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African American Psychology from Africa to America: A Critical Analysis of its Impact on Current Trends
Author: Dr. Evelyn Nakano Glenn, Professor Emerita of Ethnic Studies and Sociology, University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Glenn's extensive research on race, gender, and class provides crucial context for analyzing the historical and contemporary aspects of African American psychology.
Publisher: Oxford University Press. Oxford University Press is a globally recognized academic publisher with a long-standing reputation for rigorous peer-review processes and high-quality scholarly publications.
Editor: Dr. Robert J. Smith, Professor of Psychology, Howard University. Dr. Smith's expertise in African American mental health and cultural psychology adds significant credibility to the edited volume.
Keywords: African American psychology from Africa to America, Black psychology, African diaspora, cultural psychology, historical trauma, resilience, mental health disparities, racial trauma, identity formation, African American mental health.
Abstract: This analysis explores the field of "African American psychology from Africa to America," examining its historical development, key concepts, and significant impact on current trends in psychology, mental health, and social justice. We will delve into the contributions of pioneering scholars, the challenges in navigating the complexities of cultural identity and historical trauma, and the ongoing relevance of this field in addressing persistent disparities within the African American community and beyond. The analysis highlights the crucial need for culturally sensitive approaches to mental health care and the ongoing efforts to decolonize psychology as a discipline.
1. A Historical Journey: Tracing the Roots of African American Psychology from Africa to America
The study of "African American psychology from Africa to America" is not simply a subfield; it represents a crucial corrective to the dominant narratives within psychology. For too long, the discipline neglected the lived experiences and unique psychological realities of African Americans, often employing Eurocentric frameworks ill-suited to understanding the complex interplay of race, culture, and historical trauma. The field's origins can be traced to the experiences of enslaved Africans forcibly transported to America, enduring unspeakable horrors that profoundly shaped their psychological landscape. The legacy of slavery, including systemic oppression, violence, and the denial of basic human rights, has left an indelible mark on the mental health of subsequent generations. Understanding "African American psychology from Africa to America" requires acknowledging this historical context.
The early development of the field was significantly shaped by the Civil Rights Movement, which ignited a surge of interest in understanding the psychological impact of racism and discrimination. Pioneering figures like Dr. Kenneth Clark and Mamie Phipps Clark's groundbreaking research on the effects of segregation on Black children's self-esteem highlighted the profound psychological consequences of racial prejudice. Their work, instrumental in the landmark Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision, demonstrated the critical need for culturally relevant psychological research and practice.
2. Key Concepts and Theoretical Frameworks in African American Psychology from Africa to America
Several core concepts underpin the field of "African American psychology from Africa to America." Historical trauma, the cumulative emotional and psychological wounding across generations stemming from historical oppression and injustice, is central to understanding the mental health challenges faced by many African Americans. This concept goes beyond individual experiences, acknowledging the intergenerational transmission of trauma and its impact on individual and community well-being.
Resilience, the capacity to overcome adversity and bounce back from challenging circumstances, is another critical concept. Despite facing significant obstacles, African Americans have demonstrated remarkable resilience, forging strong communities and developing coping mechanisms in the face of systemic oppression. Studying this resilience offers invaluable insights into human capacity for adaptation and strength.
Cultural identity plays a significant role in shaping the psychological experiences of African Americans. Understanding the complex interplay between racial identity, cultural heritage, and societal expectations is vital to providing culturally competent mental health services. The concept of racial identity development explores the stages and processes through which individuals negotiate their racial identity in a racially stratified society.
3. The Impact of African American Psychology from Africa to America on Current Trends
The insights gained from "African American psychology from Africa to America" have profoundly impacted current trends in several areas:
Mental health services: The field has underscored the critical need for culturally sensitive and appropriate mental health services that address the unique needs and experiences of African Americans. This includes training mental health professionals in culturally competent practices, developing culturally relevant therapeutic interventions, and addressing systemic barriers to access to care.
Social justice initiatives: Research on historical trauma and its intergenerational effects has fueled social justice movements advocating for policy changes to address systemic racism and its impact on the well-being of marginalized communities.
Educational practices: The recognition of the impact of racial bias on academic achievement has led to the development of culturally responsive teaching methods and educational initiatives designed to promote the success of African American students.
Community psychology: The emphasis on community-based interventions and empowerment has fostered the development of community-based mental health programs that prioritize the strengths and resources within African American communities.
4. Challenges and Future Directions
Despite significant advancements, "African American psychology from Africa to America" continues to face several challenges. Funding for research remains limited, hindering progress in understanding the complex interplay of factors influencing mental health disparities. Moreover, the field needs to continue to address the issue of representation within the discipline, ensuring that research and practice are inclusive and reflect the diversity of experiences within the African American community. Further research on the intersectionality of race, gender, class, and other social identities is needed to provide a more nuanced understanding of the psychological experiences of African Americans.
Conclusion
"African American psychology from Africa to America" is not merely a niche field; it is a vital area of inquiry with far-reaching implications for psychology, mental health, and social justice. By acknowledging the historical context of oppression and celebrating the resilience of the African American community, this field offers critical insights into the human experience and inspires efforts to create a more just and equitable world. Continued research, culturally sensitive interventions, and increased attention to systemic issues are essential to advance the field and promote the mental health and well-being of African Americans.
FAQs
1. What is the difference between African American psychology and general psychology? African American psychology focuses specifically on the unique psychological experiences of African Americans, considering historical trauma, cultural factors, and the impact of systemic racism, unlike general psychology which often uses a more universal approach.
2. How does historical trauma impact African American mental health? Historical trauma, stemming from slavery, Jim Crow, and ongoing systemic racism, can lead to increased rates of depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other mental health challenges, impacting multiple generations.
3. What are some culturally relevant therapeutic interventions for African Americans? Culturally relevant therapies incorporate aspects of African American culture and values, focusing on strengths, community support, and addressing historical trauma.
