Final Project Proposal on Colorism

Lupita Nyong'o

For my final project I will be focusing on colorism within the black community. Author Alice Walker coined the term “colorism”; she defines it as a “prejudicial or preferential treatment of same-race people based solely on their color”.  I decided to focus on this topic after I came across a video of journalist and professor Marc Lemont Hill referring to Lupita Nyong’o as a fetish for white people. He made this comment during the hype of Nyong’o being named world’s most beautiful by People magazine. Hill received a lot of criticism for his use of the word fetish in reference to Nyong’o and in the video there are three women that respond to his commentary. These women also offer their opinion on Nyong’o being highly publicized as an image beauty in the media. 

This is the video that sparked my interest of Marc Lemont Hill responding to his critics 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubDzC0um30A

There are videos that I have seen on YouTube of black men saying that Nyong’o is not beautiful or attractive and that she looks like a man and has the body of a boy. I have also seen videos of black women saying that they do not look at Nyong’o to represent them because she does not look like an African -American. Now, it goes without saying, that everyone is entitled to his or her opinion on the aesthetics of Nyong’o but this is not the issue that I have. The issue is that colorism or being color struck is very pervasive within the black community. The backlash that Nyong’o received in America is a perfect example of how colorism operates.

From the separation of skin color during slavery, to the paper bag tests, to black people “passing” as white and to the skin lightening that so many people of color still do today, it is obvious that lighter skinned persons in the black community are generally held in a higher regard than darker skinned persons. I find it very interesting that the only other two black women (Beyonce and Halle Berry) that have made People’s most beautiful cover did not strike such a nerve with blacks as Nyong’o’s cover did. Why is that?

Lupita Nyong'o  2014

Halle Berry 2003        Beyonce 2012

One cannot deny the aesthetic similarities of Beyoncé and Halle Berry and how they align with the Eurocentric standard of beauty and how this is a complete contrast to the indigenous look of Nyong’o. Perhaps some black people were upset because Nyong’o’s presence goes against the status quo.

I plan to write an article on the matter and publish it on a blog that I will create. Putting the article on a blog will allow other people to find it, read it and hopefully start a discussion on colorism.
My project will focus on colorism within the context of Nyong’o’s popularity and explore why her image as the “it girl” and the “most beautiful woman” caused such a polarizing effect on black people in America. On one hand some black people were elated, excited to see a different representation of black beauty and on the other hand some were baffled and even upset that someone that looks like Nyong’o was receiving so much praise. I want to explore why this happened.

I will also discuss why Nyong’o being a dark skinned woman represented as an image of beauty is very important to young black girls as she has shared stories of once not liking her complexion until she saw supermodel Alek Wek in a magazine. In essence I am making my project for young black girls. I will also incorporate my personal experience with colorism into the article.

                                    Nyong'o giving a speech on once wanting to have light skin