Biracial Activism in the Black Lives Matter Era Maria Hamming Grand Valley State University

McNair Scholars Journal Volume 21 | Issue 1 Article 4 2017 Counting Color: Biracial Activism in the Black Lives Matter Era Maria Hamming Grand Valley State University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/mcnair Recommended Citation Hamming, Maria (2017) "Counting Color: Biracial Activism in the Black Lives Matter Era," McNair Scholars Journal: Vol. 21 : Iss. 1 , Article 4. Available at: https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/mcnair/vol21/iss1/4 Copyright © 2017 by the authors. McNair Scholars Journal is reproduced electronically by ScholarWorks@GVSU. https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/ mcnair?utm_source=scholarworks.gvsu.edu%2Fmcnair%2Fvol21%2Fiss1%2F4&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPages Counting Color: Biracial Activism in the Black Lives Matter Era Introduction and was pregnant. Nixon knew that Colvin would be a “political liability in certain On March 2, 1955 Claudette Colvin parts of the black community”6 and would would find a seat on a city bus in certainly fuel stereotypes from the White Montgomery, Alabama and send the community.7 Montgomery bus boycott into motion. A 10th grader at Booker T. Washington Colorism explains why Claudette High School, Claudette felt empowered Colvin was not used as the face of the by her class history lessons on Harriet Montgomery bus boycott. Color classism, Tubman and Sojourner Truth, and was or colorism, is defined as “a social, disillusioned by the “bleak racial conditions economic, and political societal framework in Montgomery.”1 Per the segregation laws that follows skin-color differences, such at the time, Claudette sat in the rear of the as those along a continuum of possible bus, which was designated for “colored” shades, those with the lightest skin color passengers. Because the bus was nearly full, enjoy the highest social standing, and those a White couple sat directly across from with the darkest skin color are among the Claudette. As far as bus driver Robert W. poorest.”8 While colorism can be found Maria Hamming Cleere was concerned, the color line had in many different racial groups, for the 1 McNair Scholar been crossed. Despite city laws requiring purposes of this research, the term will “passengers to move only if another seat be speaking to colorism within the Black was available,”2 he called police officers, community. Because of colorism, the Black who then pulled a sobbing Claudette off leaders would have to make a case against of the bus, and took her to jail. Martin segregation without Colvin. Luther King, Jr., described Claudette’s detainment as “an ‘atrocity’ that “seemed to For Nixon, and the sake of the bus arouse the Negro community.’”3 Ultimately boycott, it was imperative that they find the judge found her guilty of “assault and an individual “whose class background, battery, assessed a small fine, and declared moral reputation and public record could [her] a juvenile delinquent.”4 withstand the withering White Scrutiny and inspire African-American unity.”9 Jo Ann Robinson, a prominent leader in Because she was already well versed in Montgomery, and the Women’s Political activism, had a spotless record, was of a Council had been floating the idea of a lighter complexion and knew Nixon, Rosa bus boycott around for about a year prior Parks knew that when she chose not to give to Colvin’s arrest.3 Believing that they, up her seat on December 1, 1955 that she Robinson and Mary Fair Burks (another would become exactly who Nixon had been activist in Montgomery) “had found a searching for.10 Louis Moore ‘victim’ around whom they could rally community support for a general protest,”5 Claudette Colvin’s story, and her exemption Faculty Mentor brought their idea to E. D. Nixon who was from being the face of the Montgomery bus another prominent leader in Montgomery. boycott, emphasizes that there is reasoning Nixon “hesitated to endorse a general behind who is placed at the forefront of boycott before meeting with Colvin and Black freedom movements. To be accepted her parents,”6 but ensured Robinson that he and well received in the White community, would make a decision after doing so. during the civil rights struggle, some Black leaders embraced colorism and the politics Upon his arrival, Nixon quickly realized of respectability. Despite the necessity, the that Colvin would be unsuitable for use of lighter faces did not come without the community use as the face of the contention. From Marcus Garvey to W. E. movement. The Colvin household B. Du Bois, and then Du Bois’ critique of was located in King Hill, an area of Walter White, it is clear that discrediting Montgomery that was known for one another on the basis of skin tone being a “lower-class black enclave with was prevalent during this period of Black tumbledown houses, unpaved streets, activism. With the excommunication of and