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Internalized racism is defined as the internalization by people of racist attitudes towards members of their own ethnic group, including themselves.[1] This can include the belief in ethnic stereotypes relating to their own group. In her study The Psychology of Racism, Robin Nicole Johnson writes that this definition does 'not provide a sense of the complexities or dynamics of racism', and proposes the definition be 'an individual's conscious and unconscious acceptance of a racial hierarchy in which whites are consistently ranked above People of Color'.[2] This definition is notable in that it does not take a 'colorblind' approach to racism, and articulates an uneven power dynamic between white and non-white people.

Internalized racist attitudes in individuals present barriers towards achievement of racial equality, as somebody with internalized racism may believe that they are inferior to people of other ethnic groups and that equality is therefore not a logical goal; according to Suzanne Lipsky, internalized racism has proved to be the fatal stumbling block of every promising and potentially powerful black liberation effort that has failed in the past'.

In an article called Colorism: A Darker Shade of Pale, Taunya Lovell Banks discusses colorism and how it has been internalized by the Black community, leading to a racist hierarchy that privileges lighter skinned black people over darker skinned black people within their own communities.

The 'black is beautiful' cultural movement fights the internalized racism experienced by African Americans specifically with regard to beauty standards.