites, and nothing you’ve ever acheived has ever been legitemate.Take the criticism like “the man YOU think YOU are.” …OldSchoolW<<
The unmitigated stupidity of this statement (not to mention the poor spelling and punctuation) has left me completely nonplussed and unable to formulate a response.

The Black Hornet on July 17, 2008 at 5:34 am

Blacks are as racist as whites are. They discriminate and nothing is ever said so I presume that everyone looks the other way when this happens. Is white racism the only kind that is put under the microscope? I wonder if blacks will ever decide to knock the chip off their collective shoulders and contribute to society? Or is is better to play the eternal victim and never progress? 140 years since the emancipation, 50 years since the civil rights movement, is it not time to move on? Most immigrant groups, chinese, korean etc. simply laugh at how stupid blacks are and don’t share in any white guilt. They educate their kids, make a life and never ask for handouts. Unlike blacks, who demand to be supported, over and over again. How lazy can a race of people be?

Chuck W on July 17, 2008 at 6:43 am

LOL — One cannot help but to notice that
the broad-brushed (and strongly exaggerated)
statements, as well as the stereotypical
generalizations, that have been presented
by this reader in regards to the “black”
PEOPLE — show an equal (if not greater)
amount of whining, playing-the-victim-role
and finger-pointing (on behalf of the reader)
as he so hypocritically accuses the group
that he is openly criticizing of doing.

Let’s see — how does that old saying go?:

“When you point an accusing-finger at
others — three more are pointed at you.”

AP on August 20, 2009 at 12:30 am

Funny thing–I’ve only heard about the racism of lighter skinned blacks “looking down” on the blacker blacks.
I read the poster above who said basically that resentment may proceed from jealousy against the lighter bruthas and sistas. Look at Vanessa Williams, Halley Barry (I know she has problems, DS) or Dianne Caroll etc. These gorgeous women tend to look less African and the success they have had is a cause for jealousy it seems to the more African bros and sistas.
That’s one thing about (gag) Barack that whites seem to see as “less black”–like Joe “plugs” Biden said–Barack is fresh and “clean” (translation–not so black like a Jesse “Snip-Snip” Jackson or “straighten my fro” Al Sharpton. Liberal whites aren’t as afraid of BHO because he speaks without ebonics–why go any deeper to what he advocates?
I have a serious “ethic” that all people should be treated the same from every ethnic background. Unfortunately, that idealism has been getting eroded for various reasons, mostly from the experiences I had with trusting people whom I shouldn’t have trusted and who burned me.
I have become less idealistic (sad to say) and more reaiistic. I tend to start from “extreme caution” when dealing with blacks or many other minorities–but I try to treat them all the same–I really like diversity–when it is not at the expense of quality.
The one thing that I will admit that will put a person on the “total caution” “never let your guard down” mode is with any/all muslims–of any race. This is not based on national ethnicity–it is based on momammadan backward thinking/ideology. It is in the mental DNA of a muslim to hate Jews and to see (the rest of us) as kfurs to be used/abused and subdued. The only good muslim is a non-practicing one!

BB on July 17, 2008 at 9:00 am

One of my favorite long-forgotten canceled TV shows ‘Frank’s Place’ about New Orleans had an episode about the ‘Paper Bag Club’ – a New Orleans elite ‘colored’ club you could only join if your skin was lighter than a brown paper bag. Supposedly based on a true story. Tim Reid (Venus Flytrap of WKRP) was brilliant in this show and who remembers what forgotten garbage ABC put on in place of it.

poetcomic1 on July 17, 2008 at 9:36 am

poetcomic1
Wow! When you mentioned “Frank’s Place”, you brought back a lot of memories! That was a great show! And yes, the episode featuring the “Paper Bag Club” (aka The Capital C Club) was a classic and dealt with the issue that few if any TV series ever touched….skin color and class differences among Black Americans. I still remember Frank’s classic line when he found out his darker skin tone was the reason for his invitation to be a member of private New Orleans club composed of prominent lighter-skinned Black men: “I was the first “Black” in high school to do this and the first “Black” in college to do that…. and now you want me to be the “first Black” in an all Black club???” Classic!!!
Black Hornet, thank you also for reminding me of School Daze! People do forget (like me!) that Spike Lee made a whole movie about color and class tensions among Black folks. Who could forget the classic “Jiggaboos vs. Wannabees” conflict? Yes, color and class issues have been debated in the Black community almost from the time we arrived on these shores. For a less serious but equally entertaining look at color and class issues among Blacks, I would recommend the novel “Good Hair” by Benilde Little. The book has some hilarious and insightful observations on skin tone and class-based divisions in the Black community.
I would also recommend the novel “Nappily Ever After” by Trisha Thomas, which is a hilarious story of how a lighter skinned Black woman’s life changes after she decides to cut off her long flowing hair and wair a short natural cut. The book shows how the simple act of cutting off her “good hair” changes her relationship with her fiance, her job, and her family.
Okay posters, you can now return to your regular programming of how bad and racist Black people are……but remember…judge not lest YE be judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

JibberJabber on July 17, 2008 at 11:05 am

Since mention was made of a so-called ‘Paper Bag Test,
— I just wanted to provide the following commentary”

The racist Urban Legend, that the Mulattoes, or any other
groups that were of a part-Black / Mixed-Race lineage,
had practiced any sort of ‘Paper Bag’; ‘Blue Vein’; or
‘Fine Toothed Comb’ tests, simply is not in any way
supported by objective, verifiable historic record.