outdoor privies.”6 Claudette’s parents Shaun King, a biracial man from the Black were working-class; her mother worked as Lives Matter (BLM) organization in 2015, a maid and her father did yard work. In and celebrity activists such as actor Jesse addition, Claudette had a dark complexion Williams and actress Zendaya having their 6 GVSU McNair Scholars Journal place in the movement questioned by the media to impart their academic expertise as working in the “big house” were meant Black community, it leads one to wonder if and to teach the public in a more accessible for light skinned individuals while darker these issues of colorism persist in 2017. way. In addition, online articles including complexioned individuals worked in the “Can Biracial Activists Speak to Black fields. While the progeny of a slave master This paper will examine this 100-year Issues?” and “Race, Love, Hate, and Me: A and enslaved mother could not inherit any history of colorism. Through the primary Distinctly American Story (AKA: Yes, I’m of their father’s wealth, they often were texts of Marcus Garvey, Du Bois, White Black)” speak to the sentiment on colorism given these more coveted positions on the and others I will demonstrate that during the Black Lives Matter era. plantation. While it is understandable why colorism experienced in 2017 is rooted in some would conclude that the life of a history and will begin to un-package the ONE-DROP RULE | PARTUS LAW | mixed-race slave was better, often they were implications of colorism within the Black COLORISM subjected to abuse at their master’s whims community. Ultimately, I will explore The One-Drop Rule (hypodescent), a and passions because they were in such this idea of being biracial in the Black close proximity. This was especially true Lives Matter era, thus creating a further term originating in the 1900’s, “was a determinant racial marker exclusive to for slaves born from their mother’s forced understanding of the role that biracial relations with the slave master; the wives individuals play in Black social justice the United States by which racial identity was defined, and a person was considered of slave masters were particularly cruel to movements, today, and to understand the the enslaved progeny of their husband’s.16 effects of colorism on bi-racial activists. ‘black’ if he or she had any African ancestry.”11 The groundwork was laid for Ultimately, miscegenation between White METHODS the One-Drop rule in 1662 when Virginia slave owners and enslaved women created a adopted the rule partus sequitur ventrem: dichotomy within the enslaved people that Both primary and secondary sources were the child follows the condition of the would last for centuries. used for this research. Primary sources 12 mother. Partus law was originally “the Because some slave owners “openly or include the Black newspaper The Negro legal rule that applied to livestock and World and the magazine The Crisis. Black surreptitiously accepted responsibility for other domestic animals: that the offspring the paternity of mulattoes…” they chose newspapers are a key source to any study of a domestic animal belonged to the on black life in America and give insight on 13 to educate and free them, thus leading owner of the female who gave birth.” to future light skin families having more the Black community in the past. In these With laws such as the child follows the weeklies – most could not afford to print a access to education than dark skinned condition of the mother, white men were African Americans.17 Even if White fathers daily paper – Black Americans articulated free to rape indiscriminately without fear a sense of self that helped define blackness, did not claim their biracial children, these of a child ever being able to claim property light-skinned individuals “often asserted including debates on colorism. Through or wealth. Variation in skin color among Grand Valley State University’s databases, freedom based on their color, suing to African Americans began with enslaved end their servitude.”18 As a result of this, “Black Studies” and “African American women being forced into sexual relations Newspapers,” these primary sources can be mixed race and light African Americans with white men. The one-drop rule meant were in a unique position to step into the accessed. The two databases give insight to “no matter how white-looking or white- 190 years of Black history. forefront and assume leadership roles in acting someone of mixed ancestry was, the Black community. Post-emancipation, Because I argue that colorism has remained or how little blackness was actually in the for those who had “light-enough skin and person’s genetic makeup, that individual 19 an issue for over 100 years, it is necessary 14 fine-enough European features,” could to use the words of civil rights leaders was to be considered black.” Partus pass as White because they recognized the like W.E.B.

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