4. What is the role of resilience in African American psychology? Resilience is a crucial concept, highlighting the capacity of African Americans to overcome adversity and thrive despite historical and ongoing oppression. Studying this resilience is critical to understanding coping mechanisms and promoting well-being.
5. How can mental health professionals become more culturally competent? Training in culturally competent practices, including understanding historical trauma and the unique needs of African American communities, is crucial for mental health professionals.
6. What are some systemic barriers to accessing mental health care for African Americans? Systemic barriers include lack of access to affordable healthcare, stigma surrounding mental illness, and lack of culturally competent providers.
7. What is the significance of the work of Kenneth and Mamie Clark? Their research on the effects of segregation on Black children's self-esteem was groundbreaking, highlighting the psychological harm of racism and influencing the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision.
8. How does "African American psychology from Africa to America" inform social justice efforts? The field provides crucial evidence of the ongoing impact of systemic racism on mental health, informing social justice initiatives aimed at addressing inequality and promoting well-being.
9. What are the future directions of research in African American psychology? Future research should focus on intersectionality, addressing the overlapping impacts of race, gender, class, and other social categories, while prioritizing community-based participatory research methods.
Related Articles:
1. "The Psychological Impact of Slavery on African Americans": This article explores the long-term psychological consequences of slavery, examining its intergenerational effects and the ways in which trauma is transmitted across generations.
2. "Resilience and Coping Mechanisms in African American Communities": This article investigates the various coping mechanisms and resilience strategies employed by African Americans in the face of adversity and systemic oppression.
3. "Culturally Competent Mental Health Services for African Americans": This article discusses the importance of culturally sensitive mental health services and explores effective approaches to treating mental health conditions within the African American community.
4. "Racial Identity Development in African Americans": This article examines the different stages and processes of racial identity development among African Americans, highlighting the impact of societal expectations and personal experiences.
5. "The Role of Family and Community in African American Mental Health": This article emphasizes the importance of family and community support systems in promoting the mental health and well-being of African Americans.
6. "The Impact of Historical Trauma on African American Education": This article explores how historical trauma and its intergenerational effects manifest in educational settings and impact academic achievement.
7. "Addressing Systemic Racism in Mental Healthcare: An African American Perspective": This article examines the systemic barriers to accessing mental healthcare for African Americans and suggests strategies for creating a more equitable system.
8. "African American Women and Mental Health: Unique Challenges and Resilience": This article focuses on the specific mental health challenges and resilience strategies of African American women, taking into account intersectional factors.
9. "The Contributions of Black Psychologists to the Field": This article highlights the contributions of pioneering Black psychologists who have significantly shaped the field of "African American psychology from Africa to America," emphasizing their impact on theory, research, and practice.
| african american psychology from africa to america: African American Psychology Faye Z Belgrave, Kevin W Allison, 2006 This core textbook provides students with comprehensive coverage of African American psychology as a field. Each chapter integrates African and American influences on the psychology of African Americans, thereby illustrating how contemporary values, beliefs, and behaviors are derived from African culture translated by the cultural socialization experiences of African Americans in the US. The literature and research are referenced and discussed from the perspective of African culture (mostly West African) during the period of enslavement, at other critical periods in this country (e.g., early 20th century, civil rights era), and through the present. Chapters provide a review of the research literature, with a focus on applications for contemporary living. |
| african american psychology from africa to america: African American Psychology Faye Z. Belgrave, Kevin W. Allison, 2018-04-19 African American Psychology: From Africa to America provides comprehensive coverage of the field of African American psychology. Authors Faye Z. Belgrave and Kevin W. Allison skillfully convey the integration of African and American influences on the psychology of African Americans using a consistent theme throughout the text—the idea that understanding the psychology of African Americans is closely linked to understanding what is happening in the institutional systems in the United States. The Fourth Edition reflects notable advances and important developments in the field over the last several years, and includes evidence-based practices for improving the overall well-being of African American communities |
| african american psychology from africa to america: African American Psychology Faye Z Belgrave, Kevin W Allison, 2009-07-15 This core textbook provides students with comprehensive coverage of African American psychology as a field. Each chapter integrates African and American influences on the psychology of African Americans, thereby illustrating how contemporary values, beliefs, and behaviors are derived from African culture translated by the cultural socialization experiences of African Americans in this country. The literature and research are referenced and discussed from the perspective of African culture (mostly West African) during the period of enslavement, at other critical periods in this country (e.g., early 20th century, civil rights era), and through the present. Chapters provide a review of the research literature, with a focus on applications for contemporary living. |
| african american psychology from africa to america: African American Psychology A. Kathleen Hoard Burlew, 1992-09-04 In an effort to help develop an approach to psychology that is consistent with the African American experience, African American Psychology provides a comprehensive overview of African American behavior and personality. This collection of classical papers drawn from The Journal of Black Psychology points out that a Eurocentric perspective or orientation is inherent not only in most psychological theory but also in the research methods developed to test psychological theories. As such, those who try to understand the African American experience must not limit themselves to traditional concepts or research methods. The five sections of this volume cover both alternative and theoretical perspectives and new approaches to conducting research, the diversity of structure in African American families and the forces affecting them, African American children, and two controversial but critical areas of study: intelligence and cognition. |
