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The southern landscape is a visual narrative about continuing changes in cultural values and attitudes affected by race. It is also an instrument of cultural authority where groups and individuals struggle to selectively represent and narrate their pasts. This paper describes the post-bellum history of African American hamlets of the inner Bluegrass Region of central Kentucky, it explores how preservation of these communities creates opportunities for negotiation between the memories of a painful segregationist past and the celebration of African American history and achievements within the larger story of the Bluegrass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When it comes to criminal justice policy, black Americans face an important dilemma. On the one hand, black communities benefit from criminal penalties that remove offenders from their neighborhoods; on the other, punitive policies draw many blacks into a criminal justice system they view as racially discriminatory. Using data from the 2001 Race, Crime, and Public Opinion study, this paper examines how the competing concerns of crime salience and perceived racial bias in the criminal justice system affect blacks' support for harsh criminal justice policies. The effects of causal attributions for crime, political ideology, exposure to incarceration, and demographic factors are also addressed. The results indicate that fear of crime and individualistic attributions for criminal behavior have a significant and positive effect on their punitive attitudes, while perceived racial bias and vicarious exposure to incarceration decrease blacks' support for harsh punishments [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite gains in redefining America as a ‘salad bowl’ versus a ‘melting pot’, stereotypes about racial and ethnic minorities, including African Americans, remain embedded in the fabric of the United States. By acknowledging the significance of stereotypes, race, and culture on the lives of clients, culturally affirming bibliotherapy is a tool that can empower them, validate their experiences, and promote the development of a positive self?identity or self?concept. This paper focuses on its use with African American youth, however, because, race impacts all individuals of African descent, this tool can and should be incorporated into their treatment as well when deemed appropriate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lack of racial and ethnic match as a barrier to care in mental health treatment services has received considerable attention. In systems of care, which provide public mental health services to African American adolescents, the provider base is largely non-African American. This difference presents a challenge for African American adolescents and their parents who want a provider who is sensitive to the issues, which define their lives. Racial disparities in the utilization of mental health treatment services are well documented; and many providers want to development mental health treatment interventions, which increase access and utilization. However, the findings associated with increasing access and utilization are generally predicated on the structural barriers to care. Very little attention has been given to the non-structural barriers for access to and utilization of mental health treatment services. The purpose of this paper is to increase practitioners’ knowledge of the interpersonal barriers to treatment, which can result from the socio-cultural environment of many African American adolescents. Enhancing the provider knowledge base is viewed as one strategy to closing the racial disparity gap in access to and utilization of adolescent mental health services for African Americans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper draws upon qualitative research conducted among older adults in the rural, southern United States in which they articulated their beliefs and experiences with nutrition and foods, and lay models of the connection of diet with chronic disease. Salt emerged as a focus of contention. The goals of the paper are to (1) present the culturally constructed meaning of salt, (2) contrast the cultural meaning with biomedical views, and (3) discuss how these findings can be applied to health education and better doctor–patient communication. Data were collected in two rural communities characterized by high rates of poverty and a high proportion of minority residents. A total of 116 African American, Native American and white adults aged 60 years and older participated in 55 in-depth interviews or seven focus groups. A systematic analysis of text showed that salt was a highly contested component of food. While valued for its role in traditional foods and cuisine, it also held negative connotations because of biomedical links to chronic diseases prevalent in the population. We suggest that attempts to control salt intake are made difficult by the changes in taste perceptions that accompany aging. Respondents’ articulation of salt''s role in health and disease shows cross-over among different chronic diseases and a lay interpretation of blood as the medium through which salt affects disease. These older adults’ narratives demonstrate their attempts to reconcile the important role of traditional foods in their identity as Southerners with their attempts to meet medical recommendations for healthy eating. