The colorist-historical trauma framework: Implications for culturally responsive practice with African Americans

Abstract

Summary An evolution of thought and practice regarding the relationship of racism to well-being, healing, and trauma continues within social work and the helping professions. Additionally, empirical research on colorism as a key dimension of racism suggests that colorism negatively impacts the psychological and physical well-being of African Americans. However, few studies have examined well-being among African Americans in the context of historical trauma, through the lens of colorism. In this paper, the intersectionality of colorism and historical trauma is explored to inform culturally responsive social work education, practice, and research regarding African American well-being. It is the first step toward developing a colorist-historical trauma framework. The impact of colorism as a function of historical trauma response transmission among African Americans is presented. Findings Advances in culturally responsive practice in social work address the impact of social determinants of health, such as racism. However, the impact of colorism within systemic racism is often unacknowledged. The authors assert that social work practice must attune to the differentiated socioemotional, political, and economic needs that exist among African Americans due to the impact of colorism and historical trauma. An intersectional lens, such as the colorist-historical trauma framework, is essential for culturally responsive practice. Applications The colorist-historical trauma framework contributes to the professional social work discourse aimed at strengthening effective micro-, meso-, and macro-level practice with African Americans for well-being. Implications for social work practice, research, and education are presented.

Colorism and the Poetics of Resistance Among Black Youth: An Application of the Colorist-Historical Trauma Framework

“…The colorist-historical trauma framework conceptually contributes to the understanding of colorism's role in the intergenerational transmission of a historical trauma response among African Americans (Ortega Williams et al, 2019). Historical trauma, was first conceptualized for the Lakota by Maria Yellow Horse Brave Heart a Lakota social worker (1998).…”

“…The mechanisms of historical trauma responses have been conceptualized as four pathways, segregation/ displacement, physical/psychological violence, economic destruction, and cultural dispossession (Sotero, 2006, p. 98). However, there have been few models of historical trauma, ones that have been geared toward indigenous, Black people, or people of Color more broadly that has captured the impact of colorism on the transmission of historical trauma responses (Ortega Williams et al, 2019;Schultz et al, 2016;Sotero, 2006;Williams-Washington & Mills, 2018). The colorist-historical trauma framework explores the function of colorism as a dimension of subjugation initiating and maintaining the historical trauma response (Ortega Williams et al, 2019).…”

“…However, there have been few models of historical trauma, ones that have been geared toward indigenous, Black people, or people of Color more broadly that has captured the impact of colorism on the transmission of historical trauma responses (Ortega Williams et al, 2019;Schultz et al, 2016;Sotero, 2006;Williams-Washington & Mills, 2018). The colorist-historical trauma framework explores the function of colorism as a dimension of subjugation initiating and maintaining the historical trauma response (Ortega Williams et al, 2019). Specifically, colorism played a role of increasing exposure to physiological, environmental, psychosocial, socioeconomic, political and legal pathways of targeted racialized violence (Ortega Williams et al, 2019).…”

“…The colorist-historical trauma framework explores the function of colorism as a dimension of subjugation initiating and maintaining the historical trauma response (Ortega Williams et al, 2019). Specifically, colorism played a role of increasing exposure to physiological, environmental, psychosocial, socioeconomic, political and legal pathways of targeted racialized violence (Ortega Williams et al, 2019). Increased exposure to White supremacist mass group level violence was mitigated by skin color.…”

“…In this paper, findings are presented from a thematic analysis using the colorist-historical trauma framework (CHTF). The CHTF was applied to a volume of poetry reflecting on the experiences with colorism among African American youth (Ortega- Williams et al, 2019). Specifically, an in-depth look at how poetry was used to creatively synthesize and make sense of the nuances of colorism in the context of historical trauma by African American youth will be presented.…”