The Mental Health of Black Americans

Abstract

When subjected to prolonged and unjust oppression, people are occupied with two overriding concerns: their physical survival, and the avoidance of, as much as is possible, the attendant psychosocial stress. On a worldwide basis, oppression may be the result of any one of a combination of conditions—e.g., the tyranny of a dictatorship, persecution on the basis of religion, behavior rooted in the belief in ethnic superiority, nationalism, or economic exploitation. For black Americans, the common or universal oppressive condition is racism. When survival in a racist society is less of a threat, however, more attention is directed to psychosocial concerns. In recent years, black persons in increasing numbers have sought relief of stress through the mental health system.