Afrikan American Women: Living at the Crossroads of Race, Gender, Class, and Culture

Afrikan American Women: Living at the Crossroads of Race, Gender, Class and Culture is the rare text that comprehensively addresses the psychological experiences of women of Afrikan ancestry in the United States. This anthology brings together the work of psychologists, social workers, historians, and other scholars who have studied Black female oppression. Their research examines the effects of race, gender, class, and culture on the mental, emotional, and physical health and psychosocial adjustment of Afrikan American women. The book provides a psycho-historical analysis of the experiences of these women across their life spans and discusses the historical and contemporary issues that have contributed to the current conditions they face.

Each unit is organized around three critical questions identified by psychiatrist Franz Fanon:

1. Identity - Who are we?
2. Authenticity - Are we really who we think we are?
3. Purpose - Are we all we ought to be?

Using qualitative and quantitative approaches, the book challenges students to critique Afrikan American women's experiences using an Africentric worldview lens. By addressing the trauma that Afrikan American women have faced, it places in perspective the lived conditions of Afrikan American women and contributes to the debunking of myths and stereotypes perpetuated about them.

Afrikan American Women is ideal for Women's Studies, African American Studies, Psychology, and Sociology courses. It is also a good supplemental text for courses in Health and Education.

Huberta Jackson-Lowman is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Florida A&M University, where for fifteen years she has taught a course focusing on the psychology of Afrikan American women. In conjunction with colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh, she developed the first course on the Psychological Experiences of the Black Female in the mid-1970s. With her students, she has studied the effects of endorsing engendered racial myths and stereotypes of Black women on Black interpersonal relationships and the mental health of Black women. In addition, she developed two inventories evaluating these behaviors.