Colorism in the Black community cannot be understood without revisiting slavery in the Americas. Enslavers deliberately separated light-skinned and dark-skinned Black people to maintain social hierarchy. Those with lighter skin, often the mixed-race children of enslaved women and white masters, were sometimes placed in domestic work within the “big house,” while darker-skinned enslaved people were relegated to field labor (Hunter, 2007). This hierarchy reinforced the false notion that proximity to whiteness was preferable. This early wound became a generational trauma, setting the stage for how Black women would be divided, compared, and judged long after slavery’s abolition.

The term colorism itself was popularized by Alice Walker in 1983, who defined it as “prejudicial or preferential treatment of same-race people based solely on skin color” (In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens). While racism placed all Black people at a disadvantage, colorism operated within the community as a painful internalization of Eurocentric ideals. It continues to shape representation in beauty industries, film, and popular culture. At its root, colorism is tied to the current global beauty standard, which overwhelmingly favors fair skin, straight hair, slim facial features, and light eyes — characteristics historically associated with white women (Wilder, 2015).

Dr. Frances Cress Welsing, in The Isis Papers (1991), argued that colorism reflects white supremacy’s psychological strategy of self-preservation. She theorized that whiteness seeks to maintain dominance by promoting its features as superior, while devaluing darker skin and Afrocentric traits. This belief system ensures that Black women, regardless of their natural beauty, are positioned as “other” in the global imagination. Thus, white women have long been upheld as the epitome of beauty in mainstream media — from Marilyn Monroe to modern icons like Scarlett Johansson.

The wounds of colorism for Black women are deep and multilayered. They include internalized shame, family divisions, lowered self-esteem, and unequal treatment in workplaces, schools, and dating markets. The comparison between Black women and the beauty standard can be mapped out clearly:

Black Women’s Traits	Eurocentric Beauty Standard
Darker or richly melanated skin	Fair or light skin
Kinky, coily, or natural hair	Straight, silky hair
Full lips and broad noses	Thin lips and narrow noses
Curvier body types	Slimmer, less curvaceous figures (though often appropriated later)
Diversity of tones, textures, and features	Homogenized white ideals

Celebrities across racial lines have commented on this imbalance. For instance, Lupita Nyong’o has spoken openly about her struggles with self-acceptance in a world that glorifies light skin (Nyong’o, 2014). Viola Davis, too, has highlighted how her darker skin limited her Hollywood opportunities. On the other hand, white celebrities such as Adele and even Kim Kardashian have acknowledged the ways Black women’s aesthetics are appropriated without acknowledgment or respect. This dynamic reinforces the reality: Black women are often celebrated when their features are borrowed but devalued when they appear naturally.

While Black women’s phenotypic traits, such as melanin-rich skin, fuller lips, natural hair textures, and curvier body types, have been pathologized, Eurocentric features—light skin, narrow noses, thin lips, and straight hair—have been uplifted as the global beauty standard. Research suggests this dynamic is rooted in the colonial and slaveholding eras, where lighter skin was equated with privilege and proximity to whiteness (Hunter, 2007; Russell, Wilson, & Hall, 2013). The persistence of these standards contributes to psychological distress, self-esteem challenges, and ongoing struggles with identity formation among Black women (Wilder, 2015).

Psychologically, the effects of colorism manifest as internalized racism, body dysmorphia, depression, and self-doubt. Studies in evolutionary psychology suggest that symmetry and certain ratios (e.g., the golden ratio) are universally associated with beauty (Little, Jones, & DeBruine, 2011). However, these scientific standards do not negate cultural bias. Western media elevates one aesthetic as “universal,” ignoring the truth that beauty is also culturally constructed. This erasure pressures Black women to conform or modify themselves — through skin-lightening, straightening hair, or cosmetic surgery — to gain validation in systems not designed for them.

The question remains: how can Black women heal? Healing begins with redefining the standard. Movements like #BlackGirlMagic, natural hair advocacy, and diverse media representation are shifting narratives. The Black community must actively dismantle colorist language, uplift darker-skinned women, and celebrate the full range of Black beauty. Scholars argue that collective affirmation, media literacy, and intergenerational dialogue are keys to undoing centuries of psychological conditioning (Walker, 1983; Wilder, 2015).

Ultimately, the Bible offers a radical counter-narrative to the lies of colorism. Scripture declares: “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14, KJV). The Song of Solomon even uplifts dark beauty: “I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem” (Song of Solomon 1:5, KJV). These verses remind Black women that their worth and beauty come not from Eurocentric systems but from the Creator who made them. Healing the wounds of colorism means reclaiming identity, refusing false cages of comparison, and walking boldly in God-given beauty.

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References

• Hunter, M. (2007). The Persistent Problem of Colorism: Skin Tone, Status, and Inequality. Sociology Compass, 1(1), 237-254.
• Little, A. C., Jones, B. C., & DeBruine, L. M. (2011). Facial attractiveness: Evolutionary based research. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 366(1571), 1638-1659.
• Walker, A. (1983). In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens: Womanist Prose. Harcourt.
• Wilder, J. (2015). Color Stories: Black Women and Colorism in the 21st Century. Praeger.
• Welsing, F. C. (1991). The Isis Papers: The Keys to the Colors. C.W. Publishing.
• Nyong’o, L. (2014). Speech at Essence Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon.