Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Meanings Beneath the Skin: The Evolution of African-Americans (Rowman Littlefield)

Questions about the identity of American-born people of African descent have been debated throughout American History. It is widely assumed that the process of adaptation to a racially stratified society influenced the attitudes, beliefs and emotions of African-Americans. This assumption begs the question, are African Americans a 'new people' with distinctive psychological and cultural traits? The author contends American-born Blacks were gradually transformed from 'Africans living in America' into a 'new people' with different racial conceptualizations and global worldviews from their African ancestors. The author argues that meanings attributed to the concept of race are of paramount importance in the psychological functioning of African Americans. Novel circumstances surrounding the process of adapting to oppression in a racially stratified society compelled African Americans to attribute unique meanings to the concept of race in ways that reflected the nature of their experience in America. This book shows how African Americans' conceptions of race may operate in a manner that distinguishes them from others of African descent. Review This is useful for readers, as it helps them to see the application of history to our present day--something that many psychologists and sociologists do not expand upon as much as Boone does. ... this work will definitely help scholars in their studies of how history has formed a unique ethnic group: the African Americans.--Journal of American Ethnic History Meanings Beneath the Skin: The Evolution of African-Americans offers a provocative look at the vexing questions surrounding African American identity. How are we to understand internal racial/ethnic differences? How do those differences impact the way we think about linked fate? Sure to spark debate, Boone has made a substantive contribution to a much need conversation in this so-called Age of Obama.--Eddie Glaude Jr., William S. Tod Professor of Religion and African American Studies, Princeton University Meanings Beneath the Skin is a provocative and thoughtful discussion of the meaning and significance of race in the United States. This book is destined to have a profound impact on how we understand racial identity.--Howard McGary, Rutgers University About the Author Sherle L. Boone is a professor of Psychology in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at William Paterson University of New Jersey. He has published papers in the areas of human aggression, identity formation in people of African descent, and parenting strategies in African American families. Professor Boone is the founder and President of the W.E.B. DuBois Scholars Institute, Inc., housed on the campus of Princeton University. He has served on the Mellon Mays University Fellows Dissertation Grants Selection Panel sponsored by The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation.