The Problem of Black Skin

“Dr. Stallworth has given us a rich and thought-provoking work that calls for a new and more nuanced understanding of the age-old and complex problem of black skin, which, interestingly enough, still obstructs the path to better and more peaceful relations between humans. He urges us to view the problem not only in an historical, cultural, and social context, but to also consider its spiritual dimensions and implications. The task Stallworth sets before himself is challenging and, in some ways, quite difficult, but he succeeds with deep sensitivity and considerable insight.”


—Lewis V. Baldwin, author of The Arc of Truth: The Thinking of Martin Luther King, Jr.





“The Problem of Black Skin is a historical analysis, interwoven with contemporary moments, that highlights the roles of society, culture, and religion in human formation. With specific attention to imposed limitations of pigmentocracy, DeWayne R. Stallworth’s socio-religious analysis of the evolution of white resentment, notions of supremacy, and practices of terror serve as a framework for examining Black complicity in advancing theories and practices of anti-blackness. During a time marked by polarization and constructions of otherness, this publication is a major contribution to historical, sociological, religious, and theological studies.”


—Angela D. Sims, president, Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, and author of Lynched: The Power of Memory in a Culture of Terror