Colorism and the Poetics of Resistance Among Black Youth: An Application of the Colorist-Historical Trauma Framework

Abstract

The colorist-historical trauma framework offers scholars, practitioners, and educators a new lens with which to more effectively combat racial disparities in society through the understanding of the intergenerational transmission of colorism in the historical trauma response of African Americans. This article applies the colorist-historical trauma framework to the colorism poems of young African Americans who demonstrate that poetry, as a device of healing, can be a useful mechanism of passing on more than the challenges associated with colorism, but also the art of resistance. The results of this thematic analysis produced three emerging concepts about the poetics of 16 young African Americans and have implications for mental health practitioners, educators, and scholars that uplift the healing process of poetry.

Colorism as Historical Trauma: Exploring School Racial Context, Peer Dynamics, and Counternarratives Among Black Women

“…As more scholars document the mental health consequences for Black women and girls who internalize colorist beliefs (Crutchfield et al, 2022), it is important to consider how school counselors and mental health clinicians can recognize, address, and disrupt the psychological and emotional distress caused by this form of misogynoir. In line with prior studies (Crutchfield et al, 2020; Napoleón, 2021), we suggest that school counselors and mental health clinicians should create physical and relational spaces for Black girls to discuss colorism as a form of historical and contemporary trauma. These spaces might prioritize artistic and creative forms of community healing, such as spoken word poetry, journaling, mindfulness sessions, and group affirmations.…”

“…To do so, we relied on the perspectives of ethnically diverse Black women to consider peer-based messages of colorism in K-16 school settings. Guided by Ortega-Williams et al’s (2019) colorist-historical trauma framework (CHTF) and Bailey’s (2021) theory of misogynoir, we provide additional evidence on the mental and emotional harm of colorism (Abrams et al, 2020; Crutchfield et al, 2020; Ward & Robinson-Wood, 2016), particularly on the long-term influence of colorist messages on Black women’s self-esteem and body image perceptions from early childhood and into emerging adulthood. Our findings corroborate prior investigations, where scholars have considered the social and material consequences of colorism in school settings and peer relationships (Breland-Noble, 2013; Rosario et al, 2021).…”

“…Colorism 1 was first coined by poet and activist Alice Walker (1982) and refers to the “prejudicial or preferential treatment of same-race people based solely on their skin color.” Colorism is a global manifestation of White supremacy that largely stems from the European legacy of colonialism and imperialism and affords greater privileges to people of color with lighter skin (Crutchfield et al, 2020; Dixon & Telles, 2017; Reece, 2019). In the United States, colorism is closely tied to the plantation-based enslavement of African Americans.…”

Anti-Black Racism and Historical Trauma: Pushing the Positive Youth Development Paradigm

“…Colorism is an oft-ignored stressor that is relevant when healing from anti-Black racism and historical trauma (Jackson et al, 2004; Ortega-Williams et al, 2019). By addressing anti-Black racism and historical trauma, including how it manifests as intragroup colorist-historical trauma responses and intergroup racist violence, positive youth development interventions with African American youth can offer deeper and more nuanced approaches to healing and wellness (Crutchfield et al, 2020; Jackson et al, 2004).…”

Unsubstantiated use of force in the killing of Atatiana Jefferson: A critical policy analysis

“…The problem with community policing is that the perception of blackness has an adverse effect which influences racialisation and colourism (e.g., Crutchfield, Fisher & Webb, 2017;Cunningham & Gillezeau, 2021). '.…”