Abstract
The literature on racial socialization of African Americans has focused on data drawn from young children, teens, and college students. The question of what mature adults recall as having been significant messages in their childhood about dealing with racism has been ignored, and so has the question of what the adult impact might be of childhood racial socialization. To explore these issues, we examined the autobiographies of 41 African Americans that included material on the parenting they received to deal with racism. Many of the lessons the autobiographers wrote about learning can be classified in three broad themes—be aware of and alert to white racism, get a good education, and have a strong racial identity. As evidence of the usefulness in adulthood of childhood racial socialization, some autobiographers wrote about how important certain socialization experiences were to them in adulthood. This paper adds to the literature on African American racial socialization by showing the durability of some memories of childhood racial socialization and also showing that there can be an impact in adulthood of childhood racial socialization.
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References
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The 41 Autobiographies (with brief characterizations of the authors)
Andrews, R. (1990). The last radio baby. Atlanta: Peachtree.--writer.
Angelou, M. (2009). I know why the caged bird sings. New York: Ballentine. (Original copyright 1969)—poet, civil rights activist, film and television producer/director, author, professor, playwright, actress, dancer.
Baraka, A. (1997). The autobiography of Leroi Jones. Chicago: Lawrence Hill. writer, activist, poet, teacher, theater director/producer.
Baszile, J. (2009). The Black girl next door. New York: Simon & Schuster. historian, professor.
Boston, A. (2001). J. Farrell, editor., Fly in the buttermilk: memoirs of an African American in advertising, design and design education. Los Angeles: Archie Boston Graphic Design. designer, educator.
Bray, R. L. (1998). Unafraid of the dark: a memoir. New York: Random House. writer, editor, minister, seminary president.
Brown, C. (1993). Coming up down home: a memoir of a southern childhood. Hopewell: Ecco. writer.
Cobbs, P. M. (2005). My American life: from rage to entitlement. New York: Atria Books. psychiatrist, professor, management consultant.
Davis, A. (1974). Angela Davis: an autobiography. New York: Random House. activist, educator, author.
Davis, F. M. (1992). J. E. Tidwell, editor, Livin' the blues: memoirs of a Black journalist and poet. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press. journalist, poet.
Edelman, M. W. (1999). Lanterns: a memoir of mentors. Boston: Beacon. children’s rights activist.
Eubanks, W. R. (2003). Ever is a long time: a journey into Mississippi's dark past. New York: Basic Books. Library of Congress publishing director, author, journalist, professor.
Fisher, A. L. S., & Goble, D. (1996). A matter of black and white: the autobiography of Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. civil rights activist, lawyer.
Gates, H. L., Jr. (1994). Colored people: a memoir. New York: Vintage. author, professor, documentary filmmaker.
Hayre, R. W., & Moore, A. (1997). Tell them we are rising: a memoir of faith in education. New York: Wiley. educator, philanthropist.
Height, D. (2003). Open wide the freedom gates: a memoir. New York: Public Affairs. educator, social activist.
Holly, E. (1996). One life: the autobiography of an African American actress. New York: Kodansha International.--actress.
Hudson, W., & Curry, C. (2002). Mississippi harmony: memoirs of a freedom fighter. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. activist.
Jordan, D. L., & Jenkins, R. L. (2014). David L. Jordan: from the Mississippi cotton fields to the state senate, a memoir. Jackson: University of Mississippi Press. state senator.
Kelly, S. E. (2010). Dr. Sam: soldier, educator, advocate, friend: an autobiography. Seattle: University of Washington Press. military officer, educator, academic administrator.
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Madgett, N. L. (2006). Pilgrim journey. Detroit: Lotus Press. poet, teacher.
Májozo, E. C. (1999). Come out the wilderness: memoir of a Black woman artist. New York: Feminist Press at The City University of New York. author, poet, professor.
Mason, G. R., & Smith, J. P. (2000). Beaches, blood, and ballots: a Black doctor's civil rights struggle. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi. civil rights activist, physician.
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Miller, A. D. (2007). Ticket to exile: a memoir. Berkeley: Heyday Books. poet, writer, publisher, radio programmer.
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Rosenblatt, P.C., Sims, C.M.C. African American Autobiographer Accounts of Learning from Parents How to Deal with Racism. J Afr Am St 20, 135–151 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12111-016-9324-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12111-016-9324-6