White People More Likely to Recall a ‘Smart’ Black Man as Being Light-Skinned
Studies have long noted the different ways light-skinned Black men were perceived by white people when compared to Black men of darker complexions, but one 2014 study revealed just how deep this skin complexion bias goes. Regardless of a Black man’s actual complexion, he is more likely to be recalled as a lighter-skinned man by white people who perceived him as being intelligent and “educated,” according to a study by professors at San Francisco State University. An earlier study from 2006 also revealed that white people perceived lighter-skinned Black men as being more intelligent than their dark-skinned peers. Dark-skinned Black men with an MBA were found to be less likely to be hired than light-skinned Black men who only obtained a bachelor’s degree.
College Professors More Likely to Mentor White, Male Students
There is a common misconception that education and knowledge are all it takes to rid someone of their racial biases. A study of more than 6,500 college professors proved just how false this myth really was. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University and New York University sent identical letters to more than 6,500 professors at 259 schools in 89 disciplines. The letters all requested mentorship from the professors but alternated the name that was used on the letter. Mei Chen would be perceived as an Asian female; Keisha Thomas would be perceived as a Black female, and Brad Anderson would be perceived as a white male. The study’s results found that professors were far more likely to respond to a student’s request for mentorship if the student was believed to be a white male.
