22543: Pierre: RE: 22540: Nlbo: On Color -- Bob Corbett adds

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Marie Nadine Pierre <marienadinepierre@hotmail.com>

Dr.Corbett,

I implore you not to give up on that listing. These varying shades of Black
has been a subject of one of photography projects that I hope to publish and
display someday soon. The fact is that they Matter. Just like Cornell West
has documented that Race Matters in his stellar work which was published
while he was a Professor at Harvard University. For Haitians shades of black
has been almost the sole determinant to social class and position. As such
certain folks experience mobility or the lack of if because of their shade
of black. In Miami where I live for example, shade of Black is the sole
determinant in my interactions with other Haitians. Or moreover, in their
interactions with me. The dark chocolate Haitians tend to see me as a
wannabe middle class and because I'm a dread with no money they shun me.
They are overwhelmingly from the North West parts of Ayiti primarily Port De
Paix and many have spent time in the Bahamas. They prefer to identify as
West Indians which means a disdain for certain Haitian characteristics that
would make them seem too Frenchy. The lighter skin Haitians in my city are
just as prejudice and oppressive. They are almost exclusively white
identified. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if many of them did not try to
pass at some point even for a Hispanic. They don't have any respect for the
likes of me at all. I would have been their ti moun back in Haiti and they
are my social superiors here and they act accordingly. They are just like
the nemesis to the North cold and heartless.

You may be wondering why a social scientist like myself is choosing to be so
general in my statements about these people. IT'S REALLY LIKE THAT. I was
warned by another Berkeley student Leonie Hermatin who is now a cotending
force in Miami about the color coded reality of Miami or the color problems
here. I chose to come here for love and I don't regret it. I hardly meet
anyone that looks like me. And not surprising, folks from my part of the
nation of Haiti are scarce here. Edwige Danticat is also from Leoganne and
she has moved here and married a man from Les Cayes. They make a nice light
brown looking couple and I'm sure that their children will be even a lighter
hue. They are both lighter than me and they are taller.

In South Florida the body is so important in social construction of human
beings. Every body part is judged and counted.

They had some similar classifications in Brazil that listed something like
88 categorize of color. To a social scientist who has studied the works of
Max Weber this is most intriguing. We know that people construct opinions
and judge based on looks. Look what physical characteristics and good genes
did for John F. Kennedy? So-called good looking people are always more
successful in every aspect of life in our society. This is seen in
education, industry, media and so on...I believe that beauty is in the Eye
of the beholder. It truly has to come from within.

Don't give up the fight. We have to disect the problem in order to find a
solution. And this mode of categorizing works to destroy certain stereotypes
that hold our folks hostage in this society. Nekita is an educator and so
I'm not surprised that she has some concerns about this issue. They are the
most treacherous when it comes to using any little thing against people just
so they can have the last word. I have sent her countless of emails in
response to some of what she's written but she never responds. Hudicourt and
the other guy just want to ignore the problem. It won't go away though.

================

Bob Corbett adds.  I am keeping the color listings for the time being, but
changing some of them in response to corrections people have sent me.

But I do want to clarify that this is no crusade for me.  No fight.  I put
the colors in the list which I had found in Paquin's book as I said
before.  I did it since I was fairly convinced from my reading that color
was a significant factor AT LEAST IN HISTORY.

However, the whole issue wasn't one that I spent a great deal of time
with, and, again, I not wanting the issue to be one where I am associated
with it as some champion -- not so.  I just struggle to understand Haitian
history and culture and try to stick with where the evidence points me.
At this time I'm still persuaded this was a very relevant factor in
Haitian history and thus makes sense to note it in the list of heads of
state.

As I read more, perhaps I'll be persuade differently.

Bob Corbett