Nineteenth International Conference on Diversity in Organizations, Communities & Nations

Abstract

Colorism is a form of discrimination based on individual skin tone, typically favoring those with lighter skin. Although technically distinguished from racism, it can produce similarly damaging effects. It can occur both within a specific racial/ethnic group and across groups. It is a persistent problem faced by Black people in the United States. Research has shown, for example, non-Blacks and, to a lesser degree, lighter-skinned African-Americans receive better opportunities for education, promotions/jobs, and income. Re-enforced during the American slave era, colorism is a deeply-rooted, systematic issue, which must be acknowledged and challenged. This paper interrogates the impact of colorism on Black hospitality employees. The goal is to uncover colorism’s social and economic effects and provide recommendations for mitigating bias and ending preferential treatment.