Other racist, Mulatto-Bashing Urban Legends &
Myths include the “Willie Lynch Letter’ Hoax
(the letter has been repeated proven to have
been total fraud); the “the majority of the
‘big house’ slave positions were given to the
Mulatto chattel-slaves” lie (when history shows
that most of these positions — ex. mammy, cook,
driver, etc.– were reserved for the slaves that
were full-Black); and the lie that “most of the
Mulattoes were the offspring of the plantation Owners”
(when, in reality, what the historical record actually
shows is that the overwhelming vast majority of the
Mulatto-lineage chattel-slaves were the result of
rapes by the White plantation Overseers — and
were not the offspring of the plantation Owners).

The truth of the matter — as shown by the historical
record (i.e. articles, diaries, books, reports, interviews,
etc.) is that — when many of the full-Black people
realized the extent to which most Mixed-Race former
slaves practiced ‘Endogamy’* (i.e. making the choice
to marry someone who is a part of one’s ‘own group’),
their outrage and feelings of rejection and jealousy
caused some of them to engage in the activity of
Mulatto-Bashing and anti-Mulatto Rumor-Mongering
— and it was often, this very activity that led
to the spreading of these urban legends and myths
as being “common knowledge” about the people and
the communities that were of Mulatto-lineage.

[* Note:
The practice of ‘Endogamy’ (i.e. marrying “one’s
own kind”) was actually very common for people
of any lineage or group (including that of
Mulatto-lineage) and, generally, no issues
were taken with it — until the late 1960’s
/ early 1970’s when the appearance of the
very divisive ‘Black Power Movement’ (which
had usurped the very successful ‘Civil Rights
Movement’) suddenly began to target and falsely
condemn the practice of ‘endogamy’ by people
of Mulatto-lineage (and Mulatto-lineage, only)
as being “racist” and “colorist” against the
people who were of a full-Black lineage.]

Once the antebellum (chattel-slavery) era came to an
end on the continental United States of America, and
numerous communities became established, it then
seemed that certain of the various full-Black people
& families began to engage in a sharing of spurious
“tales” wherein they (or someone they knew) had
“heard about” a church, fraternity, sorority, social
club, etc. that had both either been founded by or
had a number of members who were individuals of
a Mulatto-lineage and had also allegedly rejected
a full-Black person solely for having had curly hair
(rather than straight hair); and/or for having had
brown skin (rather than tan, beige, or white skin);
and/or for having had either non-visible or visibly
‘green’ arm veins (rather than ‘blue’ arm veins).

And yet, no one ever questioned the fact that the
very features a person was alleged to have been
‘rejected’ for having (ex. curly hair texture;
brown skin coloring; and either non-visible or
‘visibly-green’ arm veins; etc.) were the very
same features that were common to ‘the average’
person who was of a Mulatto-lineage (which
would have meant that the Mulattoes would have
then been the biggest ‘rejectees’ of such clubs
— rather than the ‘rejectors’ at such clubs —
and thus, would have also proven that these
“clubs” simply and more than likely did not
and had never actually existed in reality.)

However, so popular (and quite often even
profitable) was the spreading of these
urban myths and legends, that a number
of well-respected writers who were of
Mulatto-lineage (ex. Charles Chestnutt,
who was the author of ‘The Wife of His Youth
and other tales’) occasionally even engaged
in the spreading of such “yellow journalism”
(no pun intended) in some of their writings.

(Hopefully, these writers were just trying
to create dialogue and ‘pay their bills’ and,
did not realize the public-relations damage
that would impact people of Mulatto-lineage
for generations to come as a result of the
spreading of these urban legends and myths.)

Thus — other than the urban legends, racial myths,
rumor-mongering and “yellow journalism” about
the alleged (and unproven) existence of any type
of ‘Blue-Vein’ Societies or implementation of any
type of ‘Paper-Bag’ or ‘Fine-Toothed Comb’ Tests
— no actual historical evidence has ever been
presented that has convinced most historians
that any such actual ‘tests’ or ‘societies’
were ever implemented (at least not in any
large numbers or as a common or frequent
practice) among the people of Mulatto-lineage
on the continental United States of America.

If anyone is interested in more information
on this subject matter, please feel free to
contact directly at the email listed below.

— AP (soaptalk@hotmail.com)

Debbie Schlussel

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Pop Star Tells of Black on Light-Skinned Racism

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