African American Culture Research Articles

Black Culture? I know that's Right!

To most Americans, Michael Jordan is a household name. Jordan first became widely known at the start of his collegiate basketball career at the University of North Carolina in the 1980s. He signed a deal with the Nike shoe company that would eventually change the course of his life and the course of sneaker culture around the world. A new up-and-coming star in the league, Nike took a chance, and it paid off for both parties. The first pair of “Air Jordans” was released to the public on April 1, 1985. Jordan is not alone; however, in commodifying his image. African American culture overall has mastered what it means to be a part of the marketplace.

The lived experience of acculturative stress in second-generation Haitian American emerging adults

Second-generation Haitian American emerging adults function within three cultures; the American culture, Black American culture, and the Haitian culture. Balancing and living within multiple cultures while trying to grow in autonomy and adulthood can affect the mental health of emerging adults. Gaining independence while finding identity coupled with cultural expectations can contribute to increasing stress levels. The aim of this phenomenological inquiry is to explore the lived experience of second generation Haitian American emerging adults while focusing on mental health. This descriptive phenomenological inquiry explored the mental health effects of acculturative stress in emerging adults who identified as second-generation Haitian Americans. The population sample consisted of 30 participants ages 19–29 years, with a mean of (Mage = 25.97, SD = 2.95). Data was collected through semi-structured one-on-one interviews, which were guided by fifteen open ended questions. Thematic analysis approach was applied to the qualitative data. Saturation was reached after 23 participant interviews and 7 additional interviews after saturation to confirm result findings. Resulting themes revealed that Haitian parents and culture were strict, a dual identity, and lack of awareness/support for mental health in the culture were stressors. Themes of admiration for the Haitian culture and resiliency serve as possibilities as to why participants pursued higher education. The triple minority status of the heritage culture has contributed to increased stress levels resulting in the expression of anxiety, depression and self-critical thoughts such as feelings of imposter syndrome.

Abstract 4020: Review of literature on the effect of stress and anxiety among African-American breast and endometrial cancer patients

Abstract African American women face disproportionately higher rates of breast and endometrial cancer recurrence compared to their Caucasian counterparts, highlighting an urgent need to explore the role of stress in cancer progression and recurrence. This study conducts a systematic review of the literature to evaluate the efficacy of stress and anxiety interventions in reducing cancer risk among African American survivors. By analyzing 25 articles from 2014-2024, this review examines the correlation between psychological stress, biological stress markers, and cancer outcomes. The findings emphasize the significant impact of stress on health outcomes, particularly in the context of cortisol's role in metabolism and immune response. The review also explores coping mechanisms, including social support, diet, and exercise, tailored to African American women's cultural and socioeconomic needs. The results underscore the critical need for targeted interventions to address stress in this population, with implications for improving cancer survivorship and advancing healthcare equity. Citation Format: Gabrielle Ford, Zakirah L. Abdul-Hameed, Amirah Burton, Brian M. Rivers, Desiree Rivers. Review of literature on the effect of stress and anxiety among African-American breast and endometrial cancer patients [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2025; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2025 Apr 25-30; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2025;85(8_Suppl_1):Abstract nr 4020.

Aflac extends support for Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Aflac extends support for Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Virtual Reality Museums: Redefining Engagement and Understanding in Cultural Heritage

This study explores the paradigm-shifting impact of Virtual Reality (VR) on museum experience design, using the banjo’s rich history as a case study to explore these benefits, especially in regards to understanding and empathizing with African-American culture throughout time. This VR museum’s design model not only enhances visitor engagement through interactive 3D models, videos, and virtual explorations, but also transcends the limitations of physical space, making the museum experience accessible to a global audience, so long as they have access to a VR headset. Our findings indicate that the educational quality of the VR museum matches—and in some aspects surpasses—that of traditional museums by providing immersive, interactive learning environments where visitors can deeply engage with the cultural and historical narratives of the banjo. Additionally, VR facilitates the easy customization and updating of exhibits, allowing for content that remains current and relevant. Most importantly, the VR setting offers a sensitive platform for presenting emotionally charged content, such as the banjo’s connections to slavery and African American history, fostering a deeper cultural connection and understanding. This study demonstrates that VR technology can significantly transform museum experiences, making them more inclusive, educational, and emotionally engaging, thus redefining the standard museum design paradigm. While VR headsets are not yet widely accessible due to socioeconomic factors, addressing this challenge is beyond the scope of this paper.