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper investigates the spatial accessibility of African Americans to golf as an example of continued social injustice. Because of its developmental diversity, demographic diversity, and rich golf history, North Carolina is chosen to examine the relationship between the spatial distributions of golf courses and African Americans. Most previous analyses of golf and ethnicity have focused on other dimensions of inaccessibility and have ignored the spatial dimension. Despite the impression that is left by Tiger Woods' success and notoriety, African Americans remain disproportionately inaccessible to golf An index of net accessibility, controlling for market size, indicates that census tracts with high percentages of African-American population also are unexpectedly underserved with golf The correlation between net access and percent black is -.56. Inaccessibility is illustrated in rural, metropolitan, elite golf resort, and coastal geographic settings. This case study illustrates the outcomes of profound power relations and tensions that are played out on carefully crafted islands of privilege that signify humanity's power over nature and its willingness to exclude portions of itself from the fruits of that power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Streets named for Martin Luther King, Jr are common yet controversial features in cities across the United States. This paper analyses the politics of naming these streets as a ‘scaling of memory’– a socially contested process of determining the geographic extent to which the civil rights leader should be memorialized. Debates over the scaling of King's memory revolve around the size of the named street, the street's level of prominence within a hierarchy of roads, and the degree to which the street transcends the spatial confines of the black community. A street-naming struggle in Eatonton, Georgia (USA) exposes how the scaling of memory can become a point of division and contest within the black community as activists seek to fulfil different political goals. Analysing these intra-racial contests allows for a fuller appreciation of the historical consciousness and geographic agency of African Americans rather than seeing them as a single, monolithic group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The American experience teaches us that integration is not just mere proximity, but an active process based on joint participation and mutual acceptance. It is only in the creation of a common superordinate structure shared with the majority that minority groups can aspire to be associated with the dominant culture. Ironically, America has become most successful in allowing various immigrant groups to become part of its mainstream by abandoning the idea of blind assimilation. This paper analyzes the integration of voluntary immigrants who, while maintaining their cultural distinctiveness, have come to share the ‘American dream’. It is however in their social representations of Blacks, defined negatively as the “;other,” that they have reduced their social distance to the dominant Anglo-culture and facilitated their inclusion. By reconstructing their own cultural distinctiveness, like other groups, in juxtapositin to America, some Blacks have transformed themselves into African Americans to achieve the same level of integration. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the contested history and complex politics of the Black Santa in the United States from the antebellum period to the present day. For white journalists and entertainers during the nineteenth and early twentieth century, the blackface Santa reinforced white dominance and the supposed inferiority of Black people. From the 1910s into the 1950s, Black educators and civic reformers saw the 'Negro Santa Claus' as a way of elevating Black self-esteem and countering racist versions of the character. For some activists and business leaders, the 'Civil Rights Santa' that emerged in parallel with the postwar African American freedom struggle could promote 'good interracial feelings in the community', and for others he belonged on the frontlines of the battle for racial equality. The Black Power Santa or 'Soul Santa' who came in his wake served as a symbol of Black cultural pride and economic self-determination. Finally, the modern Black Santa works to reconcile the more confrontational politics of earlier iterations with a celebration of American multiracialism and corporate responsibility. Across time and space, these different versions of the Black Santa embody competing and, at times, contradictory racial ideologies and representational politics, providing an important window into the relationship between civil rights, cultural politics, and consumer capitalism in the modern United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports and research continue to confirm the increase in incidences of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV); meanwhile a vaccine proven to be nearly 100% effective remains on the forefront of the market. There is a major concern as to why parents continue to abstain from vaccinating their children when the death rates from cervical, anal, and other cancers predominately in the African American community linger on an upward slope. This paper will discuss the ethical conflict of making the HPV vaccine a requirement for all children entering middle school. It will argue factors that support this decision as well as factors that oppose making this vaccine a requirement. The writer's position is against making the HPV vaccine a requirement, based on the success rates of school-based programs which have demonstrated positive reported outcomes and increased HPV vaccinate rates with minimal moral and ethical impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What it