Know Thyself: Implications of Racial Identity and Racial Socialization for Black Youth—Why Black History Matters

• In Event: Across the Spectrum: The Implications of Racial Socialization for Diverse Children and Youth

Abstract

The No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top policies emphasizes standardized testing and applies pressure to teachers and school administrators to insure students improve scores on achievement test. Pedagogical creativity and ability to include culturally relevant topics that do not appear to have a direct and obvious connection to academic achievement and test performance are omitted from classroom instruction. As a result, Black History is relegated to the month of February or omitted from the standard curriculum. Yet, researchers have demonstrated that children that have parents who report teaching Black History as part of their racial socialization techniques are more confident in school classrooms and demonstrate better academic performance (Caughy, Randolph, & O’Campo, 2002). The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between Black History knowledge and the racial socialization experiences of Black adolescents.

This paper will provide evidence from a mixed-method study using Racial/ Ethnic Socialization theory. Stevenson (2013) describes racial/ethnic socialization as “the transmission and acquisition of intellectual, affective, and behavioral skills to protect and affirm racial self-efficacy, then reappraise and negotiate racially stressful encounters” across the developmental lifespan. Parents who employ proactive racial socialization strategies are more likely to impart adaptive coping strategies that protect individual self worth and esteem (Stevenson 1994; 1997). Proactive racial socialization includes the acknowledgement of inequitable treatment of African Americans, pragmatic explanations, examples, and instructions about how to manage racial encounters so that children have a healthy suspiciousness, accounts of the historical and cultural legacy of African Americans, and; affirmation of ethnic standards of beauty and attractiveness (Stevenson1994). Schools have the ability to contribute to proactive racial socialization by incorporating Black History into standard curriculum across subjects throughout the school year.

113 African American high school and college youth ages 14-21 were administered measures of Racial Identity, Racial Socialization, Black History Knowledge and Self Esteem. Data analysis resulted in significant correlations among variables and four identity clusters for Black youth were established that demonstrate significant relationships among Black History Knowledge, Racial Identity and Racial Socialization Experiences. The results of this research suggest Black History knowledge has a significant relationship with racial socialization experience and racial identity, both of which impact youth’s sense of belonging. This important finding has the potential to engage disenfranchised and lower performing students if schools administrators and teachers would select curriculum that is inclusive of Black History for in-class and extended day strategies.

Author

• Valerie N. Adams-Bass