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Deep Dive: Dark Girls (2011)

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Dark Girls
Dark Girls is a 2011 documentary directed by Bill Duke and D. Channsin Berry that addresses colorism within the African American community. The film features interviews with African American women who share their personal experiences and the impact of colorism on their self-esteem and identity. Notable figures like Viola Davis contribute to the discussion, revealing the deep-rooted issues surrounding skin color preferences in society. The documentary revisits the 1940s doll experiment by Kenneth and Mamie Clark, demonstrating that black children still show a preference for lighter-skinned dolls over darker ones in a contemporary version of the study. The film also examines the trend of skin bleaching, a multi-billion dollar industry, and contrasts the beauty standards that affect both black and white women, highlighting the societal pressures to conform to certain ideals of beauty.

Why Watch

  • •Meet Viola Davis and her views on colorism.
  • •See the updated doll experiment results from the 1940s.
  • •Find out about the billion-dollar skin bleaching industry.

Did You Know

•The film was shown to a sell-out crowd at the Pan African Film Festival in April 2012.
•In the updated doll experiment, black children favored light-skinned dolls over dark-skinned dolls.
•Bill Duke was asked during an NPR interview, 'Why are you airing our dirty laundry?'

Perfect For

Colorism discussionsAfrican American studiesBeauty standards analysis