Summary

How does one create and cultivate a positive Black consciousness? The 1960s civil rights and Black Power movements in the United States provided the backdrop for Black individuals to challenge the negative stereotypes depicting them as inferior, deracinated, and self-loathing. At both the individual and collective levels, Black people began to redefine themselves as deserving individuals with a profound interest in their history and cultural heritage. This shift increasingly contested the idea that assimilation into predominantly White institutions and communities was in their best interest. Nigrescence describes the process of developing Black consciousness, and Nigrescence theory (NT) is the psychological explanation of the process. Nigrescence involves a greater focus on Black racial identity, race, racism, and a sensibility attuned to Black people, culture, and history. Amid the racial transformation of the 1960s, several Black scholars independently noted the emerging trend of Black consciousness and sought to elucidate its significance. Their seminal contributions laid the groundwork for the development of Black racial identity theory, with William Cross’s NT emerging as the most prominent among them. Central to Nigrescence is an increased emphasis on Black racial identity, an awareness of racial dynamics, and a heightened appreciation for Black culture and history.

NT is an instructive guide to the ways in which Black individuals educate themselves on the state, condition, and experience of being Black (Blackness). It explains how Black individuals engage in self-discovery, enlightenment, personal growth, and the acquisition of knowledge about Black history and culture during the process of developing Black consciousness. Education in Blackness encompasses the formation of new relationships and networks with supportive individuals, organizations, and communities that foster Black consciousness and empowerment. Essentially, education in Blackness is an issue of identity, as it shapes an individual’s self-concept. Over the span of 50 years, NT has evolved through a series of research iterations, critical reflections, and revisions. It has advanced from an initial focus on aspects such as Black self-hate, Black self-esteem, Black social movements, and commitment to fostering a positive understanding of Black identity to its current comprehensive capacity to explain the wide array of variations in and routine functions of Black racial identity throughout an individual’s life span. NT emphasizes the predominant patterns of how individuals perceive and practice their Black identity and whether it holds a primary or minor role in their self-conception.