by
Black Girl With Long Hair
Black women are justifiably sensitive to issues of colorism, identity and appropriation. But is there ever a time when the sensitivity inhibits expression?
That was the question when Vanessa Williams channeled glamorous old Hollywood actress Veronica Lake.
Williams posted the image to her Instagram account with the caption;
#FF Channeling my inner #VeronicaLake. Repost @scottbarnes68
Williams’ look is the work of celebrity makeup artist Scott Barnes, and is part of a series he did, also transforming her into a darker-skinned woman.
Though it’s not always acknowledged, black and white women do borrow beauty inspiration from one other. It’s a tense exchange given white women’s penchant for taking beauty trends without crediting them to the source, and black women’s tendency to be labeled ‘self-hating’ for trying non-black beauty trends.
But is it always this simple? If the comments under Williams’ photo are any indication, it isn’t.
Many commenters expressed disappointment.
Others found the photo gorgeous, and defended Williams on the basis that she is bi-racial (which is inaccurate in terms of how Williams identifies.)
Williams’ parents both identify as African American.
In a 2013 LA Times article, Williams revealed that an ancestry test found her to be 23% from Ghana, 17% from the British Isles, 15% from Cameroon, 12% Finnish, 11% Southern European, 7% Togo, 6% Benin, 5% Senegal and 4% Portuguese.
As for whether this is whiteface, the question doesn’t seem relevant given that the purpose of blackface is to mock and, in some cases, erase African Americans. Williams clearly is doing neither.
Ladies, what are your thoughts?
33 Responses
you captured an important idea – we all borrow from each others? cultures and gather inspiration from the diversity of looks we are exposed to. I also don?t want to perpetuate a double standard but giving a free pass to a Black woman in white face if I can?t do the same for a White or other woman who darkens her skin, wears braids or dreads. Most people, even if they are using makeup to darken their skin are not doing to to be offensive, just as her skin wasn?t lightened to be offensive, so it?s not an issue for me on either side. Now gender and racial pay inequality, those are issues I find worth debating.
Vanessa is beautiful…she can pull off so many looks…thats the beauty of it all…girl..do u…ppl r just hatèrs….
Take your own advice. Based on the “you again,” I clearly expressed an opinion in the past that has you bitter, because you take strangers on the internet very seriously. The butthurt is real, lol. Meanwhile, I find you and your poorly-written little thoughts so unremarkable that I don’t know you from Eve. Thanks for joining my fan club. I’ll keep posting, so that butthurt you feel will keep smarting. 😀
oh lawd. im more upset at all the photoshop
Rolls eyes….you again….Get over it….Blacks in the west(and other places) have varied looks and Blackness, so to speak….and still proudly Black.
Roll your eyes all you please, but I’ll continue stating my opinion. I’m a black woman who was born in the U.S. of Caribbean parentage, making me a westerner. Not that I value you at all, and need to prove that I’m worthy to comment. Black is, and will continue to be, based on the preponderance of black DNA. White American slave masters do not define blackness, and neither do highly mixed people like you who want to redefine blackness because you benefit, due to the fact that mixed people who “identify” as black are treated far better by black people and social systems better than actual black people. You want to erase the struggle that authentic black people face. Now, let me know when someone dies and makes you the blog owner. Other than that, learn your place. I will be the one to remind you.
You really told me…Rolls eyes again…please, get a life.
Some people reaaaally need to stay quiet….and mind their business….That said, she looks beautiful in all the photos and still look like herself….
I agree with the author about this not being relevant due to what blackface was used to do. But… then again, we’re speaking of a group that’s recently made news for complaining that Luke Cage doesn’t have enough white people, so what more can be expected of society, but unfounded complaints about whiteface? lol I love the family pictures included, though. What a beautiful family. 🙂
I have no problem with this shoot. Especially when you see the rest of the project.
She 44% European ancestry so I’m not sure how she’s “more” White than Black. Depending on how you define Fully Black considering on average African Americans aren’t 100% African ancestry everyone isn’t going to be dark brown. Also the whole worshipping whiteness thing is overexaggerated for Black men and women.
Well 44% is pretty high level of whiteness. Most Black Americans and many Blacks in general are mixed with something besides African but I doubt it’s as high as 44%. I say this to say Black people need to accept mixed race people as just that and not pretend in spite of the light skin green or blue eyes fine hair black is Black, no. There are degrees of blackness, obviously.
Well one main reason many African Americans are predominantly African ancestry is because most of us marry/procreate within are self identified group similar to White Americans. Those of us may have 44% euro ancestry fall into the 20% of African Americans who Euro ancestry can range from 25% to 50% that’s not including those recently mixed. Also most mixed people this day and time don’t identify as Black it just so happens people love focusing on those that do identify as Black, there are plenty that identify as White.
