Surviving While Black: Systemic Racism and Psychological Resilience

This autobiographical essay traces my personal journey from grandson of a slave to a cultural psychologist examining racism. My journey includes growing up in a small Ohio town, training in social psychology, and an academic career that was launched with the publication of Prejudice and Racism in 1972. I weave my personal experiences with my analytical approach to racism that incorporates individual, institutional, and cultural factors that combine to explain systemic racism. The racism analysis is balanced by a narrative of mechanisms that confer resilience and psychological well-being on Black people as they navigate the obstacles of systemic racism. I also explore diversity as a form of psychological and behavioral competence required to live effectively in a diverse world. I conclude that these aspects of human relations can be better understood and addressed with advancement of diversity science.

Automated summary

This autobiographical essay explores the author's personal journey from being the grandson of a slave to becoming a cultural psychologist who studies racism. The author combines personal experiences with an analytical approach to explain systemic racism, considering individual, institutional, and cultural factors. Additionally, the author examines the resilience and psychological well-being of Black people in the face of systemic racism, as well as the importance of diversity as a necessary skill in a diverse world. The author concludes that advancing diversity science can lead to a better understanding and addressing of these interpersonal dynamics.