Interpreting Colorism: Skin Tone and Racial Identity in the Museum

Abstract

Race and racism are intertwined with United States history and have been presented within museums since their beginning. Recently, some museums have begun taking an active role in opening the conversation on aspects of race and skin-tone-based discrimination through exhibits. While there has been scholarship addressing the effectiveness of exhibits discussing race and racism, there has been little research on the presence of colorism in these exhibits. The purpose of this research was to examine the role museums play in developing a deeper understanding of racial identity through the curation of colorism in exhibits about race and skin tone. Through three case studies, data were collected in interviews with museum staff at institutions with exhibits relating to racial identity and skin tone.