| african american psychology from africa to america: Handbook of African American Psychology Helen A. Neville, Brendesha M. Tynes, Shawn O. Utsey, 2008-11-12 The Handbook of African American Psychology provides a comprehensive guide to current developments in African American psychology. It presents theoretical, empirical, and practical issues that are foundational to African American psychology. It synthesizes the debates in the field and research designed to understand the psychological, cognitive, and behavioral development of African Americans. The breadth and depth of the coverage in this handbook offers both foundational material and current developments. Although similar topics will be covered in this text that are included in other works, this will be the only work in which experts in the field write on contemporary debates related to these topics. Moreover, the proposed text incorporates other issues that are typically not covered in related books. The contributing authors also identify gaps in the literature and point to future directions in research, training, and practice. Key Features: Contains the writings of renowned editors and contributors: The most well-respected and accomplished editors and authors in the area of African American psychology, and psychology in general, have come together to lend their expert analysis of issues and research in this field. Designed for course use: With a consistent format from chapter to chapter and sections on historical development, cutting-edge theories, assessment, intervention, methodology, and development issues, instructors will find this handbook appropriate for use with upper-level undergraduate and graduate-level classes Offers unique coverage: The authors discuss issues not typically found in other books on African American psychology, such as ethics, certification, the gifted and talented, Hip-Hop and youth culture, common misconceptions about African Americans, and within-group differences related to gender, class, age, and sexual orientation. |
| african american psychology from africa to america: African American Psychology Stacie Craft DeFreitas, PhD, 2019-11-06 This innovative text is the first to examine the contemporary psychological experience of African Americans through the lens of a positive, strengths-based model. It combats the deficit perspective that has permeated the psychological literature about African Americans by focusing on the strengths that have facilitated their growth and resilience—while also considering existing challenges and struggles. The author examines in depth the major areas of psychological research across family, peer, and romantic relationships, education, work, ethnic-racial socialization and identity, prosocial behavior and civic engagement, and the mental and physical health of African Americans today. With a focus on real life applications, the text includes pedagogical elements introducing topics in Current Events, Interventions in Practice, Individual Issues, African Cultural Values, and Media and Technology. Additional features include learning objectives in each chapter, discussion questions, a closing summary, an extensive trove of additional resources, and PowerPoints and a sample syllabus for instructors. Print version of book includes free, searchable, digital access to the entire contents. Key Features: Serves as the first text to examine African American psychology from a strengths-based perspective Grounded in a lifespan perspective Focuses on ethnic-racial socialization and ethnic-racial identity Addresses mental and physical health Demonstrates how communities have used strength-based techniques to achieve positive outcomes Integrate values common to Western Africa Includes learning objectives, discussion questions, closing summary, and boldfaced key terms Provides PowerPoints and a sample syllabus |
| african american psychology from africa to america: African Americans and Jungian Psychology Fanny Brewster, 2017-02-17 African Americans and Jungian Psychology: Leaving the Shadows explores the little-known racial relationship between the African diaspora and C.G. Jung’s analytical psychology. In this unique book, Fanny Brewster explores the culture of Jungian psychology in America and its often-difficult relationship with race and racism. Beginning with an examination of how Jungian psychology initially failed to engage African Americans, and continuing to the modern use of the Shadow in language and imagery, Brewster creates space for a much broader discussion regarding race and racism in America. Using Jung’s own words, Brewster establishes a timeline of Jungian perspectives on African Americans from the past to the present. She explores the European roots of analytical psychology and its racial biases, as well as the impact this has on contemporary society. The book also expands our understanding of the negative impact of racism in American psychology, beginning a dialogue and proposing how we might change our thinking and behaviors to create a twenty-first-century Jungian psychology that recognizes an American multicultural psyche and a positive African American culture. African Americans and Jungian Psychology: Leaving the Shadows explores the positive contributions of African culture to Jung’s theories and will be essential reading for analytical psychologists, academics and students of Jungian and post-Jungian studies, African American studies, and American studies. |
| african american psychology from africa to america: Psychology of Blacks Thomas A Parham, Adisa Ajamu, Joseph L. White, 2015-10-14 For courses in Introduction to Psychology, African American Psychology, African American Studies, Multicultural Counseling and Cross Cultural Counseling and Psychotherapy. This text highlights the limitations of traditional psychological theories and approaches when applied to people of African descent. It provides information on how the African Centered Perspective is defined, as well as how it operates in the context of the African American family with regard to identity development, education, mental health, research, and managing contemporary issues. It links the context of African American life to the traditions, values and spiritual essence of their African ancestors in an attempt to acknowledge the African worldview and assist the African American community in addressing some of the challenges they continue to face. |
| african american psychology from africa to america: Counseling in African-American Communities Lee N. June, Sabrina D. Black, Willie Richardson, 2002 The gospel brings liberty to men, women, and children bound by every conceivable sin and affliction. Psychology provides a tool for applying the power of the gospel in practical ways. Drawing on biblical truths and psychological principles, Counseling in African-American Communities helps us---Christian counselors, pastors, and church leaders---to meet the deep needs of our communities with life-changing effect. Marshaling the knowledge and experience of experts in the areas of addiction, family issues, mental health, and other critical issues, this no-nonsense handbook supplies distinctively African-American insights on the problems tearing lives and families apart all around us: Domestic Abuse Gambling Addiction Blended Families Sexual Addiction and the Internet Depression and Bipolar Disorder Divorce Recovery Unemployment Sexual Abuse and Incest Demonology Grief and Loss Schizophrenia Substance Abuse . . . and much more |
| african american psychology from africa to america: The Birth of African-American Culture Sidney Wilfred Mintz, 1992-07-01 This compelling look at the wellsprings of cultural vitality during one of the most dehumanizing experiences in history provides a fresh perspective on the African-American past. |
| african american psychology from africa to america: African Americans and Africa Nemata Amelia Ibitayo Blyden, 2019-05-28 An introduction to the complex relationship between African Americans and the African continent What is an “African American” and how does this identity relate to the African continent? Rising immigration levels, globalization, and the United States’ first African American president have all sparked new dialogue around the question. This book provides an introduction to the relationship between African Americans and Africa from the era of slavery to the present, mapping several overlapping diasporas. The diversity of African American identities through relationships with region, ethnicity, slavery, and immigration are all examined to investigate questions fundamental to the study of African American history and culture. |
