Black Psychology

Divided Among ii Different Views of the human raceness But this is my Story Michelle Williams contrabanden psychological science Florida Agri pagan and Mechanical University hornswoggle This is an autobiographical raise where I briefly analyzes and date signifi nookiet and imp personationful events that has transpired everywhere my last 20 long time in my life from rail to my fraternity in Portland, surgery. The objective of this essay is to connect c erstwhilepts and the cartroad of study objectives re new-maked to shadowy psychological science which I enrolled in at Florida boorish and Mechanical University (FAMU) fount 2009 term.The outline for this essay is in a chronological age bless starting from my birth in 1988 till my menstruum experience at FAMU. The book that is mainly referenced in this essay is the Kobi K. Kambon textbook African/ inexor qualified Psychology in American circumstance An African concentrate on Approach along with Joseph Baldwins class lectures that I attended. Divided Among two Different Views of the World But this is my Story The bringing close together that a d birthhearted person is from Portland, Oregon seems to be shocking nurture for certain Afro-Americans.Once I introduce myself to new friends and professors who never traveled to Portland or were never assured that melanise sight live in Oregon. umteen a(prenominal) be intrigued by this teaching and eat up a quest to do more. So to dish that motility, yes thither argon darks who live in Oregon. I am a product of Oregon I, Michelle Williams, was born and raised in the urban residential district in Portland amongst other African-Americans. One may mount that I had a difficult time emergence up in Oregon.Experiencing discrimination, racism, or individuation crisis however, my six siblings and I never did. Although, I did non experience those types of issues, I understood that in Portland, the faint race was the modestity and Eur opeans were the majority in the race factor. In addition, do non emergency that my family communication channel totally lines in Oregon, on both sides of my family Confederate root run deep. Therefore, southern traditions, values, ethical motive, beliefs, and customs were inbreeded into my up brings.Without questions, I am an African-American woman from Portland, Oregon however, my geographic region does non designate my denseness, nor does it interpret if I am cap open of experiencing hardships like my fellow peers who were raised in Southern states. In my primordial minorhood, I resided with my maternal grand beget imputable to my pargonnts ab engage to their environment and the use of narcotics. However, my time dog- banal with my grand go was not in vein, n championtheless filled with historic period of observing and learning how to support traditional southern values, which the modern world of psychological science considers the African/ dim Worldviews.In the book, African/ color Psychology in the American mise en scene An African- concern Approach Kobi K. Kambon explains the difference between the African/ blackamoor and European Worldviews. The quartet components that compose the worldviews are cosmology, ontology, axiology, and epistemology (Kambon, 1998) In the African/ African-American worldviews one are taught to believe in oneness/ harmony with nature, extract of the group, sameness whereas the European Worldview have the notion of survival of the fittest, competiveness, independence, and uniqueness ( cosmos different).In my centerfield barbarianhood my parents redirected their life, and my mother returned to college and obtained her bachelors and masters in Psychology with a minor in Black Studies at Portland State University. While in school she begun to incorporate her findings into her parenting. Although, my mother and I were led by Eurocentric teachings, my family and our surroundings reinforced the black/African-Am erican Worldviews in the household. I recall myself adapting to the ideologies and beliefs of those who were not within my own indigenous ethnic group.Kambon defines this experience as a black child who has been influenced by Eurocentric teachings resulting in Abnormal abnormal Circumstances. The child has simulateed and identified him or herself as a member of a group that is not indigenous cultural universe (Kambon, 1998). I was able to bounce back to the normal-nature circumstances, with the help of my Black community friends, and family through our morals and beliefs. I had to stay true to my own cultural reality and not be amongst those who are cultural mis-identified.An example of how I demo brachydactylous unnatural circumstances was when I accepted the European philosophies and earmarked the whites to dictate and define what was appropriate or correct based clear up their standards and views on life. By this I allowed the notion that white Barbie dolls are better, e arlier than the Black chinaware Doll my grandmother purchased for Christmas one year. While in middle school, which is considered my late or pre-adolescence years, I was offered acceptance into the Talent and induct also k at a time as the TAG course of instruction.The TAG programs honors and congratulates students who demonstrated peachy abilities or potentials in areas of general intellectual ability or finickyized ability aptitude (Davenport Community school Website). After disc overing the virtue in the Black Psychology course, I have come to the sympathiseing that this particular program has several(prenominal) flaws that discriminates against the