Carrie Arnett

Distinguishing Between Race and Skin Color

            “There is only one race, the human race.”  Ideally this statement seems true.  However, in a complex world it is not that simple.  In a utopian society there would only be one bubble to fill in when a person is asked to state their race: the human race.  Unfortunately this simple world does not exist, and many times the issue is blanketed by society.  In a former research posting, “Breaking the Color Code: African American Assimilation,” I examined how skin color effected the assimilation process for African Americans and posed the question of whether or not the “color code” could be broken.  During this study, two terms repeatedly surfaced, causing me question whether or not I truly understood the difference between the two: race and skin color.  As many people associate race with skin color, the two terms often overlap.  Therefore in this research posting, I question how race and skin color relate to one another and how they differ.

Race and skin color are two topics that must be looked at from a biological standpoint as well as a social one.  Race is generally what distinguishes one human being from another.  When examining the race of a person, many different factors are involved.  Traditionally, a biologist would scientifically examine skin color, hair color, body proportions, skull measurements, and other genetics in order to distinguish differences and similarities between human beings from all types of geographical locations (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race).  The Wikipedia website served as a starting point in understanding the definition of race, and set a foundation for discovering my own ideas and interpretations.

            However in modern research, many studies show that biological races do not exist.  According to Trina Jones, author of "Shades of Brown: The Law of Skin Color," there are few, if any, genetic characteristics possessed specifically by only one group, whether black or white (Jones 1493).  Jones argues that the genetic differences between racial groups are small compared to the genetic differences within the groups themselves, such as skin color (1494).  This is significant because these characteristics are what seem to assign a person to a specific racial category.  The lighter the skin, the more likely one will be labeled white; and the darker the skin, the more likely one will be labeled black. I discovered Jones’s article in the electronic database JSTOR, and found it significant because it relates to my previous research posting.  However, the article is most beneficial because the primary focus centers on the idea that race cannot be looked at only from a scientific perspective.

Once skin color is used to assign a person a specific race, race then becomes a topic where many different social meanings are given to each group.  The categories of white and black, like the color code suggest, are filled with many different social meanings, such as good and evil, clean and dirty, and strong and weak.  Social meanings are also linked with socioeconomic differences between racial groups.  In this regard, the color code then connects to a social ideology associated with the dominant culture.  Jones argues that as people develop beliefs about a specific racial group, they may make assumptions about a group’s “intellect, physical attractiveness, work ethic, class, and morality” (1497).   This idea relates to my prior research posting in that from this perspective, then race, like skin color,  may affect African Americans in many different aspects of their lives:  marriage, job placement, earnings, residency, and one’s own self-concept.

In Jones’ article, she introduces a term very similar to the color code, called “colorism.”  She says that skin color alone is not an indicator of race, but it is rather the social meaning itself that creates differential treatment (1497).  Therefore, according to colorism, those who are lighter skinned members of the black race may receive preferential treatment compared to a darker member of the black race.  This may occur intraracially (within members of the same race) or interracially (making a distinction across racial groups).  For instance, in an interview with Anthonette Okoradudu, she described how her brother, a dark skinned African American, was dating a very light skinned African American, whose mother did not want her dating Dale Okoradudu, because of his darker skin (Okoradudu, Anthonette).  Within this intraracial example, the mother felt that by dating a darker skinned African American, the daughter’s social status might be affected.  Therefore, with colorism, it is the social meaning associated with one’s skin color that determines one’s status.  And with racism, it is the social meaning associated to one’s race that determines one’s status (Jones 1498).

So, how do race and skin color relate to one another?  Race and skin color are distinct subjects that often overlap.  Traditionally, race seems to be viewed as a way to distinguish one human being from another.  Biological genetics has been used in the past in determining what race a person belongs to.  On the other hand, many recent studies find that there is not much difference, if any at all, between the genetics of one race and another.  Even though skin color may be one factor in categorizing race, it is not limited to skin color alone.  Bloodline, ancestors, and genetics can all play a role in determining race.  However, race cannot be looked upon as only a biological issue.  Social meanings associated to different races, whether intraracially or interracially, must be considered.  From this topic, of race and skin color, I have gained in more ways than one.  Scholarly, I feel that I have gained a better definition and understanding of how race and skin color relate to one another.  If someone would have asked me the difference between race and color, before doing this research, I probably would have tip-toed around the topic.  But now, I feel comfortable with talking about these issues, which will open the doors for more information.  In short, I believe that skin color can be associated with race, but cannot be limited to this alone. 

Works Cited

Jones, Trina. "Shades of Brown: The Law of Skin Color." Duke Law Journal Apr 2000: 1487-1557. JSTOR. University of Houston at Clear Lake. 13 Jun 2006 <http://www.jstor.org/>.

Okoradudu, Anthonette. Personal interview. 11 Jun 2006.