Class
Notes on The Color Gradient
Videotape
Title: The One Drop Rule
Essay
Question: “Apply the following concepts
to the videotape entitled ‘The One Drop Rule’: color gradient, passing, false consciousness,
racism and Black Self-Hatred.”
The
title refers to the idea that “If there is one drop of African blood in a
person than they are to be defined as “Negro”, “Black”, “African-American”.
Color
gradient refers to the continuum of skin colors from dark to light found in the
human population. The color is determined by the amount of melanin in the skin.
Passing
is a term for the ability of light skinned “Blacks” to pass for “white”. Two
children of the same mixed couple parents may range from very light to very
dark.
False
Consciousness is a term used by Karl Marx for the beliefs found within a
minority group or class that perpetuates their disadvantage. People of color
who believe that lighter skin and straighter hair means that you are better
than people of darker skin and curly hair have false consciousness according to
this perspective.
Racism.
These attitudes are racist. They are more prominent among Americans in part due
to our history of slavery. This video supports the idea that people of color
can be racist.
“Black
Self Hatred.” This is a concept that
was used by “black” activists to label the process of hiding or minimizing
one’s “blackness.” The large “Afro”
hair-style and the slogan “black is beautiful” were meant to make a counter
statement to “black self hatred.”