“All We Know is Blues!”: The Persistence of the Blues in Southern African American Culture

ABSTRACT: While it has often been held that the blues is no longer a significant part of African American life, this article argues that the genre is very much alive for Black listeners in Deep South locales such as the Mississippi Delta and the Alabama Black Belt. From the early 1970s to the present, African American fans in these areas have continued to listen to blues performed by singers unfamiliar to most contemporary white blues listeners, including Z. Z. Hill, Denise LaSalle, Miss Jody, and O. B. Buchana. While the blues style these artists perform has sometimes been labeled soul-blues or Southern Soul, for the fans who have kept it alive over the years, it is usually considered “just straight blues.” This article contends that this postmodern blues form shows strong thematic continuity with the blues tradition while maintaining a stylistic flexibility that aligns it with late-nineteenth-century and early-twentieth-century blues forms documented in recent scholarship.

The Long Life and History of the Ebony Test Kitchens

In 2022, the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) acquired the Ebony Test Kitchen—the space used to test and style recipes for the iconic magazine, Ebony , from 1972 to 2010. Noted for its eye-popping colors and technological advances, the kitchen was designed by William Raiser and Arthur Elrod and located in Chicago-based Johnson Publications Company’s headquarters. The Ebony Test Kitchen has garnered significant attention since being saved from demolition in 2017, placed on display in the Museum of Food and Drink’s 2021 exhibition African/American: Making the Nation’s Table, and acquired by the NMAAHC. Public excitement about the NMAAHC shrouded plans for it remains high. This article examines the long life of the kitchen, from its functional origins to its grassroots rescue from demolition to its transformation into a cultural and museum-made object. It also explores the importance of the kitchen as a counternarrative to ideas about food and race that devalue and have stigmatized Black culinary contributions in American kitchens. JPC has been lauded as the company that “revolutionized how Black Americans saw themselves.” This article will illustrate how the Ebony Test Kitchen and its functions transformed the image of Black Americans and food.

Embracing entomophagy: Nutritional benefits and sustainable potential

Abstract This review delves into the emerging role of entomophagy, or insect consumption, in contemporary diets, highlighting its benefits, challenges, and potential for widespread acceptance. Insects are an abundant source of protein and nutrients, presenting a sustainable alternative to conventional animal proteins with a considerably lower environmental impact. Traditionally, insects have been an integral part of diets in numerous Asian, African, and Latin American cultures. However, acceptance in Western markets remains limited due to cultural norms and psychological barriers. This review explores strategies to enhance consumer acceptance, including educational initiatives, innovative product development, and advanced processing technologies. By addressing these challenges, entomophagy holds the promise of significantly contributing to food security and sustainability in the future. Keywords: Entomophagy, Sustainability, Consumer Acceptance, Nutritional Benefits, Cultural Integration

Antagonistic Cooperation: Jazz, Collage, Fiction, and the Shaping of African American Culture by Robert G. O'Meally (review)

Antagonistic Cooperation: Jazz, Collage, Fiction, and the Shaping of African American Culture by Robert G. O'Meally (review)

ANALYSIS OF TONI MORRISON'S WORKS IN LINGUISTICS

This article attempts to reveal Toni Morrison's works from a linguistic perspective. Morrison's creative style, the writer's chosen means of expression, word usage, and imagery system are analyzed linguistically. The writer's works reflect African-American culture and history, explore ethnic identity, and explore social issues through language. The article emphasizes the relevance of Morrison's works for modern linguistic research and offers new scientific views on her creative approaches. The metaphors, unique dialogues, and aesthetic elevation of language used in Morrison's works are also discussed, highlighting their role in linguistics.

“Africans Do Not Fail”: Examining the Model Minority Stereotype and Anti-Blackness at a New York City Public School

