No Representation For Latinos in America Media

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No Representation of Afro Latinos and African Americans in the media divides or community. “Differences in skin tone and phenotype among black people do have meaning in the United States, especially for blacks with the darkest skin tones and the least European phenotypes. Sociology studies indicate that blacks and whites, and perhaps other nonwhites, distinguish among blacks based on skin tone.”(Banks) This quote shows how colorism in the Black and Latino communities do exist and how even people of different ethnicity can see the divide. This divide can especially be seen in the media. Look at the number of dark African Americans and Latino Americans seen in the media playing positive influential roles are just being spot lighted. Wallace Thurman in 1929 in his book, “ the Blacker the Berry” says  In the African American community, skin color, an ascribed status attribute, played an integral role in determining class distinctions”( Thurman) This show how there is a separation based on the complexion of are skin in communities of color. This separation is because the media continues to show people of lighter complexion to satisfy the white majority in the United States.  Allowing dark Latino Americans and African Americans to be seen in the media helps destroy negative stereotypes placed during the Jim Crow era and eliminates colorism. Kai Beasley in her article “Black Students Still Favor Lighter Skin,” shows how even in society today people with lighter complexions are admired over dark skin. Even though many critics say the media business does not discriminate on color but does whatever involves the most money.

Work Cited

       Beasley, Kai. "Black Students Still Favor Lighter Skin, Study Finds." | THE BLACK COLLEGIAN     ARCHIVES. n. page. Web. 17 Feb. 2012. <http://www.black-collegian.com/news/bcwire/bcwire_colorism_0607.htm>.

      Thurman, Wallace. 1929. The blacker the berry: A novel of Negro life. New York: Macmillan.   Turner, R. J., and S. Noh. 1983. Class and psychological vulnerability among women: The significance of social support and personal control. Journal of Health and Social Behavior 24:2-15.