Brown paper bag test

Common card · No. 214388

In the United States, the "brown paper bag test" is a term in Black oral history used to describe a colorist discriminatory practice within the Black community in the 20th century, in which an individual's skin tone is compared to the color of a brown paper bag. The test was used to determine what privileges an individual could have; only those with a skin color that matched or was lighter than a brown paper bag were allowed admission or membership privileges. The test was believed by many to be used in the 20th century by many Black-American social institutions such as sororities, fraternities, and social clubs despite limited evidence to support the accusation. The term is also used in reference to larger issues of class and social stratification and colorism within the Black population. People were barred from having access to several public spaces and resources because of their darker complexion.

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