means to be man is shaped by racial, ethnic, and cultural factors. In this paper, we explore what determines and comprises middle-aged and older African American men's definitions of manhood. Using a thematic approach, we examined the semantic differences noted in the verbs chosen to define a man, the characteristics that were most important to how they saw themselves, and the characteristics that were most important to them to portray to others. Analyzing data from 64 interviews with urban African American men 35-76 from the Southeastern United States, we found that manhood was a concept that reflected key characteristics and traits, demonstrated deeper qualities or attributes, and revealed their inherent nature or character. While previous research sought to identify attributes of manhood that defined adult African American males, the current study was conducted to characterize how middle-aged and older African American men defined manhood and its key components through exploring how they wanted to see themselves and what traits they wanted to portray to others. What a man is or should be was defined by attributes that reflected a foundation of character that not only exemplified gendered values, goals, and roles, but that also demonstrated religious and cultural values and beliefs. For these men, manhood was more than a compilation of traits but a reflection of who they were at a deeper level. These ideals were rooted in an amalgamation of gendered ideals, cultural norms, religious doctrine and beliefs, and age-related priorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the lived experience of two African American women working at predominately white institutions of higher education. A review of the literature suggests research that examines the experiences of African American women in academe is limited. Using an autoethnographic approach, we explore our experiences and how we navigate our roles. Findings suggest that when the appropriate mentoring is in place African American women have a more positive experience navigating the promotion and tenure process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Major depressive disorder is a prominent psychiatric illness in the United States. It has been found to be higher among patients with inflammatory bowel disease. However, few studies have focused on depression among minority populations with inflammatory bowel disease. Our study determined the prevalence of depression in minority patients with inflammatory bowel disease at our safety‐net hospital, which serves a predominantly African American patient population. Methods: We conducted a single centre retrospective cohort study at a large, urban outpatient centre. We retrieved the electronic medical records of patients with inflammatory bowel disease who were seen in the gastroenterology clinic from December 2018–December 2019. Data on the severity of depression within the minority population, using the nine‐question Patient Health Questionnaire, was obtained. The effects of age, sex, inflammatory bowel disease diagnosis, and comorbidities were analysed. A p‐value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of IBD patients were included in the study, of which 46.7% were female and 53.3% were male. Mean age was 44 years. With regard to race, 88.4% were African American, 5.3% Asian, 2.1% Hispanic, 1.1% American Indian/Alaskan Native, and 3.2% multiracial. A total of 71.6% had Crohn's disease and 28.4% had ulcerative colitis. Overall prevalence of major depressive disorder was 25.3%; 45.8% had minimal, 8.3% mild, 33.3% moderate, and 12.5% severe depression. A total of 34.7% of patients were never screened for depression, and 13.8% had other psychiatric conditions. There was a difference in depression rates based on psychiatric conditions (p = 0.00), but no difference based on sex (p = 0.37), IBD subtype (p = 0.34), or medical conditions (p = 0.84). Conclusions: Rates of depression among minority patients, predominantly African American, with inflammatory bowel disease were higher than previously reported for all patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Over 40% experienced moderate to severe depression. There was a low screening rate for depression. This data will be used to improve depression screening, especially among minorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of autism is rising, a dynamic attributed to numerous explanations (e.g. better diagnostic practices, decreased stigma). As this neurodevelopmental disability increases in visibility, disparities in its diagnostic rate grow. Female and Black populations in the United States have historically lower prevalence, are diagnosed later, are more likely to have co-occurring intellectual disability, and experience exclusion from research. Autistic Black girls are effectively invisible in the literature. To combat this exclusion, this narrative review discusses intersectionality theory and how it may be used to provide integrated models that are inclusive toward diverse gender, ability, and racial/ethnic backgrounds. Systemic inequalities, including prenatal care and misdiagnosis, disproportionately negatively impact the quality of care available to female and Black autistic populations. The authors recommend that research include autistic populations with co-occurring intellectual disability, include a diagnostic evaluation as part of protocols, and clinically, universal screening and improved provider competence and confidence in working with diverse autistic populations. Although the prevalence of autism has been rising in recent years, disparities in diagnosis still remain. Female