Background/Context: In recent years, there has been an increase in the use of the model minority label to reference the educational achievement of African immigrant students. Yet, despite the growing image of African immigrants as model minorities, there is little empirical research on K–12 African immigrant students’ academic achievement and the prevailing notion of this group as model minorities. Focusing on West African students and their teachers and counselors, this study examines the perceptions and realities of these students’ academic abilities, academic achievements, and the model minority stereotype at Wilson High School (pseudonym), a predominantly Black New York City public school. Research Question: The study explores the following questions: (1) How are West African immigrant students perceived and treated at Wilson High School by the adults whom they interact with the most, specifically teachers and counselors? (2) In what ways, if at all, do these perceptions and treatments align with the model minority stereotype and West African students academic achievement? Research Design: Wilson is a high school with about 500 students located in the Bronx, a NYC borough known to be the site of settlement for Western Africans, the largest group of Africans in the United States. For this critical ethnographic study, I spent 10 months at Wilson engaging in data collection, including in-school observations and in-depth one-on-one semi-structured interviews with ten West African students, nine of their teachers, and a school guidance counselor. Data analysis involved an inductive approach to analyzing emerging themes with a specific focus on Carspecken’s reconstructive horizon analysis. Conclusions/Recommendations: The first theme in this study reveals that the model minority stereotype best characterized adults’ perceptions of West African immigrant students (WAISs) at Wilson even though WAISs’ grade point averages contradicted these perceptions. Second, in this mostly Black school, teachers and counselors believed that African culture promoted high educational aspirations, whereas American culture, particularly African American culture, encouraged oppositional attitudes toward educational success. Third, perceptions of African youth as model students afforded them symbolic capital and beneficial treatment at Wilson. The themes found in this study highlight the complex ways in which the model minority stereotype influences adults’ perceptions and treatment of African students, which shapes African students’ school experiences. This article recommends that further exploration of the racialization of African immigrant students include an emphasis on their growing positioning as model minorities.

Explore Issues of Race, Gender, and Class in African American Culture: Identifying Themes in African American Literature

This review article delves into the complex relationship between gender, class, race, and African American literature and culture, looking at how these overlapping social identities impact African Americans' real-life experiences and literary creations. Through an analysis of seminal works and critical theories, the study highlights key themes such as identity, resistance, community, and intersectionality. This dissertation highlights the importance of gender, class, and race in African American literature by offering a thorough framework for comprehending these issues in relation to their cultural and historical backgrounds.

The Reflection of African American History and Culture in African American Literature

This paper explores the intricate relationship between African American history, culture, and literature, highlighting how African American literary works serve as a profound reflection of the community's historical and cultural journey. By examining significant historical periods such as slavery, Reconstruction, the Civil Rights Movement, and contemporary issues, the paper delves into the impact of these events on African American identity and cultural expression. Additionally, it analyzes the representation of African American cultural elements like music, oral traditions, and religious practices in literature. Through a detailed examination of selected literary works, the paper reveals how African American authors articulate the complexities of their experiences, capturing themes of resilience, resistance, and identity. This study underscores the importance of literature in preserving and conveying the rich history and culture of African Americans, offering a deeper understanding of their enduring struggle for justice and equality.

Religious Coping Styles Used by Young Black Women Who Experience DatingViolence.

Young Black women experience higher rates of dating violence victimization compared to their White peers. Religion is a cornerstone of African American culture, suggesting that Black women may use religious coping after experiencing trauma like dating violence. However, research has not explored the patterns of religious coping following dating violence experiences. The current study analyzed survey data from 481 young Black women aged 18-19 years on their religious coping behaviors, acceptance of violence beliefs, and dating violence victimization experiences. Results showed that victimization was positively associated with negative religious coping. Findings indicate that one way young Black women cope with dating violence victimization is through feelings of spiritual discontent, and they may see their victimization as a punishment from God.

Survival Politics and Sacrificial Transmediation: Liu Xiaobo and Signature Event Context

ABSTRACT This article interrogates the medial politics of 2010 Nobel Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo through a re-situation of Marc Abélès’s concept of “survival politics.” It understands Liu’s energetic self-representation in multiple media as an attempt to produce a usable Derridean signature, connections between texts and contexts that allow for cohesion inside endangered communities, as well as methods by which to contest dominant narratives. By reading Liu’s graduate thesis, “Aesthetics and Human Freedom,” alongside Derrida’s essay “Signature Event Context,” this article theorizes that minoritarian discourses that face erasure often choose vigorous transmedial production, self-sacrificially constraining their own freedoms in order to work toward the improbable appearance of signed texts. The article finishes by raising the possibility that the politics of authenticity and hypervisibility in contemporary African American intellectual culture are also interpretable through the lens of self-sacrificial hypermediation.

Jazz music: From black pride to political consciousness to social change in the United States

African Americans have been marginalised, discriminated against, and excluded from American society for centuries. First as slaves, but later when they gained emancipation, they remained relegated, differentiated, and discounted, in a range of areas, including in the political and economic spheres. Music has been a means to promote their greater inclusion in American society, drawing together and uniting all Americans through its power. While there have been links drawn between music and the African American struggle for equality, there has not been sufficient focus on the pivotal role that specifically jazz music has played in this regard. Jazz particularly has been a vehicle for promoting Black pride, political consciousness, and social change. This article argues that jazz has had a major effect on African American culture, society, and experience. Analysing the works of legendary jazz musicians James Brown, John Coltrane, Billie Holiday, and The Temptations, this article shows that jazz is not only as a catalyst for, but a driving force in, the fight for political freedom, as well as for economic empowerment, which is arguably still ongoing today.

