Black Psychology 101: "Exploring the Anti-Black Mindset"
Mba Mbulu, Instructor
Copyright 1998, 1999, 2020 ASET, M. Mbulu All rights to everything on this web site are reserved.

Class 1

Read the information that follows. In order to benefit the most from this course, you must constantly keep the following points in mind and refer to them frequently: (1) 50 years after the writing of Black Skin, White Masks, Black People in the United States still perceive of their potential and capabilities within an unnaturally or abnormally limited context. (2) The psychological molding of Black People predisposes the best educated among Us to be anti-Black: anti-Black nationalism, anti-Black centric, anti-Black whatever. (3) In addition to being victims of racism, Black People in the United States demonstrate all of the qualities of a people who have been victimized by colonialism.

Lesson 1 will concentrate on excerpts from Chapter 1 of Black Skin, White Masks. Think about the following issues as you study and learn.
(1) Why do you think so many Black individuals are obsessed with "talking right"?
(2) Why is emphasis placed on the fact that Black People are "disproportionately proud" of speaking a white language?

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Chapter 1 "The Negro and Language" [Audio Version]

p. 17 "To speak means to be in a position to use a certain syntax, to grasp the morphology of this or that language, but it means above all to assume a culture..."
To speak a language is to show your appreciation for the culture and manners of those people who created that language. The better one speaks a language, the more time and attention one has to put into learning it and developing a deeper level of intimacy with it. Pride in how well one speaks a language is an indication of how much one respects the people who created that language.
To speak is "to assume a culture." When a Black person speaks a white language, s/he assumes the culture, values, heritage and tradition represented by that language. That is a natural human occurrence. However, to assume a culture is not the same as being accepted or welcomed by that culture. Therein one finds a psychological footprint that hinders the mental well being of Black People.
Black People are disproportionately proud of how well they speak white languages, disproportionately proud! Yet, white culture is not receptive to Black People. If a white German speaks English (or some other white language), the English culture is open to him. If a Black person speaks English (or some other white language), s/he can bear the weight of that culture's sins, but s/he can not make entrance into that culture without encountering specific anti-Black barriers. Because the barriers are so serious, complete entrance is impossible.
Thus, hundreds of groups of Black People value a culture- languages- that is anti-Black. You cannot value that which is anti-You without undermining your psychological well-being. Anyone who observes a Black person who is disproportionately proud of how well s/he speaks a white language can see evidence of a ruptured self concept and blemished psyche. [Top]

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