Blacks. The presence of a mulatto reduced racial tensions, especially in areas where Negroes outnumbered Whites (15). Many mulattoes feared that newly freed slaves would infringe upon their so-called civil liberties. To prevent such actions, some mulattoes intermingled and intermarried only with each other, actively discriminating against those who were dark (16). The rights that were given to mulattoes by Whites played a significant role in dividing the Black community. By treating the mulattoes as if they were better than the darker Blacks, the Whites had laid the groundwork for a pattern of color classism in Black America (23). There presently exists a color gap in power and privilege that divides the Black community that is the result of mulattoes gaining a degree of social standing from Whites before the Civil War (24). The trends that were set during this age of supreme racial discrimination remain evident in the social clubs, churches, neighborhoods, and schools of America. To be a part of many of the elite organizations of the early twentieth century, candidates would have to pass tests:The paper bag, test involved placing an arm inside a brown paper, and only if the skin on the arm was lighter than the color of the bag would a prospective member be invited to attend church services. Other churches painted their doors a light shadeof brown, and anyone whose skin was darker than the door was politely invited to seek religious services elsewhereA fine-toothed comb was hung on a rope near the front entrance. If ones hair was too nappy and snagged in the comb, entry was denied (27).Those organizations of the past that required that prospective members be subject to the paper-bag, the door, or the comb test continue to maintain a majority of light-skinned members (27). Some of the most respected institutions within the Black community are still plagued by the perception that the lighter shade of black is better. Social or...