Transformational Learning Within African American Culture: What Does Financial Education That Addresses Systemic Inequalities Look Like?

Using a grounded theory approach, we investigate the practices of financial educators working in a community program to identify how financial education is taught in the context of historical inequalities and systemic barriers. Framed in the transformative learning theory, we describe how an understanding of the meaning of wealth within the Black community establishes relationships as the foundation for learning the knowledge and skills needed to interact with financial institutions. Based on our findings, we propose a community-focused explanation of interacting with financial institutions as a model for financial education that is applicable and relevant for Black communities and potentially for other marginalized communities that experience systemic exclusion and discrimination.

“African root and American fruit”: African American families and culture in college choice

PurposeResearch shows that family is influential to African Americans in college choice (Chapman et al., 2018; Chapman et al., 2020; Freeman, 2005; Hines et al., 2019; Lowry, 2017; Williams, 2018). However, it often overlooks unique, African-rooted characteristics of African American families and culture. This study aimed to explore whether and how these characteristics shape college choice for these students.Design/methodology/approachData were collected through semi-structured interviews with six, first-year African American students at an urban university. The data were analyzed using theoretical thematic analysis.FindingsThe major themes showed the influence of family, community and spirituality in shaping participants’ college choice decisions and perception of higher education.Originality/valueIn addition to identifying specific family members who were influential to African Americans in college choice, this work highlighted the role of communities as a whole in shaping these students’ decisions and creating supportive environments. It also showed the importance of these students’ relationship with God through the college choice process. The work can guide researchers and educators in considering African American families and culture as strengths in helping these students through college choice.

THE INFLUENCE OF JAZZ AND BLUES ON AFRICAN AMERICAN LITERATURE

This research paper explores the profound influence of jazz and blues on African American literature, highlighting their role in shaping themes, narrative techniques, and cultural expressions. Jazz and blues, with origins rooted in African traditions and their evolution in the United States, serve as cultural symbols representing the resilience, creativity, and spirit of the African American community. The Harlem Renaissance marked a significant intersection of music and literature, with key figures such as Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, and Ralph Ellison incorporating musical elements into their works to explore themes of identity, struggle, resilience, and community.Langston Hughes' poetry, notably "The Weary Blues," captures the rhythmic and emotional depth of blues, while Zora Neale Hurston’s novels, including "Their Eyes Were Watching God," integrate musical elements and African American folklore. Ralph Ellison’s "Invisible Man" employs jazz influences to explore themes of identity and cultural expression. These works demonstrate how jazz and blues have shaped the narrative structures and thematic depth of African American literature.Contemporary African American writers continue this tradition, drawing on jazz and blues to enhance their storytelling. Toni Morrison’s "Jazz" and Jesmyn Ward’s "Sing, Unburied, Sing" exemplify the ongoing influence of these musical genres, using them to deals complex themes and preserve cultural narratives.The paper concludes that the interconnectedness of music and literature in African American culture is a testament to the community's rich artistic heritage. Jazz and blues are integral to the African American narrative, providing a soundtrack to the community’s experiences and enhancing the emotional and cultural depth of their literature. This relationship celebrates the past and inspires future generations, ensuring the enduring legacy of jazz and blues in African American literary tradition.

Sensate focus: addressing potential preconceived notions of black sexuality

As researchers of African Americans, we realized there are few studies on Black sexuality and pleasure. Most do not focus on how stigmas and stereotypes regarding Black sexuality have influenced self and relational narratives associated with sex. Yet as seen in modern day Black American and mainstream culture, sex is often highlighted in the Black community, sending performative messages and unrealistic expectations on physical anatomy that limits expansion of mutual sexual pleasure. Using phenomenology and the Feedback Informed Treatment (FIT) Outcome assessment, we interviewed 10 African American participants, 7 female, 2 male, and 1 male-identifying. The focus was on participants understanding of good and meaningful sex to determine if any internalized stereotypical narratives of Black sexuality was present and the influence of a culturally sensitive workshop exploring the sensate focus approach. Through thematic analysis, five themes were found: (a) healthy communication, (b) mindfulness, (c) education and unlearning, (d) emotional connection, (e) mutual pleasure. Although identifying a limited amount of internalized racial and sexual stereotypes among the participants, researchers were able to determine a significant influence in participants understanding of what good and meaningful sex is following their experience attending a sensate focus workshop. Implications and future discussions to further understand internalized assumptions of Black sexuality is recommended for both clinical and research perspectives.