The Brown Paper Bag Test AKA Colorism

Unpacking Colorism:
Opening and Healing the Wounds Within Our Own Families and Communities.
Let’s talk about something that’s been whispering in the background of cookouts, beauty salons, classrooms, family gatherings and have shown up in the treatment of family members and guests for generations, COLORISM. Do you remember Spike Lee’s “School Daze” or the brown paper bag test?
We all know the phrases: “You pretty… for a dark-skinned girl.”
“The Black Sheep of the Family” or maybe: “Stay out the sun, or you’ll get too black.”
Let’s not sugarcoat it. These aren’t just throwaway comments, they’re rooted in centuries of hate, privilege, and proximity to whiteness.

A Brief History:
Colorism is nothing more than bias or discrimination against people with darker skin tones, typically among people of the same ethnic group. It is birth from colonialism and slavery. In the Black community, the fairer your skin, the straighter your hair, the prettier you are.
During enslavement, lighter-skinned Black people were often given roles and favor within the house while darker-skinned people were forced to labor in the fields. This wasn’t about kindness; it was a tactic. Enslavers created division, granting minor “privileges” to some while oppressing all. After slavery ended, these divisions switched into social hierarchies that praised lighter skin as closer to whiteness and therefore more acceptable. Some people that could “pass” did so. They faded into their whiteness with safe passage. They were given access and opportunities that would never have been granted had they been outed or had they been darker than the brown paper bag.
This poison bled into everything: education, marriage prospects, job opportunities, and even church leadership. Institutions reinforce it. Media glorifies it. And sadly, we still internalized it and to this day, hail lighter skin over any darker shade of beautiful. To this day, our hair even has to be protected, i.e. “The Crown Act.” However, this doesn’t offer enough protection. 

The Adverse Effects: When Healing Feels Like a Threat
Colorism isn’t just an outdated mindset. It still shapes lives:
• Self-esteem: Darker-skinned children often face teasing, bullying, and internalized shame.
• Representation: Lighter skin is still overrepresented in fashion, film, and even advocacy.
• Dating & relationships: Desirability is often tied to proximity to whiteness, causing division and unhealthy ideals.
• Career outcomes: Studies show lighter-skinned Black individuals are more likely to be hired and promoted.
This isn’t just pain—it’s systemic.
The Stereotypes That Stick

Let’s name the lies:

• Light skin = soft, delicate, refined, desirable.
• Dark skin = aggressive, less intelligent, not attractive, hypersexual, threatening.

Sound familiar? These ideas weren’t just born out of nowhere. They’re tools of white supremacy, used to fracture our unity and uphold false pecking orders. There are still a lot of communities within the Diaspora that practice these hate-filled tendencies, covertly and overtly. Most won’t reveal their disdain for their darker-skinned brethren, but they sure as hell won’t hesitate to block you from coming within their social circles or marrying into the family.
We end up policing each other. Tearing each other down for things none of us asked for. And this leads to something even more damaging…
Trust Issues: How Colorism Divides Us
When people feel excluded or judged within their own community, it erodes solidarity. Sisters side-eye each other. Brothers compete for validation. Children grow up confused and ashamed.
Colorism silences our collective power. It creates suspicion where there should be support. And it delays the healing we desperately need.
How do you trust your own community to love and affirm you when it praises one version of Blackness and punishes another?

Moving Towards Healing
Confronting colorism doesn’t mean pointing fingers—it means choosing truth over silence.
• Affirm the beauty of every shade, especially in front of kids.
• Diversify your media diet: books, films, art, creators.
• Call it out when you hear it, even in “jokes.”
• Have the hard conversations at home, at work, and in our circles.
This isn’t just about fairness, it’s about love, dignity, and wholeness.

Let’s Keep the Dialogue Going
Have you experienced or witnessed colorism? How are you unlearning the myths and reclaiming the full spectrum of Black beauty?
Drop your thoughts below or share this with someone who needs to join the conversation.
Because healing starts with honesty—and we can’t afford to ignore the elephant in the room anymore.