| african american psychology from africa to america: The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health Rheeda Walker, 2020-05-01 An unapologetic exploration of the Black mental health crisis—and a comprehensive road map to getting the care you deserve in an unequal system. We can’t deny it any longer: there is a Black mental health crisis in our world today. Black people die at disproportionately high rates due to chronic illness, suffer from poverty, under-education, and the effects of racism. This book is an exploration of Black mental health in today’s world, the forces that have undermined mental health progress for African Americans, and what needs to happen for African Americans to heal psychological distress, find community, and undo years of stigma and marginalization in order to access effective mental health care. In The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health, psychologist and African American mental health expert Rheeda Walker offers important information on the mental health crisis in the Black community, how to combat stigma, spot potential mental illness, how to practice emotional wellness, and how to get the best care possible in system steeped in racial bias. This breakthrough book will help you: Recognize mental and emotional health problems Understand the myriad ways in which these problems impact overall health and quality of life and relationships Develop psychological tools to neutralize ongoing stressors and live more fully Navigate a mental health care system that is unequal It’s past time to take Black mental health seriously. Whether you suffer yourself, have a loved one who needs help, or are a mental health professional working with the Black community, this book is an essential and much-needed resource. |
| african american psychology from africa to america: Slavery Sultan A. Latif, Naimah Latif, 1994-01-01 |
| african american psychology from africa to america: The African American Experience Salman Akhtar, 2012 This book compiles the contributions of mental health professionals, and scholars of humanities, to offer a multifaceted perspective on the transgenerational trauma of slavery, the hardship of single parent families, the ruthlessness of anti-black racism, and the burden of poverty and social disenfranchisement on the African American individual. |
| african american psychology from africa to america: Why We Can't Wait Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 2011-01-11 Dr. King’s best-selling account of the civil rights movement in Birmingham during the spring and summer of 1963 On April 16, 1963, as the violent events of the Birmingham campaign unfolded in the city’s streets, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., composed a letter from his prison cell in response to local religious leaders’ criticism of the campaign. The resulting piece of extraordinary protest writing, “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” was widely circulated and published in numerous periodicals. After the conclusion of the campaign and the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963, King further developed the ideas introduced in the letter in Why We Can’t Wait, which tells the story of African American activism in the spring and summer of 1963. During this time, Birmingham, Alabama, was perhaps the most racially segregated city in the United States, but the campaign launched by King, Fred Shuttlesworth, and others demonstrated to the world the power of nonviolent direct action. Often applauded as King’s most incisive and eloquent book, Why We Can’t Wait recounts the Birmingham campaign in vivid detail, while underscoring why 1963 was such a crucial year for the civil rights movement. Disappointed by the slow pace of school desegregation and civil rights legislation, King observed that by 1963—during which the country celebrated the one-hundredth anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation—Asia and Africa were “moving with jetlike speed toward gaining political independence but we still creep at a horse-and-buggy pace.” King examines the history of the civil rights struggle, noting tasks that future generations must accomplish to bring about full equality, and asserts that African Americans have already waited over three centuries for civil rights and that it is time to be proactive: “For years now, I have heard the word ‘Wait!’ It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity. This ‘Wait’ has almost always meant ‘Never.’ We must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurists, that ‘justice too long delayed is justice denied.’” |
| african american psychology from africa to america: Young, Gifted, and Black Theresa Perry, Claude Steele, 2012-09-11 “An important and powerful book” that radically reframes the debates swirling around the academic achievement of African-American students (Boston Review) “The solutions offered by each essay are creative, inspirational, and good old common sense. —Los Angeles Times In 3 separate but allied essays, African-American scholars Theresa Perry, Claude Steele, and Asa Hilliard examine the alleged ‘achievement gap’ between Black and white students. Each author addresses how the unique social and cultural position Black students occupy—in a society which often devalues and stereotypes African-American identity—fundamentally shapes students’ experience of school and sets up unique obstacles. Young, Gifted and Black provides an understanding of how these forces work, opening the door to practical, powerful methods for promoting high achievement at all levels. In the first piece, Theresa Perry argues that the dilemmas African-American students face are rooted in the experience of race and ethnicity in America, making the task of achievement distinctive and difficult. Claude Steele follows up with stunningly clear empirical psychological evidence that when Black students believe they are being judged as members of a stereotyped group—rather than as individuals—they do worse on tests. Finally, Asa Hilliard argues against a variety of false theories and misguided views of African-American achievement, sharing examples of real schools, programs, and teachers around the country that allow African-American students to achieve at high levels. Now more than ever, Young, Gifted and Black is an eye-opening work that has the power to not only change how we talk and think about African-American student achievement but how we view the African-American experience as a whole. |
| african american psychology from africa to america: Introduction to Black Studies Karenga (Maulana.), 1993 |
| african american psychology from africa to america: Black Fatigue Mary-Frances Winters, 2020-09-15 This is the first book to define and explore Black fatigue, the intergenerational impact of systemic racism on the physical and psychological health of Black people—and explain why and how society needs to collectively do more to combat its pernicious effects. Black people, young and old, are fatigued, says award-winning diversity and inclusion leader Mary-Frances Winters. It is physically, mentally, and emotionally draining to continue to experience inequities and even atrocities, day after day, when justice is a God-given and legislated right. And it is exhausting to have to constantly explain this to white people, even—and especially—well-meaning white people, who fall prey to white fragility and too often are unwittingly complicit in upholding the very systems they say they want dismantled. This book, designed to illuminate the myriad dire consequences of “living while Black,” came at the urging of Winters's Black friends and colleagues. Winters describes how in every aspect of life—from economics to education, work, criminal justice, and, very importantly, health outcomes—for the most part, the trajectory for Black people is not improving. It is paradoxical that, with all the attention focused over the last fifty years on social justice and diversity and inclusion, little progress has been made in actualizing the vision of an equitable society. Black people are quite literally sickand tired of being sick and tired. Winters writes that “my hope for this book is that it will provide a comprehensive summary of the consequences of Black fatigue, and awaken activism in those who care about equity and justice—those who care that intergenerational fatigue is tearing at the very core of a whole race of people who are simply asking for what they deserve.” |
