Racial Identity and Color Consciousness

Racial Identity and Color Consciousness : 

Racial Identity and Color Consciousness Dr. Patricia Heisser Metoyer

Distinction between Ethnic Identity and Racial Identity : 

Distinction between Ethnic Identity and Racial Identity Meaning of Racial Identity Assumptions of Racial Identity Racism in a nutshell Person of Color Racial Identity Schemas

Distinction between Ethnic Identity and Racial Identity : 

Distinction between Ethnic Identity and Racial Identity Racial Identity:

“The Negro-to-Black Conversion Experience” : 

“The Negro-to-Black Conversion Experience” “Black experience is a process” Developmental change of view of self and others in the context of racism.

“The Negro-to-Black Conversion Experience” : 

“The Negro-to-Black Conversion Experience” “Black experience is a process” Developmental change of view of self and others in the context of racism. The levels of the process: – Preencounter – Encounter – Immersion/Emersion – Internalization (Commitment)

Difference between Race and Ethnicity (Review) : 

Difference between Race and Ethnicity (Review) Ethnicity: Race:

Importance of race and ethnicity (Review) : 

Importance of race and ethnicity (Review) Most people identify with it because of its visibility Share similar socialization process Affects how others perceive and treat you Consequently, affects one’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Assumptions : 

Assumptions One facet of multiple identities. Psychological consequence of internalizing racism (within U.S.). Caveat –generalizability to all people of color? (e.g., recent immigrants or sojourners). Transition from a developmental model to a cognitive model (varying schemas). Schemas -differ in emotional, behavioral, and cognitive expression. NOT a linear progression -not associated with age, time

Person of Color Racial Identity - William Cross : 

Person of Color Racial Identity - William Cross 1) Preencounter (Conformity) 2) Encounter (Dissonance) 3) Immersion/Emersion 4) Internalization (Integrative Awareness )

1) Preencounter (Conformity) : 

1) Preencounter (Conformity) Colorblind orientation Downplays experiences of racism. Actively and/or Passively idealizes white culture; denigrates minority culture. Poor self-concept, low self-esteem, high anxiety and depression

2) Encounter (Dissonance) : 

2) Encounter (Dissonance) Recognize the impact of racism on one’s definition of self Idiosyncratic to the individual (no single universal experience) Person’s abandonment of the previous world – left virtually “identity-less.” Confusion, alarm, and depression; followed by guilt, anger, and anxiety.

3) Immersion/Emersion : 

3) Immersion/Emersion Psychological and physical withdrawal INTO minority world at cost of personal identity. Immerse in minority culture -values, beliefs, and activities. Either/or thinking; pro-black and anti-white Usually frustrated with other Blacks Often associated with feelings of anger toward outgroup

4) Internalization (Integrative Awareness): : 

4) Internalization (Integrative Awareness): Internalized one’s racial identity with selfconcept • White racism vs. White people. • Willing to work with all groups in fighting oppression, including White and other minorities

How these schemas relate to attributions of acts of racism… : 

How these schemas relate to attributions of acts of racism…

External Attribution Theory(Crocker) : 

External Attribution Theory(Crocker) External Internal*.

Social Identity Theory (Tajfel) : 

Social Identity Theory (Tajfel) Increase identification with in-group Often times, seek to reinforce unique aspects of in-group (Tajfel& Turner,1979). When faced with racism…

Self-Categorization Theory(Turner) : 

Self-Categorization Theory(Turner) Focuses on his/her Personal Identity. Multi-levels of identity Cornerstone – flexible change in self expression

Caveats to the Model : 

Caveats to the Model Transition from a developmental to cognitive model. Generalizability to other ethnic minorities still not clear Theory is value-laden

Final Summary : 

Final Summary What are the distinctive characteristics of the four schemas of Person of Color Racial Identity development? What are some assumptions of the model of Racial Identity development? Understand how Person of Color Racial Identity development reflects psychological consequence of internalized racism. How do these schemas relate to theories of attribution of racism for minorities?

