Black Identity Development Models

From Cross (1991)

Pre Encounter
Characterized by people who consciously or unconsciously devalue their own Blackness, and
concurrently value White values and norms. There's a strong desire to assimilate ethical trade
into white society.

Encounter
Two things occur: the individual encounters a crisis or a profound event the challenges his/her
previous mode of thinking and behaving; the individual begins to reinterpret the world and a shift
in worldview occurs.

Immersion
The individual withdraws from the dominant culture and immerse himself or herself in African-
American culture. Black pride begins to develop but internalization of positive attitudes towards
one's blackness is minimal.

Emersions
Feelings of guilt in anger began to dissipate with increasing sense of pride around one's
blackness.

Internalization
Into security begins to develop, as conflicts between old and new identities are resolved. Global
anti-white feelings subside, as a person becomes more flexible, more tolerant, and more
bicultural and multicultural.

Cross, W. E. (1991) Shades of Black: Diversity in African American Identity Philadelphia,

PA. Temple University Press

From Jackson (1975)

Passive -- acceptance stage

The individual excepts and conforms to white social, cultural, and institutional standards.
Feelings of self-worth come from a white perspective.

Active -- resistance stage

An individual is dedicated towards rejection of white social, cultural, and institutional standards.
A great deal of anger, or global anti-white feelings, is directed towards white society.

Redirection Stage
Individual attempts to develop uniquely African-American values, goals, structures, and
traditions. This is a period of isolation, and the anti-white anger dissipates, and is channeled
into pride in identity and culture.

Internalization Stage
Once a sense of inner security develops, the individual can't own and except those aspects of
the dominant culture better seen as healthy, and can stand against those things are toxic, such
as racism, sexism, and oppression. White and black cultures are not seen as diametrically
opposed.

Jackson, B. "Black Identity Development.” Journal of Educational Diversity and Innovation, 2

(1975), 19-25