and Black populations in the United States are diagnosed later, are more likely to have an intellectual disability, and are excluded from research as well as services designed for autistic individuals. Autistic Black girls are effectively invisible in the current scientific literature. Intersectional theory, which looks at a person as a whole, examines models that are inclusive toward diverse gender, ability, and racial/ethnic backgrounds. This theory may be a useful approach to clinical and research work with autism so that practitioners may be most effective for the whole population of autistic people. The authors recommend research focusing on inclusion of autistic populations with intellectual disability and research studies that include evaluations as part of the procedure. Clinically, the authors recommend a focus on screening all young children for autism and improving provider knowledge in working with diverse autistic populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preterm birth (PTB; <37 weeks gestation) rates have increased for 5 of the last 6 consecutive years in the United States. These rates are particularly alarming for U.S. non-Hispanic Black women who give birth prematurely at 1.5 times the rate of non-Hispanic White women. Previous research suggests that psychological stress is associated with PTB in Black women. However, the biological pathways by which stress alters birth timing are not clear. We examined DNA methylation (DNAm) in peripheral blood leukocytes in 6 glucocorticoid, stress-related genes in 44 (22 PTB; 22 term birth) pregnant Black women. Four cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) sites were identified as differentially methylated (p < 0.05) between women with PTB and women with term births. The ability to identify stress-related biological markers that are associated with PTB among Black women would provide a critical step toward decreasing the PTB disparity among these women. Future studies should include larger sample sizes and gene expression analyses of the stress-related biological pathways to PTB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1900, Eva Shawnee, a Creek girl, enrolled in Hampton Normal and Agriculture Institute. Hampton aimed to uplift the black race through academics, industrial trades, and manual training. It opened its doors to Native Americans between 1878 and 1923; however, when Eva's youngest siblings enrolled at Hampton, they registered as Negro. Traditional perspectives in American history, because of institutionalized racial hierarchies inside and outside the academy, provide challenges to the types of interdisciplinary scholarship that may address families like the Shawnees. Utilizing but transcending the academic sphere, this article encourages dialogue between marginalized groups and argues that they have more to gain by uniting than by maintaining colonial divisions between them. This paper will explore recent academic work on African American-American Indian families and consider how indigenous critical theoretical perspectives may challenge traditional views of American history. This topic is as timely as it is timeless. This history is pregnant with possibilities and burdened with pain. As imperialism haunts our hearts and our minds, its specter promises to plague our children if we do not extract lessons and actively work to break complementary cycles of oppressions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper critically assesses the empirical evidence on the relationship between immigration and African American employment. Studies using various methodologies and data are reviewed: natural experiments, time series, and cross-sectional studies of local labor markets and intertemporal changes in the national labor market. We find that for African Americans as a whole, immigration may have little effect on mean wages and probability of employment. However, there is some evidence that immigration may have had an adverse impact on the labor market outcomes of African Americans belonging to low education-experience groups. However, even this modest conclusion must be qualified: the literature has many unresolved econometric issues that might easily undermine the received wisdom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The racial animus model argues that public support for punitive sentencing of criminal offenders is shaped by threat perceptions associated with cultural minority groups. This study applies the racial animus model to examine support for the punitive sentencing of criminal offenders in the United States and Australia. It also examines whether racial animus mediates the possible difference in punitive attitudes between each country toward different crime types. Online survey data were obtained in the US and Australia to assess racial animus and punitive attitudes using six different crime scenarios. Results indicate that (a) individuals with higher levels of racial animus demonstrate greater levels of punitiveness; (b) Australians have higher levels of racial animus as compared to their US counterparts; and (c) racial animus mediates the difference of punitive attitudes between the two countries. Overall, punitive attitudes and racial animus vary cross-culturally, with Australians demonstrating more racial animus. Our mediation model provides evidence for the importance of racial animus in the cross-cultural demand for the punishment of criminal offenders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addition to numerous care responsibilities, family caregivers are expected to navigate health systems and engage in healthcare management tasks on