White Racial Identity : 

White Racial Identity

Recall, for Whites, it means: : 

Recall, for Whites, it means: I can, if I wish, arrange to be in the company of people of my (White) race most of the time. I can turn on the television or open the front page of the paper and see people of my (White) race widely represented. When I am told about our national heritage or about ‘civilization,’ I am shown that people of my (White) color made it what it is. I can speak in public to a powerful male group without putting my (White) race on trial. I can criticize our government and talk about how much I fear its policies and behaviors without being seen as a cultural outsider.

Recall, for Whites, it means: : 

Recall, for Whites, it means: Ask a White person what he or she is racially and you may get the answer ‘Italian,’ ‘English, ‘Catholic,’ or ‘Jewish.’ White people do not see themselves as White.” (Katz and Ivey, ’77). “To be White in America is not having to think about it.” “Except for hard-core racial supremacists, the meaning of being White is having the choice of attending to or ignoring one’s own Whiteness” (Terry, 81). Another one of the undeserved privileges racism affords Whites

Redefining “Whiteness” : 

Redefining “Whiteness” The internal process of recognizing racism Developmental change of view on self and others in the context of racism. Helms’ two-phase process of White identity development

Assumptions : 

Assumptions Different from discussion about White supremacists. Refers to honest and well-meaning Whites. Whites may have no consistent conception of a positive White identity or consciousness. No single White culture (i.e. no single African American or Asian American culture) – cannot generalize Whites may feel threatened by the actual or presumed presence of racial consciousness in minority racial groups.

White Racial Identity : 

White Racial Identity Abandonment of Racism Contact Disintegration Reintegration Redefining a Positive White Identity Pseudo-Independence Immersion/Emersion Autonomy

1) Contact : 

1) Contact As soon as one encounters a person of color. Colorblind attitude, although oftentimes making racist behaviors e.g., “you sure don’t act black.” Two diametrically opposed belief systems: 1) 2) Associated with feelings of fearfulness, caution, defensiveness

2) Disintegration (cont.) : 

2) Disintegration (cont.) Eg. of emotions associated with this schema: ______________ (that I could be doing so much more); ______________ (I don’t like to feel like I’m wrong); ______________ (I already have two Black friends…I worry more about racism than most whites do—isn’t that enough); ______________ (I have other priorities in my life with guilt about that thought); ______________ (the problem is so big-what can I do?).

3) Reintegration : 

3) Reintegration Regress to minimizing and/or denying personal role in racism. Often advocate for cultural and institutional racism. Often associated with feelings of guilt and anger.

3) Reintegration (cont.) : 

3) Reintegration (cont.) Illustration of person in this schema: “I’m an Italian grandmother…In America everyone can make it if they are willing to work hard…”

Stages (Schemas) and Phases of White Racial Identity Development : 

Stages (Schemas) and Phases of White Racial Identity Development

4) Pseudo-Independence : 

4) Pseudo-Independence First stage in redefining a positive White identity. Actively question unverified stereotypes No longer have a negative White identity or consciousness, but not a positive one either. • Active in ‘helping’ people of color…helping them become more “White.” • Cognitive understanding of what it means to be White in this society (“I benefit from racism.”) without an experiential and/or affective understanding.

4) Pseudo-Independence (cont.) : 

4) Pseudo-Independence (cont.) “I understand that I am benefited for simply being White. I try my best to help people of color...”

5) Immersion/Emersion : 

5) Immersion/Emersion • Try to replace unfounded stereotypes with truths. • Honest reflection of “what does it mean to be White in this country?” • Changing Black people is no longer the focus vs. changing SELF and other White people becomes the goal. • Often associated with feelings of guilt (but less), hope, motivation

5) Immersion/Emersion (cont) : 

5) Immersion/Emersion (cont) Sara Winter quote, 1977: “Let me explain this healing process in more detail. We must unearth all the words and memories we generally try not to think about, but which are inside us all the time: ‘nigger,’ ‘Uncle Tom,’ ‘Oreo’; lynching, castrations, rapist... (I shudder as I write.)…Emotional release is a vital part of the process. Experiencing feelings seems to allow further recollections to come. I need persistent encouragement from my companions to continue.”