Black race. The black students who excel above the standards dumbfound for Blacks are called expert or Gifted. In chapter eight it express that there was around Blacks who scored as high as Whites on type tests of so-called comprehension (i. research on Black gifted children) (Kambon, 1998). The frameation of the Tag program continues and supports White Supremacy. The definition the European psychologist use to define erudition which were examined on Caucasians only was (a) the repertoire of intellectual/cognitive skills and knowledge in stock(predicate) to a person at any one period of time, or (b) the aggregate of global capacity of the individual to act purposely, to think rationally, and to freshet effectively with his/her environment (Kambon,1998).The names of a brace of exams that exemplified that one was ready were The Alfred Binet and the Binet examination, also known as Intelligence Quotient/ IQ, Charles Spearman with the GS cipher test, and a some others (Kambon, 1998). Robert L. Williams the second National Chairman/ President of American of Black Psychologists (ABPsi) (Kambon, 1998), real a Black cultural specific wisdom test which demonstrated that Blacks could perform superiority to Whites on such a Black cultural based test.The test was called Black Intelligence Test fo r heathen homogeneity formally known as BITCH. His intuition test showcased that African-American students were out performing whites by 30 to 50 points (Kambon, 1998). In transaction to my acceptance to the TAG program I mat a virtuoso of being privileged, superior, and connected to the white race in some sense. I belittled my peers who the Europeans and the test scored them as being underachievers. by means of my actions I had act on the European worldviews.The people see the heartfelt that the TAG program promotes however, there are down sides and negative characteristics of being called a quick-witted or Gifted child. In my early adolescence years, I was considered at quantify a student who could be insubordinate, disrespectful, and disruptive in class. However, my actions were to challenge an question my teachers philosophy somewhat westbound annals, colonization in Africa, slavery, and anything that focused on the Black race. Now feeling back on what transpired i n high school I was severe to discover the truth regarding my peoples.I tried to unravel the mess that the Europeans, Hesperian historians, philosophers, and psychologist created. Removing the cover folds that had been stationd over my eyes through the European teachings I was tired of receiving the edited, shorten, and beautified story the teachers and donnish programme spoon-feed me every year during the one calendar month Blacks are allowed to honour their history (February). I have come to accept that knowledge is signalize and discovered like John Henrik Clarke that, African narrative/ Negro History are the missing pages of World History (John Henrik Clarke, 1996).In chapter three of Kambon books, he explains this root word of cultural reality and worldviews construct, and how ones thoughts beliefs, values and actions are not uniquely our own, unadorned and separate from those of others, particularly other individuals (Kambon, 119). In right aways hostelry we acce pt as true that Europeans set the standards or dictated/ guide one to believe that their slipway of living and doing things are how things ought to be done continues white supremacy.I am now in my trinity year at FAMU as a care for major arouse in psychology, following siblings footsteps of attending a diachronic Black University. My journey in the Black Psychology has taught me new things about my personality and where I come from. In my legal opinion Oregon is a diverse and complex state. I had adopted and equilibrise the different worldviews. From my second-string education I have come to a new found knowledge about this Black Psychology and its striving for saint in the Black communities.I have come to understand that my people are from the Southern or African Cradle, which developed in the beginning the Northern or European Cradle a model Diop (Kambon, 1998). I am from the lineage of infamous Pharaohs and Queens such as Narmar, Pharaoh and Queen who working girl th e red and white crown Hatshepsut (Abarry, 1996). For years information has been hidden and furnish from my peers and I. Not only from the African descendents in Oregon, save from all of the descendents of Africa has that live the 50 states in America.I have learned that I am a descendant of outstanding Queens and Kings and Africans who were educated, governed themselves, ran a favored economy that was developed in many aspects originally the 1500s when Europeans arrived. quaint Kemit (KMT) and the Maat which is the substructure in which the KMT people lived by (Abarry, 1996). I have grown accustomed to both Hesperian and this new psychology called Black Psychology. I am able to observe and in full understand and acknowledge the course objectives in Black Psychology because I have been in the ream of both worlds.My parents were educated and products of the early 60s where there was a large movement on civil rights and black psychologist making a change for the black communi ty. such(prenominal) as the Pan-African Cultural nationalism movement group who where Black Psychologist who instigate that race and elaboration are the foundation of African self-identity and psychological salutary being (Kambon, 1998). Black psychology has made tremendous accomplishments they have challenged the ideals and ideologies