Tess Chakkalakal — A Matter of Complexion
Author Tess Chakkalakal explores how skin color has shaped American racial politics, identity, and social hierarchies from the colonial era to today.
Date & Time at 6:00 PM EST
Location Brooklyn Heights Library New York, US
Organizer Brooklyn Public Library
Why we picked this
Colorism gets discussed as a subset of racism, but Chakkalakal treats it as its own distinct American institution, the kind of history that explains things you notice but can't name.
Tess Chakkalakal discusses A Matter of Complexion with Rebecca Carroll at the Brooklyn Heights Library. The book examines how skin color and complexion have shaped American racial politics, identity, and social hierarchies throughout the nation’s history. It’s a story that runs parallel to, but is distinct from, the broader history of race in America.
Free admission. Part of Brooklyn Public Library’s author conversation series.