| african american psychology from africa to america: An African American and Latinx History of the United States Paul Ortiz, 2018-01-30 An intersectional history of the shared struggle for African American and Latinx civil rights Spanning more than two hundred years, An African American and Latinx History of the United States is a revolutionary, politically charged narrative history, arguing that the “Global South” was crucial to the development of America as we know it. Scholar and activist Paul Ortiz challenges the notion of westward progress as exalted by widely taught formulations like “manifest destiny” and “Jacksonian democracy,” and shows how placing African American, Latinx, and Indigenous voices unapologetically front and center transforms US history into one of the working class organizing against imperialism. Drawing on rich narratives and primary source documents, Ortiz links racial segregation in the Southwest and the rise and violent fall of a powerful tradition of Mexican labor organizing in the twentieth century, to May 1, 2006, known as International Workers’ Day, when migrant laborers—Chicana/os, Afrocubanos, and immigrants from every continent on earth—united in resistance on the first “Day Without Immigrants.” As African American civil rights activists fought Jim Crow laws and Mexican labor organizers warred against the suffocating grip of capitalism, Black and Spanish-language newspapers, abolitionists, and Latin American revolutionaries coalesced around movements built between people from the United States and people from Central America and the Caribbean. In stark contrast to the resurgence of “America First” rhetoric, Black and Latinx intellectuals and organizers today have historically urged the United States to build bridges of solidarity with the nations of the Americas. Incisive and timely, this bottom-up history, told from the interconnected vantage points of Latinx and African Americans, reveals the radically different ways that people of the diaspora have addressed issues still plaguing the United States today, and it offers a way forward in the continued struggle for universal civil rights. 2018 Winner of the PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award |
| african american psychology from africa to america: The Protest Psychosis Jonathan M. Metzl, 2010-01-01 A powerful account of how cultural anxieties about race shaped American notions of mental illness The civil rights era is largely remembered as a time of sit-ins, boycotts, and riots. But a very different civil rights history evolved at the Ionia State Hospital for the Criminally Insane in Ionia, Michigan. In The Protest Psychosis, psychiatrist and cultural critic Jonathan Metzl tells the shocking story of how schizophrenia became the diagnostic term overwhelmingly applied to African American protesters at Ionia—for political reasons as well as clinical ones. Expertly sifting through a vast array of cultural documents, Metzl shows how associations between schizophrenia and blackness emerged during the tumultuous decades of the 1960s and 1970s—and he provides a cautionary tale of how anxieties about race continue to impact doctor-patient interactions in our seemingly postracial America. This book was published with two different covers. Customers will be shipped the book with one of the two covers. |
| african american psychology from africa to america: Creating Black Americans Nell Irvin Painter, 2006 Blending a vivid narrative with more than 150 images of artwork, Painter offers a history--from before slavery to today's hip-hop culture--written for a new generation. |
| african american psychology from africa to america: Mental Health , 2001 |
| african american psychology from africa to america: The Negro Family United States. Department of Labor. Office of Policy Planning and Research, 1965 The life and times of the thirty-second President who was reelected four times. |
| african american psychology from africa to america: Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome Joy DeGruy, 2017-05-23 From acclaimed author and researcher Dr. Joy DeGruy comes this fascinating book that explores the psychological and emotional impact on African Americans after enduring the horrific Middle Passage, over 300 years of slavery, followed by continued discrimination. From the beginning of American chattel slavery in the 1500’s, until the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865, Africans were hunted like animals, captured, sold, tortured, and raped. They experienced the worst kind of physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual abuse. Given such history, Dr. Joy DeGruy asked the question, “Isn’t it likely those enslaved were severely traumatized? Furthermore, did the trauma and the effects of such horrific abuse end with the abolition of slavery?” Emancipation was followed by another hundred years of institutionalized subjugation through the enactment of Black Codes and Jim Crow laws, peonage and convict leasing, and domestic terrorism and lynching. Today the violations continue, and when combined with the crimes of the past, they result in further unmeasured injury. What do repeated traumas visited upon generation after generation of a people produce? What are the impacts of the ordeals associated with chattel slavery, and with the institutions that followed, on African Americans today? Dr. DeGruy answers these questions and more as she encourages African Americans to view their attitudes, assumptions, and emotions through the lens of history. By doing so, she argues they will gain a greater understanding of the impact centuries of slavery and oppression has had on African Americans. Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome is an important read for all Americans, as the institution of slavery has had an impact on every race and culture. “A masterwork. [DeGruy’s] deep understanding, critical analysis, and determination to illuminate core truths are essential to addressing the long-lived devastation of slavery. Her book is the balm we need to heal ourselves and our relationships. It is a gift of wholeness.”—Susan Taylor, former Editorial Director of Essence magazine |
| african american psychology from africa to america: African Psychology Augustine Nwoye, 2022 This book aims to serve as a foundational text in the emerging field of African psychology, which centers the knowledges and experience of continental African realities and postcolonial concerns in psychology. Drawing from the author's key essays as a leading thinker in the field, African Psychology: The Emergence of a Tradition describes this discipline's meaning and scope, as well as its epistemological and theoretical perspectives. Part I presents the theoretical context for the book, proposing the Madiban tradition as a framework of inclusion for the study of psychology in African universities. Part 2 focuses on the epistemological, methodological, and theoretical perspectives in African psychology. Part 3 of the book introduces the reader to the field of African therapeutics, and Part 4 highlights the healing rituals and practices provided to the traumatised in contemporary Africa. The ultimate objective of the book is to give postcolonial Africans a fresh vision of themselves and their psychology and culture. |