of horse opera Psychology. Rather than being the blinded test mice used in western sandwich Psychology, Black psychologist has made a mark in Psychology.There has been a creation of Psychology adapt to the Blacks. They have developed an impressive editorial daybook that comes out every quarter called The Journal of Black Psychology which has been around for about 35 years (Kambon, 1996). The members of the Association of Black Psychologist have overcome many obstacles that have been presented in front of them, and will continue to do so for following years to come (Kamon, 1998). I find that my mind was once held captive in a sense, before I ente red college under Eurocentric teachings.I upheld the ideas of Eurocentric teachings, yet the status quo has changed in favor for the Black Race, and my cognitive for that matter. In todays society black children are taught by a Eurocentric teaching, where there is a mis-education which manifests itself in the Eurocentric abstract incarceration (Kambon, 1998). The portraying the European psychologists painted through their views and studies of the black race, personality, moral health, and behavioral problems have not reflected the Black people in anyway. On the contrary it has caused a separation between blacks.Those who believed in changing the psychology world for the black race have succeeded at founding its place and did not allow the standards set by westbound Psychology to be the foundation for Black Psychology (Kambon, 1996). Today the blacks can see the great depth of the Eurocentric cultural incarceration that encapsulates African intellectual reason and scholarship. (Kambon,1998). Which has caused a developmental problem of the knowledge of the African/ black race. From the motive of Francis Cecil Sumner, Herman G. Canady, Robert L. Williams, Marcus Gravey, Nat Turners, W.E. B Dubois, Frances Cress Welsing, and the thousands of members of the Association of Black Psychology, there is a psychology that focuses on the black community which is not outlined by the Western Psychology standards. It is up to students like me to utilize the innate tools from courses like Black Psychology, and turn a deaf ear to the myths and deceptive information that the Western Psychology once succeeded at incarcerating. This was my experience from growing up in Portland, Oregon and making a much need journey to Florida A&M University which landed me a foot in Dr.Joseph Baldwin course Black Psychology. References Abarry, S. , Asante, M. ,(1996). African intellectual Heritiage. Philadelphia, PA synagogue Press A Great and Might Walk. Dir. St. Claire Bourne. P erf. Wesley Snipes John Henrik Clarke. 1996. Bourne, C. Westley Snipes (1996) Los Angles Davenport Community School Website. (1998, Aug). Retrieved Mar. 09, 2009, from http//www. davenport. k12. ia. us/curriculum/gifted. asp Kambon, K. (1998). African/ black psychology in the american context an african- centered approach. Tallahassee, Fl Nubian Nation PublicationBlack PsychologyDivided Among two Different Views of the World But this is my Story Michelle Williams Black Psychology Florida rural and Mechanical University Abstract This is an autobiographical essay where I briefly analyzes and interpret significant and impactful events that has transpired over my last 20 years in my life from school to my community in Portland, Oregon. The objective of this essay is to connect concepts and the course objectives related to Black Psychology which I enrolled in at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) spring 2009 term.The outline for this essay is in a chronological age or der starting from my birth in 1988 till my current experience at FAMU. The book that is mainly referenced in this essay is the Kobi K. Kambon textbook African/ Black Psychology in American Context An African Centered Approach along with Joseph Baldwins class lectures that I attended. Divided Among two Different Views of the World But this is my Story The idea that a black person is from Portland, Oregon seems to be shocking information for certain African-Americans.Once I introduce myself to new friends and professors who never traveled to Portland or were never informed that Black people live in Oregon. Many are intrigued by this information and have a quest to know more. So to answer that question, yes there are blacks who live in Oregon. I am a product of Oregon I, Michelle Williams, was born and raised in the urban community in Portland amongst other African-Americans. One may assume that I had a difficult time growing up in Oregon.Experiencing discrimination, racism, or identit y crisis however, my six siblings and I never did. Although, I did not experience those types of issues, I understood that in Portland, the Black race was the minority and Europeans were the majority in the race factor. In addition, do not assume that my family lineage only lines in Oregon, on both sides of my family southern roots run deep. Therefore, southern traditions, values, morals, beliefs, and customs were inbreeded into my up brings.Without questions, I am an African-American woman from Portland, Oregon however, my geographic region does not define my blackness, nor does it determine if I am capable of experiencing hardships like my fellow peers who were raised in Southern states. In my early childhood, I resided with my maternal grandmother due to my parents abuse to their environment and the use of narcotics. However, my time spent with my grandmother was not in vein, yet filled with years of observing and learning how to uphold