Race-Related Stress and Racial Identity as Predictors of African American Activism

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine three forms of race-related stress (i.e., cultural, institutional, and individual) and six racial identity dimensions (i.e., Pre-Encounter Assimilation, Miseducation, and Self-Hatred, Immersion-Emersion Anti-White, and Internalization Afrocentricity and Multiculturalist Inclusive) as predictors of involvement in African American activism in a sample of 185 African American undergraduate women and men. When examined concurrently, these race-related variables accounted for more than one fourth of the variance in involvement in African American activism scores. Results indicated that cultural race-related stress, Immersion-Emersion Anti-White, Internalization Afrocentricity, and Internalization Multiculturalist Inclusive were the only significant and unique positive predictors of involvement in African American activism. In addition, Internalization Afrocentricity attitudes mediated the cultural racerelated stress → activism link and both Immersion-Emersion Anti-White and Internalization Afrocentricity attitudes mediated the institutional racerelated stress → activism link.

Engaged Against the Machine: Institutional and Cultural Racial Discrimination and Racial Identity as Predictors of Activism Orientation among Black Youth

“…Experiences with cultural racial discrimination (e.g., you notice that the newspapers and TV play up stories that cast Black people in bad ways) were related to a greater orientation toward low‐risk activism, but were not related to an orientation toward more risky activism. This is consistent with previous findings that even when controlling for individual and institutional race‐related stress, cultural race‐related stress was related to more activism in the African‐American community (Szymanski & Lewis, ). Our findings extend this research by emphasizing how experiences of cultural racial discrimination were related to willingness to engage in lower risk types of activism, but not more high‐risk activism.…”

“…Similarly, Black youth who hold strong nationalist ideological beliefs and value the uniqueness of the Black experience in terms of economic, cultural, and political contributions are more oriented toward low‐risk and high‐risk Black community activism. This finding aligns with previous research which finds that a positive Afrocentric perspective that values Black identity and pride is positively related to Black activism, due to a connection and commitment to the Black racial group and racial self‐acceptance (Szymanski & Lewis, ). For Black youth, identity beliefs that emphasize the importance of being Black and the sociopolitical value of the Black community are related to an orientation toward social change actions in and for the Black community.…”

“…For Black youth who experience racial discrimination, political activism may function as one strategy to combat oppressive sociopolitical systems and to mitigate physical and psychological consequences of future instances of discrimination (Ginwright, ; Hope & Spencer, ). Research supports this assertion finding that more frequent experiences of racist events (Szymanski, ), more stress from experiences of racial discrimination (Szymanski & Lewis, ), and more experiences of racial microaggressions (Hope et al., ; White‐Johnson, ) are related to more political and civic engagement among Black college students. With regard to institutional racism, Black youth who recognize institutional racism against Black people participate in more civic and political activities (Hope & Jagers, ).…”

“…Our findings extend this research by emphasizing how experiences of cultural racial discrimination were related to willingness to engage in lower risk types of activism, but not more high‐risk activism. Compared to individual and institutional racial discrimination, cultural racism is the most pervasive and widely experienced (Szymanski & Lewis, ). Although entrenched in our macrosystem (e.g., societal norms and media), the distal nature of cultural racial discrimination may not motivate adolescents and emerging adults to envision future participation in actions perceived as risky due to threat of arrest or bodily harm.…”

Voiceless No More: An Examination of African American Political Mistrust, Efficacy, and Political Participation

“…Historical oppression of an entire racial group of individuals has led to the current response of political activism and increasingly loud cries for recognition. Szymanski (2015) explains that: "African American person[s] continue to engage in collective responses to oppression" (171). In a culture increasingly torn by racial division and even violence, African Americans are choosing to band together and make their voices heard.…”