behalf of their persons living with dementia (PLWD). These challenging tasks pose additional difficulties for Black dementia caregivers. Due to the centuries‐old, disadvantaged social history of Black Americans, several unique stressors, vulnerabilities, and resources have emerged which inform and affect Black dementia caregivers' experiences and well‐being. Focus groups were held with Black caregivers (N = 19) from the United States to explore the unique experiences and perspectives of this population navigating the U.S. health system on behalf of their PLWD. Five overarching themes were constructed during thematic analysis: Forced Advocacy, Poor Provider Interaction, Payor Source Dictates Care, Discrimination, and Broken Health System. Black dementia caregivers unanimously concurred that the health system that they experience in America is "broken." Gaps in the health system can lead to people [as one caregiver passionately expressed] "falling between the cracks," in terms of care, services, and resources needed. Caregivers agreed that class, sex, utilizing public health insurance, and being a "person of color" contribute to their difficulties navigating the health system. Caregivers perceived being dismissed by providers, forcing them to advocate for both themselves and their PLWD. Healthcare providers and researchers can utilize these findings to improve the experiences and healthcare outcomes of Black persons living with dementia and their caregivers. Additionally, these findings can lead to the development of culturally tailored caregiver education programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A young adult female recovered from the Newburgh Colored Burial Ground (1830–1870) exhibits evidence of a postmortem examination in which the calvarium was circumferentially cut. At this time in the United States postmortem examinations and dissections were only legal when performed on criminals and the poor. However, the illegal appropriation of bodies from the cemeteries of marginalized groups such as African Americans served as a major source of anatomical specimens. The goals of this paper are to describe the evidence for a postmortem examination and subsequently to contextualize the significance of such a procedure within the prevailing cultural attitudes toward the body and anatomy. The first task is relatively straightforward and adds to our understanding of medical practices of the time. Realization of the second task is more elusive as it necessitates characterizing the motivation for the procedure, something that must remain speculative. The discussion of the procedure as a form of embodied identity, however, gives us insight into race relations during this time while also providing a lens through which we can consider embodiment in other contexts. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper examines intertemporal changes in racial disparity among mature Americans during the post-Jim Crow era, that is, 1965-2006. For a large nationally representative sample of American households, we pay special attention to differences between the South and other national regions, as the majority of African Americans do now and always have resided in the South. Historically, periods of progress in African American wellbeing have been followed by periods of regress that are often initiated by some combination of social change, government policy, and macroeconomic instability. Accordingly, we construct an overlapping series of five synthetic intertemporal cohorts of new seniors (ages 50-64). Cohorts are separated by the troughs of recessions. Finally, we note that regardless of race, men and women experience dissimilar opportunities in the market and in society; hence, gender dissimilarity is incorporated into our analysis. We find 1) large reductions in Post-Jim Crow contemporary disparity; 2) we also find large continuing disparity among the most recent cohorts; and, 3) changes in Southern racial weekly wage inequality (especially among men) have been especially important for determining the national pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the development of the Measurement of Acculturation Strategies for People of African Descent (MASPAD), a bidimensional instrument designed to assess acculturation strategies (i.e., Traditionalist, Integrationist, Assimilationist, and Marginalist). Two studies were conducted to describe the development of the MASPAD and to assess its psychometric properties. Data were collected from 367 African American participants in Atlanta, GA; Columbus, OH; Los Angeles; and New York City, NY. The MASPAD consistently produced scores with adequate reliability and independent raters provided initial evidence for face and content validity. Pearson correlation coefficients supported the purported orthogonality of the MASPAD subscales. The MASPAD was found to be a significant predictor of cultural woridview and values. The bidimensional model of acculturation theorized to exist in the MASPAD was supported with a confirmatory factor analysis on data collected from 831 participants. Future directions for this body of research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article calls for school social workers to work in schools to reform school systems that have historically failed and are currently failing African American children. While the hope of education is to assist students to realize their potential, school systems across the nation are not reaching this goal. School social work has a duty, a privilege, and a responsibility to advocate on behalf of all children to create school systems that establish equality in education