African American Opression

History has shown that African Americans felt strong oppression by the dominate European American culture with regards to social, economic, educational policies and medical treatment (Kwate, 2005). In the discipline of psychology African Americans were barred from acceptance into graduate and undergraduate programs (Holliday, 2009). African Americans were often excluded from training and employment opportunities that would mean their advancement and recognition within psychology (Holliday, 2009). African Americans were often discriminated against and faced prejudice in the sociopolitical system which in turn made them engage in high risk behaviors (Toldson & Toldson, 2001). When trying to obtain treatment within the mental health field, African Americans were often misdiagnosed, given harsher diagnosis in comparison to their European American counterparts and often ignored when it came to the importance of their cultural heritage's influence on their psychological well-being (Toldson & Toldson, 2001). With the culmination of the Civil Rights movement, African Americans called for a discipline within psychology that focused on social needs, cultural identity and advocacy for the psychological well-being of those of African Descent (William, 2008). Black psychologist created the Association of Black Psychologist (ABPsi) to ensure that the self-identity, cultural preservation, and advocacy were integral parts of African-centered psychology (Allen, 2005).

References

Allen, R.L. & Bagozzi, R.P. (2001). Consequences of the black sense of self. Journal of

Black Psychology, 27, 3-2. Doi: 10.1177/0095798401027001001

Holliday, B.G. (2009). The history and visions of African American psychology: multiple

pathways to place, space, and authority. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority

Psychology, 15, 317-337. Doi: 10.1037/a0016971

Kwate, N. A, (2005) The heresy of African-centered psychology. Journal of Medical

Humanities, 26 (4), 215-235. DOI: 10.1007/s10912-005-7698-x.

Toldson, I.A. & Toldson, I.L. (2001) Biomedical ethics: an African-centered

psychological perspective. Journal of Black Psychology, 27(4), 401-423. doi:

10.1177/0095798401027004002.

Williams, R.L. (2008) A 40-year history of the association of black psychologists

(ABPsi). Journal of Black Psychology, 34(3), 249-260. doi:10.1177/0095798408321332.