| african american psychology from africa to america: Our African Unconscious Edward Bruce Bynum, 2021-09-07 • Examines the Oldawan, the Ancient Soul of Africa, and its correlation with what modern psychologists have defined as the collective unconscious • Draws on archaeology, DNA research, history, and depth psychology to reveal how the biological and spiritual roots of religion and science came out of Africa • Explores the reflections of our African unconscious in the present confrontation in the Americas, in the work of the Founding Fathers, and in modern psychospirituality The fossil record confirms that humanity originated in Africa. Yet somehow we have overlooked that Africa is also at the root of all that makes us human--our spirituality, civilization, arts, sciences, philosophy, and our conscious and unconscious minds. In this extensive look at the unfolding of human history and culture, Edward Bruce Bynum reveals how our collective unconscious is African. Drawing on archaeology, DNA research, depth psychology, and the biological and spiritual roots of religion and science, he demonstrates how all modern human beings, regardless of ethnic or racial categorizations, share a common deeper identity, both psychically and genetically--a primordial African unconscious. Exploring the beginning of early religions and mysticism in Africa, the author looks at the Egyptian Nubian role in the rise of civilization, the emergence of Kemetic Egypt, and the Oldawan, the Ancient Soul, and its correlation with what modern psychologists have defined as the collective unconscious. Revealing the spiritual and psychological ramifications of our shared African ancestry, the author examines its reflections in the present confrontation in the Americas, in the work of the Founding Fathers, and in modern Black spirituality, which arose from African diaspora religion and philosophy. By recognizing our shared African unconscious--the matrix that forms the deepest luminous core of human identity--we learn that the differences between one person and another are merely superficial and ultimately there is no real separation between the material and the spiritual. |
| african american psychology from africa to america: Keywords for African American Studies Erica R. Edwards, Roderick A. Ferguson, Jeffrey O.G. Ogbar, 2018-11-27 Introduces key terms, interdisciplinary research, debates, and histories for African American Studies As the longest-standing interdisciplinary field, African American Studies has laid the foundation for critically analyzing issues of race, ethnicity, and culture within the academy and beyond. This volume assembles the keywords of this field for the first time, exploring not only the history of those categories but their continued relevance in the contemporary moment. Taking up a vast array of issues such as slavery, colonialism, prison expansion, sexuality, gender, feminism, war, and popular culture, Keywords for African American Studies showcases the startling breadth that characterizes the field. Featuring an august group of contributors across the social sciences and the humanities, the keywords assembled within the pages of this volume exemplify the depth and range of scholarly inquiry into Black life in the United States. Connecting lineages of Black knowledge production to contemporary considerations of race, gender, class, and sexuality, Keywords for African American Studies provides a model for how the scholarship of the field can meet the challenges of our social world. |
| african american psychology from africa to america: The Black-White Test Score Gap Christopher Jencks, Meredith Phillips, 2011-01-01 The test score gap between blacks and whites—on vocabulary, reading, and math tests, as well as on tests that claim to measure scholastic aptitude and intelligence--is large enough to have far-reaching social and economic consequences. In their introduction to this book, Christopher Jencks and Meredith Phillips argue that eliminating the disparity would dramatically reduce economic and educational inequality between blacks and whites. Indeed, they think that closing the gap would do more to promote racial equality than any other strategy now under serious discussion. The book offers a comprehensive look at the factors that contribute to the test score gap and discusses options for substantially reducing it. Although significant attempts have been made over the past three decades to shrink the test score gap, including increased funding for predominantly black schools, desegregation of southern schools, and programs to alleviate poverty, the median black American still scores below 75 percent of American whites on most standardized tests. The book brings together recent evidence on some of the most controversial and puzzling aspects of the test score debate, including the role of test bias, heredity, and family background. It also looks at how and why the gap has changed over the past generation, reviews the educational, psychological, and cultural explanations for the gap, and analyzes its educational and economic consequences. The authors demonstrate that traditional explanations account for only a small part of the black-white test score gap. They argue that this is partly because traditional explanations have put too much emphasis on racial disparities in economic resources, both in homes and in schools, and on demographic factors like family structure. They say that successful theories will put more emphasis on psychological and cultural factors, such as the way black and white parents teach their children to deal with things they do not know or understand, and the way black and white children respond to the same classroom experiences. Finally, they call for large-scale experiments to determine the effects of schools' racial mix, class size, ability grouping, and other policies. In addition to the editors, the contributors include Claude Steele, Ronald Ferguson, William G. Bowen, Philip Cook, and William Julius Wilson. |
| african american psychology from africa to america: Positive Psychology in Racial and Ethnic Groups Edward Chin-Ho Chang, Christina A. Downey, Jameson K. Hirsch, Natalie J. Lin, 2016 Positive psychology has become a vibrant, well-regarded field of study, and a powerful tool for clinicians. But, for many years, the research in areas relevant to positive psychology, such as happiness, subjective well-being, and emotional intelligence, has been based on findings from largely White samples and has rarely taken the concerns of the ethnic community into consideration. Now, for the first time, leaders in the field have come together to provide a comprehensive reference that focuses specifically on how a culturally-informed approach to positive psychology can help capitalize on the strengths of racial minority groups and have a greater potential to positively impact their psychological well-being. Taking into account the rich and diverse cultural histories of ethnic groups, the information presented in this volume can help clinicians use positive psychology to inspire minorities to be effective agents in their environments and communities. Acting as a bridge between positive psychology theory and research -- largely based on an essentialist view of human behavior -- and the realities of practice and assessment in diverse groups, Positive Psychology in Racial and Ethnic Groups focuses on four main ethnic groups: Asian Americans, Latin Americans, African Americans, and American Indians. Broken into five major sections -- an introduction to the field, theory and research, assessment, clinical interventions, and a discussion of what the future may hold -- this is a unique volume in the field, and a call to action for researchers and clinicians everywhere. |
| african american psychology from africa to america: Children of the Dream Audrey Edwards, Craig K. Polite, 1993-02-03 Edwards and Polite focus on African American baby-boomers who have grown up possessing something no generation of African Americans has ever before experienced--entitlement. Surprising and often controversial, this groundbreaking book stands as vivid testimony to the increasingly complex world in which African Americans strive to succeed. |
| african american psychology from africa to america: Decolonizing Psychology Sunil Bhatia, 2018 In Decolonizing Psychology: Globalization, Social Justice, and Indian Youth Identities, Sunil Bhatia explores how the cultural dynamics of neo-liberal globalization shape urban Indian youth identities and, in particular, he articulates how Euro-American psychological science continues to prevent narratives of self and identity in non-Western nations from entering the broader conversation. |
