What is Internalized Racism and how does it influence and or impact People of Color?

Bale Kader
Hamline University

Introduction

Internalized racism is how victims of discrimination and racist ideologies internally

process negative stereotypes of race. What is meant by the phrase “internally processed” is that

victims of internalized racism inherently believe that their race or ethnicity is inferior due to the

conscious or unconscious acceptance of a racial hierarchy where the culture, values, and beliefs

of the dominant culture are deemed as “better” then that of the minorities own culture, values,

and beliefs. Further explanations of internalized racism can be sought out in studies that have

been done by scholarship through out history. For example Donna K. Bivens in “What is

Internalized Racism?” describes internalized racism as this limited sense of self that can

undermine people of color’s belief in their full humanity and it disrupts their understanding of

their inner life. Below in the Concept Analysis are three studies that focus on how internalized

racism is present in variances of people of color. In Communities of people of color Internalized

Racism affects the communities self image and its propensity for violence. Also teachers that

come from communities of people of color and that teach in communities of people of color

examine how their Internalized Racism reflects in their teaching and in their students.

Perspective

One study that isn’t mentioned below but that is believed to really have captured the

essence of internalized racism is the 1940’s “The doll Test” by Dr. Kenneth and Mamie Clark.

(Brown at 60) Psychologist Kenneth and Mamie Clark designed “the doll test” to study the
psychological effects of segregation on African American children. Dr. Clark used four dolls,

identical except for skin color, to test the children’s racial perceptions. The children being tested

were between the ages of three and seven, they were asked to identify both the race of the dolls

and which color they preferred. Majority of the children preferred the white doll and assigned

positive characteristics to it. The Doctors concluded that prejudice, discrimination, and

segregation created a sense of inferiority among African American children and that it has also

damaged their self-esteem.

In recent book titled “ A Good Time For The Truth” sixteen of Minnesota’s top writers

provide a range of perspectives on what it is like to live as a person of color in Minnesota. One

of the Authors, Bao Phi who was born in Saigon but was raised in south Minneapolis titles his

piece Brutal. In his piece he describes a time where he and some other activists were protesting

Miss Saigon. ​As they were politely asking theatergoers if they would like a free informational

booklet, which was met with rude comments sometimes. He states the worst comments would

come from other Asians going to the show. Most white people just seemed to want to avoid the

discussion. He states, “ The Asians, on the other hand, seem to love to take other Asians down a

notch in front of white people. It reaffirms their being. These Asians are often called

self-hating… they love themselves just fine. Its other Asians they hate.”

These works get at what internalized racism looks like and how Internalized Racism can affect

communities of color in a negative way. How are people of color supposed to succeed in

challenging stereotypes if society and people of color that look the same as them are putting

them down? That is the question this paper focuses on.

 Concept Analysis

Internalized Racism and Skin Color Satisfaction

Regarding college students, it seems internalized racism is predictive of skin color

dissatisfaction. Morgan, Joshua, Jasmine, and Faye (2014) examined whether internalized racism

relates to skin color satisfaction among African American college students. Using multiple

regression analysis they found that the relationship between internalized racism and skin color

satisfaction was significant. Greater internalized racism was associated with lower skin color

satisfaction. The research suggests that the internalization of negative race related stereotypes to

have serious destructive effects on ones perception of self, which in lines with psychosocial

stress, decreased self awareness of the Black self, and poor health outcomes. Which is also

prevalent in Black communities today. But it is important to say that these effects are not

prevalent in all but some of the Black communities in this generation. They found that

internalized racism is predictive of skin color dissatisfaction and contributes to a broader

understanding of skin color satisfaction construct and the factors that underlie its reduction or

amplification among African Americans. More research needs to be done to determine if

internalized racism is in fact the cause of skin color satisfaction or a consequence of it.

