Marita Golden has written both fiction and nonfiction, including Migrations of the Heart, A Miracle Every Day, and Saving Our Sons. She is the editor of Wild Women Don't Wear No Blues: Black Women Writers on Love, Men, and Sex, and the coeditor of Gumbo: An Anthology of African American Writing. She is the founder and CEO of the Hurston/Wright Foundation, which supports African American writers, and lives in Maryland.
“Superb. . . . An insider’s view on the lasting impact of the color
complex, which, after centuries, still governs the way blacks are
treated, and even how we treat each other.” —Nathan McCall, author
of Makes Me Wanna Holler
"Erudite, self-aware and thorough, Golden makes a knowing guide to
thorny psychosocial territory."–Publishers Weekly
"A potent meditation."–Library Journal
“Thoughtful and provocative. . . . Marita Golden shows us how
ludicous is the notion of “colorism” and the painful legacy it has
created for us all.” --Patrice Gaines, author of Laughing in the
Dark
“A uniquely personal memoir. . . . Using the dualism that existed
in her home, she takes us through her life and describes how, even
today, she is evaluated through the twin veils of race and color.”
–Ebony
“As a youth in the early 1940s, I wrote a poem describing what I
considered an ideal girl, [which] contained the lines: ‘Her hair is
long, black, and silky,/ and she is high, yellow, fair.’ Truly,
none of us are spared the marks of oppression. But some of us
evolve. In Don’t Play in the Sun, Marita Golden displays with
candor and insight her marvelous evolvement in the racially
splintered concepts of color.” –Derrick Bell, author of Ethical
Ambition: Living a Life of Meaning and Worth
“A deeply personal account of growing up as a dark-skinned woman. .
. . Golden’s account of her personal journey to an appreciation of
her looks offers a revealing look at a topic that is rarely
discussed so openly.” –Booklist
“Marita Golden has written a brilliant, thought-provoking book. She
voices the rage of brown and black girls who were taught to doubt
their beauty . . . and she takes them with her on an emotional,
transforming journey which celebrates self-love and
self-acceptance. Ms. Golden is a healer, a griot attacking racism
and self-hatred with wisdom, a lively spirit, and a generous heart.
She encourages everyone to enjoy their days in the sun.” –Jewell
Parker Rhodes, author of Douglass’s Women
“In this soul-searching, perceptive, and healing journey through
the maze of the ‘color complex,’ Marita Golden challenges us to
jettison the mirrors of the past, see ourselves through
ourselves–and cherish the reflection.”–Paula J. Giddings, Professor
of Afro-American Studies, Smith College, and editor of Burning All
Illusions: Writings from The Nation on Race
Novelist/memoirist Golden (Migrations of the Heart) combines autobiography, interviews, and social commentary in a potent meditation on a rampant preference for "lightness and brightness" among African Americans. People of a dazzling range of backgrounds, skin tones, and hair textures are defined and self-defined as "black," but social privilege routinely accompanies those with lighter skin, straighter hair, and smaller features-in short, those who approximate white appearance. Golden cites the marginalization of dark-skinned actresses and the success of Halle Barry; the sexualized, light-skinned women on BET videos; and the home and school experiences of dark- and light-skinned people from various walks of life. With chapters set in Nigeria and Cuba, she also demonstrates that colorism is internationally infectious. She articulates the myriad ways in which this affects black people across the color spectrum, damaging their self-esteem, their relationships, and their potential for success. Although the implied readership is primarily women of color, one hopes that this book reaches a wide audience, especially white participants in the larger conversation about race, who may be concerned about the black/white color line yet largely unaware of the ugly impact of colorism within the black community. Recommended for libraries of all sizes and types. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 12/03.]-Janet Ingraham Dwyer, Worthington Libs., OH Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
"Superb. . . . An insider's view on the lasting impact of the color
complex, which, after centuries, still governs the way blacks are
treated, and even how we treat each other." -Nathan McCall, author
of Makes Me Wanna Holler
"Erudite, self-aware and thorough, Golden makes a knowing guide to
thorny psychosocial territory."-Publishers Weekly
"A potent meditation."-Library Journal
"Thoughtful and provocative. . . . Marita Golden shows us
how ludicous is the notion of "colorism" and the painful legacy it
has created for us all." --Patrice Gaines, author of Laughing in
the Dark
"A uniquely personal memoir. . . . Using the dualism that
existed in her home, she takes us through her life and describes
how, even today, she is evaluated through the twin veils of race
and color." -Ebony
"As a youth in the early 1940s, I wrote a poem describing
what I considered an ideal girl, [which] contained the lines: 'Her
hair is long, black, and silky,/ and she is high, yellow, fair.'
Truly, none of us are spared the marks of oppression. But some of
us evolve. In Don't Play in the Sun, Marita Golden displays
with candor and insight her marvelous evolvement in the racially
splintered concepts of color." -Derrick Bell, author of Ethical
Ambition: Living a Life of Meaning and Worth
"A deeply personal account of growing up as a dark-skinned
woman. . . . Golden's account of her personal journey to an
appreciation of her looks offers a revealing look at a topic that
is rarely discussed so openly." -Booklist
"Marita Golden has written a brilliant, thought-provoking book. She
voices the rage of brown and black girls who were taught to doubt
their beauty . . . and she takes them with her on an emotional,
transforming journey which celebrates self-love and
self-acceptance. Ms. Golden is a healer, a griot attacking racism
and self-hatred with wisdom, a lively spirit, and a generous heart.
She encourages everyone to enjoy their days in the sun." -Jewell
Parker Rhodes, author of Douglass's Women
"In this soul-searching, perceptive, and healing journey
through the maze of the 'color complex,' Marita Golden challenges
us to jettison the mirrors of the past, see ourselves through
ourselves-and cherish the reflection."-Paula J. Giddings, Professor
of Afro-American Studies, Smith College, and editor of Burning
All Illusions: Writings from The Nation on Race
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