| african american psychology from africa to america: Encyclopedia of African American Society Gerald David Jaynes, 2005 An encyclopedic reference of African American history and culture. |
| african american psychology from africa to america: Even the Rat was White Robert V. Guthrie, 2004 The classic edition of Even the Rat Was White presents a history of prejudice within the field of Social Psychology--now at a more affordable cost! Even the Rat Was White views history from all perspectives in the quest for historical accuracy. Histories and other background materials are presented in detail concerning early African-American psychologists and their scientific contributions, as well as their problems, views, and concerns of the field of social psychology. Archival documents that are not often found in mainstream resources are uncovered through the use of journals and magazines, such as the Journal of Black Psychology, the Journal of Negro Education, and Crisis. The text is divided into three parts. Part I, Psychology and Racial Differences, expands and updates historical materials that helped form racial stereotypes and negative views towards African-Americans. Part II, Psychology and Psychologists, is updated with specifics of what and how psychology was taught in the pre-1970 Black colleges, and brings forward the contributions of Black psychologists. Part III, Conclusion, discusses the implication of the previous chapters and the impact of new historical information on the field of psychology. |
| african american psychology from africa to america: The Impact of Racism on African American Families Paul C. Rosenblatt, 2016-03-03 In spite of the existence of statistics and numerical data on various aspects of African American life, including housing, earnings, assets, unemployment, household violence, teen pregnancy and encounters with the criminal justice system, social science literature on how racism affects the everyday interactions of African American families is limited. How does racism come home to and affect African American families? If a father in an African American family is denied employment on the basis of his race or a wife is demeaned at work by racist slurs, how is their family life affected? Given the lack of social science literature responding to these questions, this volume turns to an alternative source in order to address them: literature. Engaging with novels written by African American authors, it explores their rich depictions of African American family life, showing how these can contribute to our sociological knowledge and making the case for the novel as an object and source of social research. As such, it will appeal to scholars and students of the sociology of the family, race and ethnicity, cultural studies and literature. |
| african american psychology from africa to america: Understanding an Afrocentric World View Linda James Myers, 1992-12-31 Understanding an Afrocentric World View: Introduction to an Optimal Psychology stands as a groundbreaking and timeless classic in the field of Africana Studies, Psychology, and Human Development. Its reverberating in-depth analysis of and prescriptive cure for racism and other societal isms identifies the essential factors at their core and how to change them. Dr. Linda James Myers provides rare insights into social forces behind the systemic racism that have been with us for over 400 years. Her time tested Optimal Conceptual Theory and its corollary psychotherapeutic strategies unearth the characteristics of the suboptimal mindset that keeps us trapped in the vicious pattern of oppressive injustice that is harmful to ourselves as well as others, and its optimal alternative. Unlike other treatise on the subject, James Myers offers readers the tools and developmental processes for making the shift in consciousness needed for improving the quality of their own lives and for creating a just, sacred, and sustainable world. Her comprehensive holistic and integrative approach reflects a Black cultural perspective seldom heard, but proven effective and traceable to the beginnings of all human culture and civilization. |
| african american psychology from africa to america: Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? Beverly Daniel Tatum, 2017-09-05 The classic, New York Times-bestselling book on the psychology of racism that shows us how to talk about race in America. Walk into any racially mixed high school and you will see Black, White, and Latino youth clustered in their own groups. Is this self-segregation a problem to address or a coping strategy? How can we get past our reluctance to discuss racial issues? Beverly Daniel Tatum, a renowned authority on the psychology of racism, argues that straight talk about our racial identities is essential if we are serious about communicating across racial and ethnic divides and pursuing antiracism. These topics have only become more urgent as the national conversation about race is increasingly acrimonious. This fully revised edition is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand dynamics of race and racial inequality in America. |
| african american psychology from africa to america: African/Black Psychology in the American Context Kobi K. Kambon, 1998 |
| african american psychology from africa to america: United States and Africa Relations, 1400s to the Present Toyin Falola, Raphael Chijioke Njoku, 2020-09-01 A comprehensive history of the relationship between Africa and the United States Toyin Falola and Raphael Njoku reexamine the history of the relationship between Africa and the United States from the dawn of the trans-Atlantic slave trade to the present. Their broad, interdisciplinary book follows the relationship's evolution, tracking African American emancipation, the rise of African diasporas in the Americas, the Back-to-Africa movement, the founding of Sierra Leone and Liberia, the presence of American missionaries in Africa, the development of blues and jazz music, the presidency of Barack Obama, and more. |
| african american psychology from africa to america: Breaking the Chains of Psychological Slavery Naʼim Akbar, 1996 In this long-awaited, important and highly readable book, Dr. Na'im Akbar addresses these questions: Are African-Americans still slaves ? Why can't Black folks get together ? What is the psychological consequences for Blacks and Whites of picturing God as a Caucasian ? Learn how to break the chains of your mental slavery with this new book by one of the world's outstanding experts on the African American mind . |
| african american psychology from africa to america: The Negro's Place in Nature James Hunt, 1864 |
The History and Visions of African American Psychology: …
In addition, the author describes 4 major intellectual traditions that informed not only the strategies of inclusion but also the theoretical, research, and intervention perspectives and other …
INTRODUCTION TO AFRICAN AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGY
African American psychology encompasses many topics. In this chapter, we pro-vide definitions and discuss conceptual frameworks for studying and understanding African American …
African American Psychology - studentebookhub.com
Chapter 1 • Introduction to African American Psychology 3 Introduction, Definitions, and Conceptual Frameworks 4 What Is African American Psychology? 4 Convergent Perspectives …
Speaking Truth to Power: How Black/African Psychology …
Allison (2010) describe African American psychology as the psychology of people of African descent that views Black people from the perspective of their own distinct standards.
Through the Prism of Black Psychology - jpanafrican.org
As a psycho-historical endeavor, a primary concern of Black Psychology is to understand how the historical experiences of being an African in America have impacted African-American psyches.