6) Autonomy : 

6) Autonomy • Internalizing, nurturing, and applying the new definition of Whiteness. • Actively seeking opportunities to learn from other cultural groups. • Increasing awareness of how other forms of oppression (e.g., sexism) are related • Feelings of guilt are gone; motivated in continual efforts to fight racism.

6) Autonomy (cont.) : 

6) Autonomy (cont.) Kiselica quote, 1998: “…I was deeply troubled as I witnessed on a daily basis the detrimental effects of institutional racism and oppression on ethnic minority groups in this country. This forced me to recognize my privileged position in our society because of my status as a so-called Anglo. It was upsetting to know that I, a member of White society, benefited from the hardships of others that were caused by a racist system. I was also disturbed by the painful realization that I was, in some ways, a racist...”

Critiques of White Racial IdentityModel : 

Critiques of White Racial IdentityModel 1. Erroneously based on racial/ethnic minority identity development models. 2. Too much emphasis on the development of White attitudes toward minorities; not enough on the development of White attitudes toward themselves and their own identity. 3. Conceptual inaccuracy in putting forth the model as developmental via stages (linear); implicit hierarchy based on creator’s ethics (Behrens, John; Rowe, Wayne)

Impact of Interracial Rships on Racial IdentitY : 

Impact of Interracial Rships on Racial IdentitY AhnAllen&Suyemoto, 2005 • Qualitative interviews on 9 heterosexual interracial couples • Demographics – all male counterparts White; female counterparts varied Asian/Asian American • How has interracial dating influenced ways in which think about oneself racially and/or ethnically? • Findings:

Impact of Interracial Rships on Racial Identity (cont.) : 

Impact of Interracial Rships on Racial Identity (cont.) AhnAllen&Suyemoto, 2005 • Enhanced awareness of White privilege: ‘…keen awareness of what it means to be White…’ • Renewed sense of meaning of diversity: ‘…it is still very frequently Black and White and so because of __ …I say well who else are we not including in this conversation?...’ • Reminder of own culture/race: ‘…it makes me more aware of my European heritagewhich is something that I took entirely for granted…’

Impact of Interracial Rships on RacialIdentity (cont.) : 

Impact of Interracial Rships on RacialIdentity (cont.) AhnAllen&Suyemoto, 2005 • Self-discovery / shift away from ethnocentricism: ‘…helps me remember there are a lot of other important parts of my identity and personality, professionally and personally helps me cultivate those other areas as well so that I don’t get tunnel vision into only looking at Asian American stuff…’ • Hold on to culture / increase AA identity: ‘…risk of losing that other part of your culture…’ ‘…__ is very affirming about the Asian identity…makes me think a lot more about myself…’

Impact of Interracial Rships on Racial Identity (cont.) : 

Impact of Interracial Rships on Racial Identity (cont.) AhnAllen&Suyemoto, 2005 • Challenge to be socially active ‘…Definitely thinking of ways to be politically and socially active in different ways than I am comfortable with…’ • Self-expression / interpersonal communication ‘…our relationship has helped me to express myself more as far as feelings are…’ • Self-confidence: ‘…It has changed over time to the fact that I have grown…became more confident in myself…’

Impact of Interracial Rships on Racial Identity (cont.) : 

Impact of Interracial Rships on Racial Identity (cont.) • Some possible explanations… • And some possible caveats and confounds…

Summary (Review) Person of Color Racial Identity Schemas: : 

Summary (Review) Person of Color Racial Identity Schemas: – Preencounter – Encounter – Immersion/Emersion – Internalization (Commitment) vs. • White Racial Identity Schemas – Contact – Disintegration – Reintegration –Pseudo-independence –Immersion/emersion status –Autonomy

Summary (cont.) : 

Summary (cont.) • Be able to characterize each of the cognitive schemas, and identify illustrations of each. • What are some limitations of this model of White Racial identity development? • How does White privilege relate to the White Racial identity development? • Understand the findings from the qualitative study on interracial relationships, and some of the limitations on generalizability.

