
REFERENCE BY LORI L. THARPS IS AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF JOURNALISM AT TEMPLE UNIVERSITY AND THE AUTHOR OF SAME FAMILY, DIFFERENT COLORS:
SKIN COLOR MATTERS BECAUSE WE ARE A VISUAL SPECIES AND WE RESPOND TO ONE ANOTHER BASED ON THE WAY WE PHYSICALLY PRESENT. ADD TO THAT THE “LIKE BELONGS WITH LIKE” BELIEFS MOST PEOPLE HARBOR, AND THE RACE-BASED PREJUDICES HUMAN BEINGS HAVE ATTACHED TO CERTAIN SKIN COLORS, AND WE COME TO PRESENT-DAY SOCIETY, WHERE SKIN COLOR BECOMES A LOADED SIGNIFIER OF IDENTITY AND VALUE. IN THE U.S. IN PARTICULAR, WHERE WE HAVE AN EXTREMELY DIVERSE POPULATION, RACE STILL MATTERS, BUT COLOR MATTERS, TOO.