Kenneth and Mamie Clark's Doll Test

Kenneth and Mamie Clark

What is Colorism?

Definition: Colorism is a practice of discrimination by which those with lighter skin are treated more favorably than those with darker skin. In the African-American community, this traditionally played out via the paper bag test. Those lighter than the standard paper lunch bag were allowed entry into fraternities, sororities and other realms of black upper class life, while dark-skinned blacks were excluded. The Spike Lee film “School Daze” is an exploration of colorism. Source

In the 1940's Kenneth and Mamie Clark, a married psychologist team, conducted a test to study children's attitudes about race and how segregation affected their self esteem. Kenneth, who eventually became the first Black president of the American Psychological Association, and Mamie's study became evidence in Brown v. the Board of Education which outlawed segregated schools.

In 2007 Kiri Davis did the test again and you can see her results in her documentary film, A Girl Like Me.