Residual extractives had a noticeable impact on the brightness of unbleached hardwood kraft pulps (trembling aspen). The brightness-impacting extractives were effectively removed by oxygen delignification. In addition, oxygen delignification was more effective in removing chromophores in hardwood unbleached kraft pulps than in those of softwood (loblolly pine). The residual extractives in unbleached hardwood kraft pulps also affected the pulp color, primarily redness and the L value. These redness-related extractives in unbleached hardwood kraft pulps were also effectively removed by oxygen delignification. There were no significant color differences between untreated and solvent-extracted oxygen-delignified aspen kraft pulps. The residual extractives in unbleached and oxygen-delignified softwood (loblolly pine) kraft pulps did not have a significant impact on either brightness or pulp color.