Shades Of Blackness

Written By: Nicole Parker-Jones—I have been labeled as not being “black enough”—not white, just not “black enough”—more times than I would like to remember. It is insulting, irritating, and offensive to the core. Paradoxically, it is not other black people who have alleged that I am not black enough, rather, it is non-blacks who find that my brand of black—well educated, well spoken, well mannered, well raised—does not comport with their stereotypical notions of what it means to be “black.” Either I was being mocked at a party for not knowing how to dance well like "other black people" or I was being paid a backhanded compliment for blending into corporate America unlike "other black people" or my contributions in the classroom were being discounted because I couldn't really represent diversity when my opinions were not like those of “other black people.” Whether cloaked as mockery, a compliment, or simply an off-handed observation, there is no denying it is racist, and it is palpable.

Read the rest in Shades Of Blackness.

(Photo Credits: © Fuse / PunchStock) (Models Used Solely For Illustrative Purposes)