Black is Beautiful,Baby : 

Black is Beautiful,Baby

Slide 48: 

"We must recapture our heritage and our identity if we are ever to liberate ourselves from the bonds of white supremacy, we must launch a cultural revolution to unbrainwash a entire people." Malcolm X

Why focus on Black Culture? : 

Why focus on Black Culture? A weapon in the struggle for liberation Provided structural underpinning – the “Third Wall” – for Black Power’s political and economic goals Cultural revolution had greater impact on the people because it legitimized Black folks’ language, religious worship, literature, poetry, music and performing arts, and “culture”

Required Reading (because the revolution will not be televised) : 

Required Reading (because the revolution will not be televised) Harold Cruse, Crisis of the Negro Intellectual Winthrop Jordan, White Over Black: American Attitudes toward the Negro, 1550-1812 Haley, The Autobiography of Malcolm X Frantz Fanon, Wretched of the Earth LeRoi Jones and Larry Neal, Black Fire Carmichael and Hamilton, Black Power

And the Women : 

And the Women Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye Alice Walker, The Third Life of Grange Copeland Louise Merriwether, Daddy Was a Number Runner Poetry by Nikki Giovanni, Sonia Sanchez, Margaret Walker and Audre Lorde Paule Marshall, Chosen Place Timeless People Angela Davis, "Reflections on the Black Woman's Role in the Community of Slaves" Black Scholar (December 1971) Toni Cade (Bambara), The Black Woman

Integration or Assimilation? : 

Integration or Assimilation? Integrationist demands of non-violent civil rights activists viewed with suspicion by black power advocates Equality on “whitey’s” terms meant adopting “whitey’s” ways In schools, the history and culture of Black America was ignored & dismissed Assimilation defined as the uncritical adoption of white cultural values

Negro to Black:Self-Determination : 

Negro to Black:Self-Determination “Only dogs and slaves named by their masters” “Colored” as in NAA Colored People “Negro” as in National Negro League “Black” as in Black Power “Afro-American” as in Afro-American Studies African American as in U.S. citizens

“The Negro to Black Conversion Experience” : 

“The Negro to Black Conversion Experience” Consciousness-Raising according to Fanon’s and Malcolm’s dictum: Psychological liberation would be achieved by convincing blacks of the need to reevaluate themselves, not by reevaluating whites Nathan Hare, Alvin Poussaint, Charles Cobb, new black psychology

Phase I : 

Pre-encounter phase: The “Negro” personality Began during slavery Thinly disguised self-hatred Coveted whiteness and white women Viewed jazz and blues as low and dirty Assimilation-integration goal Phase I

Phase II : 

Phase II The Encounter phase Questions received wisdom of the world, usually after a traumatic event King's assassination, Vietnam Veterans Alternative views of race, and guilt for pursuing white approval. Anger at extent of brainwashing Becomes obsessed with the search for an authentic black identity

Phase III : 

Phase III Immersion stage: Liberation from whiteness. Joins cultural and social action groups to help actualize black identity Values determined in relation to blackness. “Blacker than thou” mindset, determined to “outblack” others

Phase IV : 

Phase IV Realization Secure in his identity Develops concrete plans to improve community through group effort Shows compassion towards those who have not yet converted Ideologically flexible, open, and self-confident in relations with other blacks, with whites, and with people of color throughout the world “Role models”

The Black Consciousness Movement on Campus : 

The Black Consciousness Movement on Campus Robin Gregory elected Homecoming Queen at Howard University, 1966

Black Students’ Demands : 

Black Students’ Demands Open admissions for black and other racial minority applicants Sensitivity training for white fraternity and sorority members Hiring of Black faculty and staff Soul food in the cafeterias and black oriented toiletries in the student union shop

Cornell University : 

Cornell University Black students seized sections in student union, designating them “black tables.” Took hundreds of books off library shelves – and then abandoned them as “irrelevant”

JHU Demands, 1968 : 

JHU Demands, 1968 More Negro freshman be admitted to Hopkins, bringing the total by 1970 to 139 Negro professors be hired; A Negro named to the admissions office staff; Facilitate the integration of the Black community into Homewood, while still maintaining their Black identity; Sections of the Eisenhower Library devoted to works by Black authors; Courses on Black literature and history; Hopkins-Morgan State mixers; Black barber on campus

