The purpose of the experiment described in this document was to obtain empirical evidence regarding the plausibility of an hypothesis that there are 4 stages in the evolution of black awareness. The first stage is the pre-encounter stage, in which a person is programmed to view and to think of the work world as being nonblack, antiblack, or the…

Examines the use of the dap in the military between 1960 and 1976 and concludes that, beyond being a ritualistic handshake, it served as a symbol of Black opposition to White racism, a sign of Black identity, and a symbol of Black unity. (JMF)

Relates the emergence of Black Studies programs in the 1960s to the interest of American Blacks in the African independence struggles. Observes a shift in Black Studies away from the militancy of its origins and calls for reconsideration of its purpose. Reviews related literature. (KH)

Describes the perceived failure of integration and the growing number of black Americans who are looking at the world from an African perspective instead of from the European-centered perspective that dominates American culture. The article explains Afrocentrism's appeal in giving Blacks an ideological unity, not just on color but as an expression…

Discusses the lack of reliable instruments for studying African American behavior and psychological functioning as a technical and philosophical flaw in Western psychology. Surveys the development of Africentric theory-based assessment instruments and presents the African Self-Consciousness Scale, a 42-item personalilty questionnaire designed to…

Argues that black psychologists must play a key role in changing attitudes and behavior if minorities are to succeed in the process of "revolutionizing" the system: black people must get themselves psychologically together, then teach their chaldren how to maintain the mental edge. (Author/JM)

Tested the assumption that a discriminatory pattern of appeal exists within an ethnic group, using a sample of 277 Black students. Results showed a definite preference pattern which revealed ethnic distance hierarchy, except for freshmen female students who also were less liberal in their preference of skin color. (JAC)

In light of the progress that black Americans as a group have made during the last two decades, a survey was conducted to examine socioeconomic and attitudinal differences within the black community. In this report, the following findings are highlighted: (1) there are subgroups of blacks that are clearly definable by income, education, family…

To determine whether African Americans' public opinion is heterogeneous because of the role of factors (such as education) in the opinion formation process, data from the National Opinion Research Center's 1982 General Social Survey were examined. Significant differences exist along educational lines, and African Americans are not politically…

The construction of hypotheses concerning blacks in America requires an understanding of two enduring influences on collective black experience: (1) whites' treatment of blacks as slaves and (2) West African culture that helped to shape black adaptation to the conditions engendered by slavery. White racist attitudes and the psychological distance…

Developed in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., this is a short collection of suggested activities to teach black awareness in the elementary and secondary grades through King's philosophy. An introductory biographical sketch of King and an article about his accomplishments are provided. Activities are divided into grade-level ranges for the…

An awareness of the culture and social structure of the lower class Black American community is crucial for understanding "Black English," and therefore is vital for those engaged in educating Black Americans. An in-group means of communication and expression of group solidarity, Black English does not however represent a single code, but rather,…