The Blacker the Berry

This was a saying growing up which basically meant, the darker the fruit is the more ripe it will be resulting in a sweeter flavor. Tupac Shakur also rapped this in one of his songs, “Some say the blacker the berry the sweeter the juice.” I say, the darker the flesh, the deeper the roots.” It is also a popular statement among the black community in reference to someone’s skin tone. I used to hear people use this term especially when someone was being made fun of for their darker skin color. Why is it such a big deal? I’ve always found the beauty in all shades.

Unfortunately, the epidemic of colorism is not going anywhere anytime soon. I’ve grown up and watched how people with a lighter skin tone were treated differently than people with darker skin. I’m not even just talking about racism, but the mere fact that colorism exist as well! I know some of you may be confused about the term, but colorism is a form of prejudice or discrimination usually from members of the same race, in which people are treated differently based on the social implications from cultural meanings attached to skin color. Yes, you heard it right, it can and does exist within the same ethnic or racial group!

I know it’s true because I have witnessed on several occasions throughout my life numerous incidents. I remember one in particular when I was at the grocery store with my children. My son is a honey caramel complexion and my daughter is a dark chocolate complexion. I remember a woman standing behind us in line coming up to me and start admiring how handsome my son was and even went as far as to compliment his “good hair” and “nice complexion.” Now, I know what you’re thinking, “well she was just admiring your adorable baby boy”, but it’s deeper than that. The fact that she had to mention his skin tone in the first place was unnecessary. My four year old daughter picked up on that and being that this was not the first time someone did that in front of her while totally ignoring her existence compelled her to ask me, “why does everyone always say that about Kai and not to me?” This broke my heart! That seed of colorism was planted at such a young age in my daughter and has caused her to have a complex to this day.

I’ve also heard comments throughout my life where someone would say to me, “you’re pretty for a dark skinned woman!”. This was from someone who was also black. The sad part is that the person who said this to me was about my shade if not darker! As if dark skinned women aren’t beautiful! Must I name a few? Lopita Nyong’o, Kelly Rowland, Lauryn Hill, Gabrielle Union, Tika Sumpter, Issa Rae, Brandy Norwood, and more! Lighter skin has been the existing beauty standard for so long and it has created a deep insecurity within darker skinned people. Now it’s not just darker skinned people who have experienced issues, I’ve seen the opposite with lighter skinned people as well. I’ve also witnessed lighter skinned people looked down on as “not being black enough”and so forth. It seems as though the shade of your skin gives you preferential treatment depending on what spectrum you’re on. If you are a lighter shade you tend to be viewed as: poised, educated, well-spoken, polite, non-aggressive, approachable and so forth. If you are a darker shade, people tend to view you as: aggressive, loud, unapproachable, uneducated, not well spoken, and etc.

If you are curious if you have ever experienced colorism or treated someone differently because of their shade, take a moment to think about past situations and if you were more partial to someone because of the shade of their skin. Have you ever thought negatively about someone because their shade of skin was darker or prejudged them before getting to know them and vice versa? If so, then you have your answer! No matter what race your are or the color of your skin, it’s all beautiful! No one is better or less than the other. We’ve got to do better for our children, our community, and ourselves because if we don’t see the worth in one another despite the differences in the shade of our skin how do we expect the world to?