traditional southern values, which the mode rn world of psychology considers the African/ Black Worldviews.In the book, African/ Black Psychology in the American context An African- Centered Approach Kobi K. Kambon explains the difference between the African/ Black and European Worldviews. The four components that compose the worldviews are cosmology, ontology, axiology, and epistemology (Kambon, 1998) In the African/ African-American worldviews one are taught to believe in oneness/ harmony with nature, survival of the group, sameness whereas the European Worldview have the notion of survival of the fittest, competiveness, independence, and uniqueness (being different).In my middle childhood my parents redirected their life, and my mother returned to college and obtained her bachelors and masters in Psychology with a minor in Black Studies at Portland State University. While in school she begun to incorporate her findings into her parenting. Although, my mother and I were led by Eurocentric teachings, my family and our surrou ndings reinforced the black/African-American Worldviews in the household. I recall myself adapting to the ideologies and beliefs of those who were not within my own indigenous cultural group.Kambon defines this experience as a black child who has been influenced by Eurocentric teachings resulting in Abnormal Unnatural Circumstances. The child has accepted and identified him or herself as a member of a group that is not indigenous cultural reality (Kambon, 1998). I was able to bounce back to the normal-nature circumstances, with the help of my Black community friends, and family through our morals and beliefs. I had to stay true to my own cultural reality and not be amongst those who are cultural mis-identified.An example of how I demonstrated abnormal unnatural circumstances was when I accepted the European philosophies and allowed the whites to dictate and define what was appropriate or correct based off their standards and views on life. By this I allowed the notion that white Bar bie dolls are better, rather than the Black China Doll my grandmother purchased for Christmas one year. While in middle school, which is considered my late or pre-adolescence years, I was offered acceptance into the Talent and Gift also known as the TAG program.The TAG programs honors and congratulates students who demonstrated outstanding abilities or potentials in areas of general intellectual ability or specific ability aptitude (Davenport Community School Website). After discovering the truth in the Black Psychology course, I have come to the understanding that this particular program has several flaws that discriminates against the Black race. The black students who excel above the standards set for Blacks are called Talented or Gifted. In chapter eight it stated that there was some Blacks who scored as high as Whites on Standard tests of so-called intelligence (i. research on Black gifted children) (Kambon, 1998). The foundation of the Tag program continues and supports White Supremacy. The definition the European psychologist use to define intelligence which were examined on Caucasians only was (a) the repertoire of intellectual/cognitive skills and knowledge available to a person at any one period of time, or (b) the aggregate of global capacity of the individual to act purposely, to think rationally, and to deal effectively with his/her environment (Kambon,1998).The names of a couple of exams that exemplified that one was intelligent were The Alfred Binet and the Binet Test, also known as Intelligence Quotient/ IQ, Charles Spearman with the GS Factor test, and a few others (Kambon, 1998). Robert L. Williams the second National Chairman/ President of American of Black Psychologists (ABPsi) (Kambon, 1998), developed a Black cultural specific intelligence test which demonstrated that Blacks could perform superiority to Whites on such a Black cultural based test.The test was called Black Intelligence Test for Cultural Homogeneity formally known as BITCH. His intelligence test showcased that African-American students were out performing whites by 30 to 50 points (Kambon, 1998). In relations to my acceptance to the TAG program I felt a sense of being privileged, superior, and connected to the white race in some sense. I belittled my peers who the Europeans and the test scored them as being underachievers. Through my actions I had continued on the European worldviews.The people see the good that the TAG program promotes however, there are down sides and negative characteristics of being called a Talented or Gifted child. In my early adolescence years, I was considered at times a student who could be insubordinate, disrespectful, and disruptive in class. However, my actions were to challenge an question my teachers philosophy about Western History, colonization in Africa, slavery, and anything that focused on the Black race. Now looking back on what transpired in high school I was trying to discover the truth regarding my peoples.I trie d to unravel the mess that the Europeans, Western historians, philosophers, and psychologist created. Removing the blind folds that had been placed over my eyes through the European teachings I was tired of receiving the edited, shorten, and beautified story the teachers and academic curriculum spoon-feed me every year during the one month Blacks are allowed to celebrate their history (February). I have come to accept that knowledge is key and discovered like John Henrik Clarke that, African History/ Negro History are the missing pages of World