An actual test, along with the so-called ruler test in common use in the the early 1900s among upper class Black American societies and families to determine if a Black person was sufficiently white to gain admittance or acceptance. If your skin was darker than a brown paper bag, you did not merit inclusion. Thousands of Black institutions including the nation's most eminent Black fraternity -- Phi Alpha Phi, Howard Univiersity, and numerous church and civic groups all practiced this discriminiation. The practice has 19th Century antecedants with the Blue Blood Society and has not totally died out.
Zora Neal Hurston was the first well known writer to air this strange practice in a public. The practice is now nearly universally condemned (at least in public) as being an example of "colorism". Particularly cogent modern day critiques can be found in Kathy Russell's "The Color Complex", Tony Morrion's "The Bluest Eye" (an Ophrey Book Club choice) and Marita Golden's "Don't Play in the Sun." The best known send-up of the pactice, however, is Spike Lee's scathing and hilarious 1988 movie, "School Daze."
Zora Neal Hurston was the first well known writer to air this strange practice in a public. The practice is now nearly universally condemned (at least in public) as being an example of "colorism". Particularly cogent modern day critiques can be found in Kathy Russell's "The Color Complex", Tony Morrion's "The Bluest Eye" (an Ophrey Book Club choice) and Marita Golden's "Don't Play in the Sun." The best known send-up of the pactice, however, is Spike Lee's scathing and hilarious 1988 movie, "School Daze."
"Though the brown paper bag test is antiquated and frowned upon as a shameful moment in African-American history, the ideals behind the practice still lingers in the African-American community" -- Rivea Ruff, BlackCollegeView.Com
by Bill Peters August 19, 2006
Get the brown paper bag test mug.i thought the girl was hot til she turned around and i saw her face. so i pulled out the paper bag and it was all good.
by Lou May 19, 2003
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A YouTube let's player who plays games such as Minecraft and Terraria. He was one of the initial Terraria beta testers. He often defines his audience as "champs and champettes".
by Felloffalot November 16, 2011
Get the PaperBatVG mug.Dear Sir or Madam, will you read my book?
It took me years to write, will you take a look?
It's based on a novel by a man named Lear
And I need a job
So I wanna be a paperback writer.
It took me years to write, will you take a look?
It's based on a novel by a man named Lear
And I need a job
So I wanna be a paperback writer.
by Chicken rider November 20, 2022
Get the Paperback writer mug.adj. used to describe (mainly) females whom posses good bodies yet have faces like a smacked arse... reffering to using a paper bag to cover their ugly faces during sex
Lad 1: Phwoar, look at that ass
(she turns around)
Lad 2: Damn she fell outta the ugly tree
Lads 1&2: Still give her one, paper bag job!
(she turns around)
Lad 2: Damn she fell outta the ugly tree
Lads 1&2: Still give her one, paper bag job!
by englandsnumberonehockeygoalkeeper August 28, 2006
Get the paper bag job mug.by Anonymous August 7, 2003
Get the paper bag mug.A very literate Mexican often found in Northern parts of California and Arizona. The term is based off of the racist discriminative word, "Wetback," which is referring to a Mexican.
Dude! You know Hakeem, that black/Mexican kid? He's such a Paperback!! He reads like five books a day!
by Cake Brownie June 17, 2009
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