Internalized Racism and Violence

While the first study focused on how internalized racism is predictive skin color

satisfaction, Bryant (2011) in this study explores whether internalized racism can explain a

significant amount of propensity toward violence among urban African American adolescent

males. In models that control for generic risk factors Wesley hypothesizes that higher levels of
internalized racism will be associated with a greater propensity for African American male youth

violence.

There were 224 participants total that were recruited for this study. They all range from ages

14-19. The participants consisted of students from Philadelphia Public High School, African

American youth that are enrolled in African centered charter high school, African American

male youth detainees at Philadelphia’s youth study center, and African American male youth

participants who are either on parole or probation participating in a program that is directed by

Philadelphia’s Youth Violence Reduction Partnership. In this study Internalized Racism which

was the key independent variable measured by using 24-item racist Subscale of Taylor and

Grandy (1996) version of the Nadanollization Scale, designed to measure the extent to which

African Americans identify with racist stereotypes that Blacks are mentally defective in that they

are defective intellectually, mentally, and emotionally and that they are gifted physically in the

sense that they are gifted athletically, artistically, and sexually. (Journal of Black Studies) The

dependent variable in this study looked at the African American youth propensity to engage in

violence. Mix of two different constructs, the first being African American youth violence and

the second being attitude and behaviors. The Aggressive Behavior Construct was measured using

a 17-item Aggressive Behavior subscale Achenbach and Rescorla’s (2001) Child Behavior

Checklist, which had a choice of three responses for every item. The scales used to measure the

independent and dependent variables were established scales with published validity and

reliability reports. This study suggests that Internalized racism was statistically significant risk

factor and key predictor for major components of the propensity for violence, although it was not

significant predictor of violent behavior.

Internalized Racism: teachers of color

Unlike the first two studies this later study focuses on teachers of color and internalized

racism within them selves, and within the classes they teach. Rita Kohli (2014) investigates the

process pre-service teachers of color took in unpacking their Internalized Racism as they strive

for racially just classrooms. In-depth interviews and focus groups made of 6 participants each

were conducted with four African American women, four Latina American women, and four

Asian American women. All the women in the study were enrolled in a social-Justice oriented

urban teacher education program in California. Data revealed that the women in the study had; 1)

Experienced Racism in their K-12 education; 2) Self work done prior to enrolling in the teacher

education program to begin the process of unpacking their Internalized Racism; and 3) they felt

that critical dialogue about Internalized Racism with in teacher preparation was essential to

develop a teaching method that challenges racial inequality. In this study data was collected

through individual interviews where participants were encouraged to share educational

experience with Racism and Internalized Racism in their own lives, as well as what they

observed in schools today. Also in focus groups with balanced racial demographics for three

additional interviews. Lastly Participants where asked to write reflections at the end of each

focus group session to gage their individual understanding of the conversations that were being

had. Data analysis was guided by Critical Race Theory methodology, which encourages a

co-construction of sense making of data with participants; and grounded theory, a method by

which themes are chosen based on patterns that emerge with in the data. Through Critical race

theory and internalized racism, this study brings forward the racialized realities of a multiracial

group of teachers, and emphasizes their strength to challenge racism and inequity in education.
The accounts told through out this article allow the reader to see how teachers of colors can build

on their experiences to think about culturally relevant, radically conscious teaching strategies by

unpacking and thinking critically about their own Internalized racist stereotypes.

Concluding Comments

Internalized racism is acceptance of negative stereotypes of ones own culture, values, and

beliefs. From these studies it proves that the acceptance of Internalized Racism first can be

conscious and or unconscious and that the way it appears in ones day to day life can be very

different for each individual person. In conclusion all three studies confirm that internalized

racism exists and that it exists with in people of color. However, the impact that it has on people

of color seems to be complex and in need of further examination. These studies also confirm that

not only do they exist but also that people are doing what they can to combat this detrimental

thought process. Suggestions for practice changes may be for individuals who are combating the

very problematic prison system; they could focus on teaching individuals that are stuck within

the system that their propensity for violence could first be due to violent nature of the areas they

reside in (ghettos). But also due to Internalized Racims.

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