Black Authenticity: Defining the Ideals and Expectations in the Construction of “Real” Blackness

Abstract

This review presents an overview of research on Black authenticity. As the definition of Black authenticity is often not made explicit in literature, the complexity and nuance of this cultural resource can be overlooked. We explore two trends of Black authenticity present within literature, which we label as commodifying realness and legitimating membership. Beyond offering a working definition and review of these trends, this review also attempts to highlight the importance of the interconnectedness between controlling images and individuals' negotiations of Black authenticity. We conclude by summarizing the importance of studying Black authenticity and suggesting future directions for research.The pervasive socio-cultural and research interest on authenticity is exemplified by the range of material focused on authenticity, from self-help books (e.g. McGee 2005; Swann 1996) to postmodern concerns for finding the real self (Erickson 1995), to commercially authenticating commodities and tourism (e.g. Koontz 2010). Generally, construction of authenticity involves successful signification of what is accepted as "real" or "true" for cultural products and individuals' identities. At the same time, this widespread interest appears to have dispersed research efforts, and researchers increasingly define authenticity as a socially constructed "moving target" (e.g. Fine 2004; Peterson 2005, 1094). A need is present to connect research lines to better understand how authentication processes of cultural figures, products, and selfidentities influence each other. Contributing to this effort, we examine research across various contexts on one form of authentication: Black authenticity.Focusing on Black authenticity is important for two reasons. First, definitions of authenticity continue to be compartmentalized, so that connections between cultural and individual authentication needs specification. Second, definitions of Black authenticity are often not explicit, concealing complexities in constructions of Black identities. To address these trends and connections between definitions, we reviewed literature across sociological fields, including media and popular culture, the arts, education, and identity research. We first reviewed literature specifically referencing "racial authenticity" and "Black authenticity" before expanding the review to include research identified as reflecting Black authenticity processes. This inclusive examination revealed the construction of Black authenticity as a cultural resource, which can be drawn from, but also constrain, individuals' identity construction.We broadly define Black authenticity as a cultural resource legitimized through ideologies, actions, and interactions (see, e.g. Harris and Khana 2010;Mcleod 1999;Shipley 2007; Wilkins 2012). Black authenticity includes ideals and expectations that affects what it means to "be Black" in relation to personal, public, and cultural identities. 1 This definition allows for an exploration of classed and raced limitations in Black identity const...

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