Chapter Authors: Paul A. Robbins, Leann V. Smith, and Keisha L. Bentley-Edwards
Book: The Guide for White Women Who Teach Black Boys
Book Editors: Eddie Moore Jr., Ali Michael, and Marguerite W. Penick
Date of Chapter Publication: September 17, 2022
Chapter Overview: This chapter’s narratives, which are inspired by real events, keep in mind [the] idea of Blackness and its shifting salience over the course of an individual’s lifespan is based on their personal experiences. Think about how some Black boys may have already had their own racial encounters. The absence or presence of these encounters will undoubtedly shape the way they see themselves and others, as well as how they interact with their teacher and the rest of the world.
The vignettes that follow demonstrate that other factors may affect the ways in which Black boys’ identities will manifest in classroom behaviors. One of the main factors will be the salience of race (i.e., Blackness) and racial identity stage. Racial salience can be defined as the extent to which race is an important component of a person’s self concept (Seller, Smith, Shelton, Rowley & Chavous, 1998). The relationship between the racial salience and racial identity is such that as people explore more about their racial identity, their racial salience presumably increases and vice versa.
In the following scenarios, Black students from various academic tracks and different levels of racial saliences are presented with potential encounters that either change or represent a shift in their worldview. It is our hope that through reflecting on the concrete examples provided, teachers can use the information to help navigate the complexity of Black students’ racial identity development.
