Inspired by life experiences, critically acclaimed actor and director Bill Duke speaks exclusively with ReelUrbanNews.com about his new and extremely colorful photo book, “DARK GIRLS.” Duke is candid when discussing the issues of inner cultural racism and colorism within the African American community.
“I really wanted to address the issue of colorism in our community. Light is better than dark and this has been going on since slavery. The house Negro verses the field Negro and all of the implications of that. I wanted to create a book that showed the beauty of Black women, dark skinned Black women so that when cute little girls in the future are addressed in a negative way, they can point to DARK GIRLS and say look at this.
When asked why colorism continues to remain within the African American culture, Duke is clearly perplexed as he traces history to provide clarity. “I don’t know if it’s genetically based or if it’s a part of our gene pool or something that is propagated through our ignorance. I think it’s a matter of self-esteem; we’ve been taught not to like ourselves. However the irony is that you have White females spending two times a week in the tanning salon trying to become darker, crinkling their hair trying to look more ethnic and botoxing their lips all to look more ethnic and it’s all based upon the beauty business. The beauty business is being paid well because of our low self-esteem.”
Duke dedicates DARK GIRLS to his mother, sister and niece while recalling the lessons and wisdom his parents shared with him about being dark skinned. “My parents had a great quote that said, ‘What ever a person thinks about you, that’s their business. The way people see you treat your self is how they will treat you.”
According to Duke women who read DARK GIRLS should gain new insight and perspective. “I want women to gain an understanding that how God created them is fine. And whenever the beauty business says they’re not beautiful the way they are it is lying to them to get paid for making them something they are not. How they are is fine. It’s good. It’s beautiful.”
Bill Duke, Author, DARK GIRLS
