Histories of Colorism and Implications for Education

“…manifestations of colorism have also been referred to as colorist practices and/or colorist messages, and the attitudes involving colorism have been referred to as colorist beliefs, colorist perceptions, and/or colorist ideologies (Keith & Monroe, 2016; Maxwell et al., 2016; Wilder & Cain, 2011).”

“As Garcia (2019) and Vargas (2018) explain and extensive research supports (e.g., Keith & Monroe, 2016; Lewis & Diamond, 2015; Moore, 2008; Shedd, 2015), proximity to whiteness is materially and immaterially advantageous.”

“Research demonstrates that skin complexion is linked to socioeconomic status which enables lighter-skinned parents to ensure their lighterskinned children are attending schools that are more resourced (Kao & Thompson, 2003; Keith & Monroe, 2016).”

“Throughout Latin America, colonial societies tended to promote Whites at the top of the social and economic hierarchy, mixed-race peoples in the middle, and indigenous peoples and enslaved Africans at the bottom (Hunter 2005; Keith and Monroe 2016).”

“Colorism evident in these textbooks promotes the notion that educational materials advance a binary division of race based upon previous colonialization; emphasizing the light-skinned elite in obvious communities of color (Hunter, 2007; Keith & Monroe, 2016).”

“Ethnic diversity in Latin America is, seemingly, idealized as a national norm among Latin Americans, who tend to take pride in the ethnically diverse composition of the region and usually claim that the region is racially fluid (Hernández, 2015; Keith & Monroe, 2016).”

“In addition, it seems the ‘skin-tone hierarchy’ referred to in the US context (Keith and Monroe 2016) is weaker in Sweden and discrimination is based more on negative attitudes related to a religion (Islam) associated with a particular region, the Middle East (cf. Ahmadi, Palm, and Amadi 2016).”

“Additionally, darker-skinned Black people in the USA generally have lower levels of educational attainment, household income, marital attainment, and political attainment than lighter-skinned counterparts (Goldsmith et al. 2006, 2007; Hamilton et al. 2009; Herring et al. 2004; Keith and Monroe 2016; Weaver 2012).”

“Light- skinned advantage was identified by participants in this study, aligning with research from the United States on colourism and differential experiences related to skin colour within racial or ethnic groups (Keith & Monroe, 2016).”

“In regions colonized by Europeans, perceptions of light and dark have also come to take on racialized connotations (Hunter, 2007, 2013; Keith & Monroe, 2016; Dixon & Telles, 2017).”

“Colorism is pervasive in Latin America, as anti-blackness and anti-indigenous beliefs permeate Latin American countries.”

“…higher educational attainment, employment rates, occupational status, and income and wealth (Goldsmith et al., 2006; Harrison & Thomas, 2009; M. L. Hunter, 1998, 2002; M. Hunter, 2007; Keith, 2009; Keith & Monroe, 2016; Mathews & Johnson, 2015; Painter et al., 2016; Ryabov, 2013; Villarreal, 2010).”

“Along with reinforcing existing research (Horowitz et al., 2019; Keith & Monroe, 2016; Noe-Bustamante et al., 2021), these fi ndings highlight the impact that daily conversations involving racism/colorism can have on dark skin individuals.”

“Here, the difference in responses between Latinos of different shades of skin suggests the role that colorism plays in their social position and, consequently, their perceptions and understandings (Dixon & Telles, 2017; Fergus, 2016; Hunter, 2016; Keith & Monroe, 2016; Murguia & Telles, 1996).”

“Keith and Monroe (2016) find the roots of the “skin-tone hierarchy in the United States” in white supremacist ideologies and the dynamics of racial mixing during the European colonial era.”

“…Americans understand colorism exists in the workplace, even they are not aware how homogenic considerations affect their personal career and the lack of investigation into colorism in the workplace prevents effective avenues to address this workplace issue (Keith & Monroe, 2016; Sims, 2016).”

“…affects various inferences about the target, including person - ality traits, social mobility, and experiences of pain, all of which often lead to discrimination against the target (Bay-ton & Muldrow, 1968; Goldsmith et al., 2006; Ha & Park, 2023/2024; Keith & Monroe, 2016; Maddox & Gray, 2002).”

“Colorism is defined as race-based discrimination in which those with a shared racial identity may experience “advantages and disadvantages. . . based on the lightness or darkness of their skin tone” and their accompanying physical characteristics (Keith & Monroe, 2016).”

“Researchers exploring colorism have demonstrated how Black individuals receive advantages/disadvantages within education based on the lightness of their skin and other physical features (Keith & Monroe, 2016).”

“Many scholars have begun to explore how color-based discrimination, also known as colorism, is actually the mechanism through which racist practices are enacted against students of color in schools (Hannon et al., 2013; Ryabov, 2013, 2016; Keith & Monroe, 2016; Blake et al., 2017).”