History (John Henrik Clarke, 1996).In chapter three of Kambon books, he explains this idea of cultural reality and worldviews construct, and how ones thoughts beliefs, values and actions are not uniquely our own, distinct and separate from those of others, particularly other individuals (Kambon, 119). In todays society we accept as true that Europeans set the standards or dictated/ guide one to believe that their ways of living and doing thin gs are how things ought to be done continues white supremacy.I am now in my third year at FAMU as a nursing major interested in psychology, following siblings footsteps of attending a Historical Black University. My journey in the Black Psychology has taught me new things about my personality and where I come from. In my opinion Oregon is a diverse and complex state. I had adopted and balanced the different worldviews. From my secondary education I have come to a new found knowledge about this Black Psychology and its striving for perfection in the Black communities.I have come to understand that my people are from the Southern or African Cradle, which developed before the Northern or European Cradle a model Diop (Kambon, 1998). I am from the lineage of infamous Pharaohs and Queens such as Narmar, Pharaoh and Queen who whore the red and white crown Hatshepsut (Abarry, 1996). For years information has been hidden and sheltered from my peers and I. Not only from the African descendent s in Oregon, but from all of the descendents of Africa has that populated the 50 states in America.I have learned that I am a descendant of great Queens and Kings and Africans who were educated, governed themselves, ran a successful economy that was developed in many aspects before the 1500s when Europeans arrived. Ancient Kemit (KMT) and the Maat which is the foundation in which the KMT people lived by (Abarry, 1996). I have grown accustomed to both Western and this new psychology called Black Psychology. I am able to observe and fully understand and acknowledge the course objectives in Black Psychology because I have been in the ream of both worlds.My parents were educated and products of the early 60s where there was a large movement on civil rights and black psychologist making a change for the black community. Such as the Pan-African Cultural nationalism movement group who where Black Psychologist who advocate that race and culture are the foundation of African self-identity an d psychological well being (Kambon, 1998). Black psychology has made tremendous accomplishments they have challenged the ideals and ideologies of Western Psychology. Rather than being the blinded test mice used in Western Psychology, Black psychologist has made a mark in Psychology.There has been a creation of Psychology geared to the Blacks. They have developed an impressive editorial journal that comes out quarterly called The Journal of Black Psychology which has been around for about 35 years (Kambon, 1996). The members of the Association of Black Psychologist have overcome many obstacles that have been presented in front of them, and will continue to do so for following years to come (Kamon, 1998). I find that my mind was once held captive in a sense, before I entered college under Eurocentric teachings.I upheld the ideas of Eurocentric teachings, yet the status quo has changed in favor for the Black Race, and my cognitive for that matter. In todays society black children are t aught by a Eurocentric teaching, where there is a mis-education which manifests itself in the Eurocentric conceptual incarceration (Kambon, 1998). The portrait the European psychologists painted through their views and studies of the black race, personality, mental health, and behavioral problems have not reflected the Black people in anyway. On the contrary it has caused a separation between blacks.Those who believed in changing the psychology world for the black race have succeeded at founding its place and did not allow the standards set by Western Psychology to be the foundation for Black Psychology (Kambon, 1996). Today the blacks can see the great depth of the Eurocentric cultural incarceration that encapsulates African intellectual consciousness and scholarship. (Kambon,1998). Which has caused a developmental problem of the knowledge of the African/ black race. From the motivation of Francis Cecil Sumner, Herman G. Canady, Robert L. Williams, Marcus Gravey, Nat Turners, W.E. B Dubois, Frances Cress Welsing, and the thousands of members of the Association of Black Psychology, there is a psychology that focuses on the black community which is not defined by the Western Psychology standards. It is up to students like me to utilize the essential tools from courses like Black Psychology, and turn a deaf ear to the myths and misleading information that the Western Psychology once succeeded at incarcerating. This was my experience from growing up in Portland, Oregon and making a much need journey to Florida A&M University which landed me a seat in Dr.Joseph Baldwin course Black Psychology. References Abarry, S. , Asante, M. ,(1996). African intellectual Heritiage. Philadelphia, PA Temple Press A Great and Might Walk. Dir. St. Claire Bourne. Perf. Wesley Snipes John Henrik Clarke. 1996. Bourne, C. Westley Snipes (1996) Los Angles Davenport Community School Website. (1998, Aug). Retrieved Mar. 09, 2009, from http//www. davenport. k12. ia. us/curriculum/gifte d. asp Kambon, K. (1998). African/ black psychology in the american context an african- centered approach. Tallahassee, Fl Nubian Nation Publication