The Real DARK History Behind Gilded Age's Internalized Black Racism Plot: The Blue Vein Society

HBO's The Gilded Age just exposed a dark chapter of American history that most people have never heard of - and it's happening RIGHT NOW on your TV screen.

In Season 3 Episode 3 "Love Is Never Easy" (aired July 6, 2025), The Gilded Age finally showed the world what history books won't tell you: the elite Black society of the 1880s practiced the SAME colorism that would later become the brown paper bag test. Phylicia Rashad's character Mrs. Kirkland represents the real-life Blue Vein Society members who gatekept Black elite circles based on skin tone and proximity to slavery.

THE REAL HISTORY BEHIND THE GILDED AGE'S COLORISM STORYLINE:
If you have ever had even a surface level conversation about black people in The United States of America, chances are that you have heard of the brown paper bag test or the paper bag test. Very briefly, in case you haven't heard of it… The brown paper bag test is an early 1900's discriminatory practice that blacks used against other blacks - in which an individual's skin tone is compared to the color of a brown paper bag. One was said to pass the test by having a skin tone that matched the hue of the paper bag or was lighter than the paper bag.

What did passing the test mean? Access to privileges. Those privileges could be anything from gaining membership to sororities, fraternities and other social clubs to gaining admission to schools and even churches. Definitely not an example of black people at our finest hour.

But The Gilded Age got it RIGHT, and they're showing how certain groups of black people placed themselves on the top of a hierarchy when it came to skin tone, access to education, and distance from slavery.

It’s another Hot Mess History scandal from Ti. Your source for the hottest scandals from 1870 - 1940. Whether you are looking for scandals from The Gilded Age, The Titanic, or The Great Depression…you can find them on this channel.
Enjoy!

To see more real life stories from The Gilded Age, enjoy this playlist:
   • The Gilded Age - The Real Life People & Th...  

Ready to take your channel to the next level? I work with creators one-on-one to accelerate their growth. Email me at [email protected] and let's set up a discovery call to see if we're a good fit!