Black is a person who has mostly black DNA, just as white people are those who have mainly white DNA. Most black Americans have at least 80% African DNA, according to studies.
Most are predominantly that because those who identify as Black marry other identified Black folk. Dna tests aren’t going to show you what individuals in some ones family tree looks like. Also one drop rule is exaggerated in that while yes those who were visibly mixed were claffied on paper as Negro nothing about the law forced them to self identify as Black.
She is beautiful no matter what. So I didn’t see as much back lash when she painted darker. This is the thing. They showed her beautiful no matter lighter or darker. She does not nor has she ever denied who she is. And she has always embraced who she is culturally. Well how do these same complaining people feel about black people who were able to pass back in the day ? There were ALOT of them.
Insecure folks have been riding Vanessa about her coloring since she was crowned Miss America. She obviously is secure enough in her blackness not to run from who she is or what she looks like. Ppl need to get over it. She is certainly more proud of being black than the likes of Kanye West.
i see Lake, and Iman, but who is she channeling with the short black wig?
I agree w/ Kellee Cee. When people make a big deal about things like this is why no one listens when we protest REAL issues. She is BIRACIAL! How would black people feel if she ONLY claimed her white side or vice versa. Everyone acts as if biracial means you’re black period and you better not dare to mention that you’re white as well. No you are black AND white. But if she dare embrace her white-ness everyone goes crazy. The “one-drop” rule was invented by racist slave mongers to imply that one drop of negro blood meant you’re intellectually incapable of being on the level of a white person. Yet black ppl carry this “one-drop” legacy on by saying you can’t acknowledge any other blood in your veins except the black genes.. Idk why. She’s a beautiful black woman, but you could also refer to her as a beautiful white woman technically speaking anyways. Or call her what it is “BI-racial”
Uh, her parents both identify themselves as African American. Her father looks like my African American father; fair skinned.
I don’t have a problem with this at all. He is a makeup artist showing the magic of makeup as you can see in the series.
She looks good as herself, darker or lighter. It’s 2016. Granted African Americans are being slaughtered by racist police, but this is a lady of whom any black person can be proud!
Give me a freakin break!! Pics like these are everywhere. Actors and model both black and white have been doing this for years. C’mon black folks. This is why some people have a hard time listening to us when we have valid complaints. Vanessa has ALWAYS embraced her blackness. She can’t help it that she light skinned with light eyes…and it’s not like there isn’t a darker skinned photo down there as well. She is a HUGE part of our black history. Stop with the foolishness.
I think the photos are beautiful. I feel some kind of way about the makeup artist making Vanessa white though. I get that its art, and Veronica Lake was white….but Vanessa Williams isn’t white… Im trying to find a reason why the artist decided to go through such great measures to make her look white. Why not just leave Vanessa’s skin, and do hair and makeup signifying Veronica Lake?….People have done that a million times……and yes he did a version of her as a darker skinned woman (Looks like Iman??)…but she’s already black. Idk…we may all be over thinking this. Maybe the artist’s goal was to play with different ethnicities……..
the artist goal was to totally transform her into something she is not .. that’s art .. making people believe the image is real when it’s not.
Seriously!?!?! THIS is what we are worrying about?!?!?!?! Its amazing what we obsess over and what we totally ignore.
If you need a celebrity to feel good about yourself then you have some serious issues.
I think it was an outstanding piece of artwork. I showed his skill as a makeup artist and hers as an actress. It is an award worthy effort!!!
She did an artistic photo shoot. So frickin what?! Keyboard worrors need to shut up. I think she is gorgeous!! Some of us In the black community need to be smarter about the battles we choose. This wasn’t one of them. #FacePalm
for real tho! and then when we talk about serious things like racial bias they brush us off because of ppl getting mad or things like this. OBVIOUSLY she is sensitive to the feelings of blacks and wasn’t doing this in a mocking or derogatory way…sigh
How come no one said anything about the picture where she is clearly darker skinned? To me i, it’s the same thing as her picture as Veronica Lake? Or is this another case of selective outrage? It’s just makeup. It comes off.
EXACTLY! Insecurities still run deep in 2016.
Hmm, well, I wouldn’t say this is a case of a black woman borrowing from a white woman. Vanessa Williams is a heavily mixed woman who is more white than black. Her DNA results prove it, but everyone with sense and two eyes knew that prior to seeing the results. Insecure black people enjoy worshipping whiteness in women, as long as a few “drops of black blood” are lurking around there somewhere to allow for a pretext. They feel validated when people who look like Vanessa falsely claim to be fully black, as insecure black people don’t see the beauty and worth in blackness. Their dreams got shattered and they need to seek counseling. Shrug. Non-story.
She looks like Christina Aguilera in this picture