The color line
Meaning
The color line refers to the social, political, and economic barriers created by racial discrimination and segregation, especially against non-white people.
Origin
W.E.B. Du Bois famously declared in his 1903 masterpiece, "The Souls of Black Folk," that "The problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color-line." He articulated this concept as the global division and discrimination based on race, particularly against people of color by white societies. While the idea of racial division predated Du Bois, his eloquent and prophetic statement crystallized it into a potent phrase, transforming it from a mere observation into a rallying cry for racial justice and equality, forever etching the "color line" into the lexicon of civil rights and social commentary.
Examples
- The civil rights movement aimed to dismantle the unjust practices that enforced the color line in housing, education, and employment.
- Despite progress, many argue that aspects of the color line still subtly influence social interactions and opportunities in contemporary society.