gems, color science, color theory, art, anthropology, history of color, race, racism, racial discrimination

In the United States, as in many other parts of the world, people experience discrimination based on variations in skin tone. This phenomenon, known as colorism, is related to but distinct from racial discrimination, although the two are often conflated. Colorism involves the preferential treatment of individuals with lighter skin over those with darker skin, both within and across racial and ethnic groups. Although the United States has made significant progress in addressing racial inequality in recent decades, discrimination based on skin colour remains a persistent and frequently overlooked aspect of everyday life. In Color Matters, Kimberly Jade Norwood brings together the latest research on this subtle yet pervasive form of discrimination, drawing on insights from history, law, sociology, and psychology. Grounded in historical analyses that examine how the legacy of slavery has shaped attitudes toward skin colour in American society, the contributors reveal the many ways colorism influences contemporary life—from clothing and beauty standards to media representation and even adoption decisions. Offering a broad and illuminating examination of the subject, Color Matters provides students and readers interested in race and society with an important overview of how both race and skin colour continue to shape social experiences in the United States.