African American Psychology From Africa To America (book)
Understanding African American psychology is crucial for building culturally competent mental health services, promoting social justice, and creating a more equitable society. Chapter 1: …
African American Psychology From Africa To America 3rd …
African American Psychology From Africa To America 3rd Edition What is Psychology? - American Public University Psychology is the scientific study of the human mind and …
African-Centered Psychology Foundational Reading List - A …
African American psychology: From Africa to America. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Boyd-Franklin, N. (2013). Black families in therapy: Understanding the African American experience. New …
Psychology from the Margins - University of Akron
African Americans throughout the past 400 years of slavery and oppression and the emotional scars that the community still feels (Hinton, 2020). This review aims to explore the history and …
African American Psychology
Demonstrate knowledge of the historical roots of African psychology from an African-centered (Afrocentric) perspective and be able to identify the development of African American/Black …
African American Psychology From Africa To America
Why is it important to study African American Psychology? Understanding the psychological experiences of African Americans is essential for addressing disparities in mental health …
Introduction to African American Psychology - SAGE …
conceptualizing African American psychology are discussed in a section on self-determination. Following that section, we review the current status of African American psychology. …
Theories of African American Personality: Classification, …
growing body of psychological literature focused on African American personality will be discussed in this article in terms of the following considerations: (1) Classification of Basic Theoretical …
Cultural Psychology of African Americans - Grand Valley …
The cultural psychology of African Americans involves the evolution of African patterns of thought, feeling and behavior and their utilization as adaptive mechanisms in a context of racism and …
Daudi Azibo: Defining and Developing Africana Psychological …
As one of the major theorists in African-centered psychology, Daudi Azibo has consistently been about the task of defining, describing and defending African-centered psychology. Through …
Introduction to 1 African American Psychology
In this chapter, we provide definitions and discuss conceptual frameworks for studying and understanding African American psychology. Then, we examine historical influ-ences on the …
AfricAn AmericAns And JungiAn Psychology - api.pageplace.de
understanding of the negative impact of racism in American psychology, begin-ning a dialogue and proposing how we might change our thinking and behaviors to create a twenty-first …
The Roles and Functions of Africana Psychology
This special edition of The Journal of Pan African Studies, a peer-reviewed journal, focuses on how scholars in the field of Africana Psychology have critically investigated and interrogated …
African American Psychology Syllabus - abct.org
Knowledge: To obtain an understanding of African American Psychology, including definitions, methods, history, personalities, and areas of inquiry. Research and writing: To develop skills in …
Reframing Mental Health and Psychological Well-Being …
African American psychologists and others have taken up the challenge and put forward psychological theories, research and analyses more congruent, useful, and relevant to …
The History and Visions of African American Psychology: …
In addition, the author describes 4 major intellectual traditions that informed not only the strategies of inclusion but also the theoretical, research, and intervention perspectives and other …
INTRODUCTION TO AFRICAN AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGY
African American psychology encompasses many topics. In this chapter, we pro-vide definitions and discuss conceptual frameworks for studying and understanding African American …
African American Psychology - studentebookhub.com
Chapter 1 • Introduction to African American Psychology 3 Introduction, Definitions, and Conceptual Frameworks 4 What Is African American Psychology? 4 Convergent Perspectives …
Speaking Truth to Power: How Black/African Psychology …
Allison (2010) describe African American psychology as the psychology of people of African descent that views Black people from the perspective of their own distinct standards.
Through the Prism of Black Psychology - jpanafrican.org
As a psycho-historical endeavor, a primary concern of Black Psychology is to understand how the historical experiences of being an African in America have impacted African-American psyches.
African American Psychology From Africa To America (book)
Understanding African American psychology is crucial for building culturally competent mental health services, promoting social justice, and creating a more equitable society. Chapter 1: …
African American Psychology From Africa To America 3rd …
African American Psychology From Africa To America 3rd Edition What is Psychology? - American Public University Psychology is the scientific study of the human mind and …
African-Centered Psychology Foundational Reading List - A …
African American psychology: From Africa to America. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Boyd-Franklin, N. (2013). Black families in therapy: Understanding the African American experience. New …
Psychology from the Margins - University of Akron
African Americans throughout the past 400 years of slavery and oppression and the emotional scars that the community still feels (Hinton, 2020). This review aims to explore the history and …
African American Psychology
Demonstrate knowledge of the historical roots of African psychology from an African-centered (Afrocentric) perspective and be able to identify the development of African American/Black …
African American Psychology From Africa To America
Why is it important to study African American Psychology? Understanding the psychological experiences of African Americans is essential for addressing disparities in mental health …
Introduction to African American Psychology - SAGE …
conceptualizing African American psychology are discussed in a section on self-determination. Following that section, we review the current status of African American psychology. …
Theories of African American Personality: Classification, …
growing body of psychological literature focused on African American personality will be discussed in this article in terms of the following considerations: (1) Classification of Basic Theoretical …
Cultural Psychology of African Americans - Grand Valley …
The cultural psychology of African Americans involves the evolution of African patterns of thought, feeling and behavior and their utilization as adaptive mechanisms in a context of racism and …
Daudi Azibo: Defining and Developing Africana Psychological …
As one of the major theorists in African-centered psychology, Daudi Azibo has consistently been about the task of defining, describing and defending African-centered psychology. Through …
Introduction to 1 African American Psychology
In this chapter, we provide definitions and discuss conceptual frameworks for studying and understanding African American psychology. Then, we examine historical influ-ences on the …
AfricAn AmericAns And JungiAn Psychology - api.pageplace.de
understanding of the negative impact of racism in American psychology, begin-ning a dialogue and proposing how we might change our thinking and behaviors to create a twenty-first …
The Roles and Functions of Africana Psychology
This special edition of The Journal of Pan African Studies, a peer-reviewed journal, focuses on how scholars in the field of Africana Psychology have critically investigated and interrogated …
African American Psychology Syllabus - abct.org
Knowledge: To obtain an understanding of African American Psychology, including definitions, methods, history, personalities, and areas of inquiry. Research and writing: To develop skills in …
Reframing Mental Health and Psychological Well-Being …
African American psychologists and others have taken up the challenge and put forward psychological theories, research and analyses more congruent, useful, and relevant to …
