Posted Oct. 15, 2007 – A dark-skinned, Detroit DJ says he had a slight lapse of judgment when he announced his upcoming party at a local club to which “light-skinned” women could come for free.

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Last week’s “Light Skin Libra Birthday Bash” was to be held at a downtown nightclub, allowing fair-complexioned Black women to get in for free.

“I made a mistake,” promoter Ulysses “DJ Lish” Barnes, told The Detroit News after he was blasted in a flurry of angry emails and phone calls from people who thought he was feeding intra-racial divisions rooted in slavery. I didn’t think there would be a backlash,” he told the Detroit Free Press. “I didn’t mean to offend anyone. I had planned a party for other shades.”

Next week’s theme was “sexy chocolate” for darker complexions, the promoter said. The “caramel” theme was to follow.

Threats to sue Barnes, and calls from as far away as Los Angeles led to his change of plans.

Did the public overreact or were angry callers on point?