San Francisco State College : 

San Francisco State College Black Student Strike for Black Studies Program: boycotted classes, picketed, disrupted lectures, invaded administrative offices and other buildings

Univ. of Mississippi Protests : 

Univ. of Mississippi Protests

Univ. of Mississippi : 

Univ. of Mississippi

Black Students at Duke : 

Black Students at Duke A student-controlled black studies department A black dormitory Increasing the target for black students to 29% within 5 years Black advisors, selected by the students An end to campus police harassment Funding for a black student union Better working conditions black staff members

Univ. of Maryland : 

Univ. of Maryland Few Black students until mid-1960s BFSA formed to fight racial discrimination Gladys Jefferson, led AFSCME. Coalition with BSU & SDS to unionize campus “Woody” Farrar, head of BSU, led fight for AASP

Black Studies : 

Black Studies An academic discipline created during the Black Power movement Mission: “destroy the doctrine of white supremacy” according to Nathan Hare Essential for strengthening ties between campus and the larger black community

James Turner : 

James Turner “A positive program of blackness, an in-gathering of black people – a focusing of energy, spiritual, cultural, intellectual, would help develop a black identity strong enough to counteract the debilitating white culture of the institution.” Failure meant that college would not be relevant to black students, and would slide back to the status quo “negating the existence of black students and relegating African American culture to trivia.”

Dr. Nathan Hare : 

Dr. Nathan Hare Fired for criticizing Howard’s integration plan which set a goal of 60% white Fired for participating in BSU five month strike against Black Studies Program cuts Founding publisher of The Black Scholar With his wife, Dr. Julia Hare, founded The Black Think Tank, focusing on issues affecting the black family

The Black Scholar : 

The Black Scholar

BLACK POWER IN LABOR UNIONS : 

BLACK POWER IN LABOR UNIONS DRUM: Dodge Revolutionary Union Movement

BLACK POWER IN SPORTS : 

BLACK POWER IN SPORTS

FOLK EXPRESSIONS OF BLACK POWER : 

FOLK EXPRESSIONS OF BLACK POWER Self-actualization through the affirmation of a unique Black culture Drew on all forms of folk, literary and dramatic expressions to battle white cultural hegemony Gave meaning to Black life, a sense of identity for all people of the diaspora

Mualana Ron Karenga : 

Mualana Ron Karenga Formerly Ron Everett Founded US, 1965 Kawaida, a “quasi-religious system of beliefs and rituals advocating black pride, unity, culture and self-defense”

Black Arts Movement : 

Black Arts Movement

Amiri Baraka : 

Amiri Baraka Formerly LeRoi Jones Founded Black Arts Repertory Theatre/ School, 1964 Founded Spirithouse, Newark Leader of the National Black Political Convention, Gary, IN “New-Ark”

Larry Neal : 

Larry Neal “The Black artist must create new forms and new values... he must create a new history... and must be accountable for it only to the Black people." "Furthermore, [the artist] must hasten his own dissolution as an individual (in the Western sense)."

A Raisin in the Sun : 

A Raisin in the Sun Lorraine Hansberry’s 1959 play – a Broadway first – broke stereotypical images Included one of the earliest “flirtations” with African culture in Asagai, Lena’s Nigerian boyfriend

Blaxploitation : 

Blaxploitation

Black Films : 

Black Films

Soul Style : 

Soul Style

Soul Music : 

Soul Music

Soul Music : 

Soul Music

Nina Simone : 

Nina Simone The High Priestess of Soul

Soul Style: Clothing : 

Soul Style: Clothing

Soul Style: Hair : 

Soul Style: Hair

Soul Food : 

Soul Food

Soul Talk : 

Soul Talk Recognition of unique Black vernacular (NOT “ebonics”) In effort to appeal to Black customers, Madison Ave. exploited Black slang Reinvention of terms with political intent: “Negro Removal” not “urban renewal” Define white people as they have defined Black people “honky” “The Man” “Miss Ann”

Slide 91: 

"During the Black Power era, there was a Malcolm for virtually every persuasion" James Baldwin