and that support the achievement of all children in reaching their highest potential. This paper focuses on the practices of tracking (ability grouping) and student placement in special education. It illuminates how these practices perpetuate discrimination in schools across the country. There is mounting evidence that shows the detrimental impact that these practices have on atrisk and disadvantaged students. Conventional thinking and policies must be confronted and questioned by school social workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: There has been an increasing realization of the need for environmental interventions to increase physical activity levels in the population. Although promising, the impact of these strategies in reducing obesity-related disparities will be limited by the presence of inequities in the distribution of activity-related resources in the community. Advocacy efforts are critically needed to ensure that all communities benefit from environmental strategies being implemented. Method and results: This paper describes two activist community-based organizations in Southern California, The City Project and Latino Health Access, and their successful efforts to mandate equitable access to public resources critical for reducing obesity-related disparities. Conclusion: Principles for equitable development of public land are also presented as well as lessons learned that can inform future advocacy efforts. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, breast cancer is the second most common cause of cancer among African American women and it is expected to increase among this group. This paper evaluates the effectiveness of a breast cancer support group in promoting spiritual well-being and self-efficacy related to cancer management among a group of African American breast cancer survivors living in Kentucky. Those who participate in a spirituality- based support group reported high levels of satisfaction and significant benefits for their spiritual well-being. There was a positive relationship between group satisfaction and the feeling that the illness strengthened their faith, and they would be okay regardless of the outcome. Most importantly, those who attended the group regularly (every month) reported higher levels of spiritual well-being than those who attended only occasionally. Qualitative benefits and lessons learned included social support, shared experiences, information on cancer, and strengthened faith. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 1920s, Sam Rodia, an Italian labourer and tile-setter, started work on an elaborate assemblage construction in the backyard of his home in Watts, California. He called the piece 'Nuestro Pueblo', Spanish for 'Our Town', but most people know the work simply as the Watts Towers. This paper will look at the assemblage form as a medium broadly used in California for expressing critical ideas of US society and the efforts of Noah Purifoy, founding director of the Watts Towers Arts Center and an influential African American artist, to develop a people- and community-based approach to art that challenged artists to address their work to a broader community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prejudice and stereotypes have always existed. When one group is perceived as a threat to the majority, exaggerated descriptions and images are formed to describe that threat. Higher education is no exception. Two images of women of color in higher education are the Model Minority Myth and the Modern Mammy. Both images, on the surface, seem benign. However, the reality is that these images marginalize the ethnic group. In this paper, two female professors, one Asian American and one African American, explain the Model Minority Myth and the Modern Mammy, the implications of these images, and how these images are manifested in their professional lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents a qualitative analysis concerning child care practices by six African American directors of subsidized child care centers located in a low-income, racial ethnic minority area of Los Angeles, California. These programs are traditionally African American programs that experienced an influx of Latino immigrant enrollment. Using the integrative framework for children of color proposed by Garcia Coll et al. [Garcia Coll, C., Crinic, K., Lamberty, G., Wasik, B., Jenkins, R., Garcia Vazquez, H., et al. (1996). An integrative model for the study of developmental competencies in minority children. Child Development, 67, 1891–1914], which places racial ethnicity in the center, we examined how these directors integrated professional standards of practice (developmentally appropriate practice) with community understandings of the role of preschool/child care in this community; the function of social stratification on their articulated practices; and their understanding as to how they include the Latino immigrant families. We discovered patterns that reflect a community-interpreted understanding of developmentally appropriate practice. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background and Objectives The influx of people with higher socioeconomic status into large Black communities is well documented; less is known regarding smaller, aging Black communities. Older Black adults in Portland, Oregon, among America's fastest gentrifying cities with the smallest metropolitan Black population, discussed barriers to healthy aging. Perspectives centered on the experience of gentrification, displacement, and its impact on social microsystems, place security, and aging in place. Research Design and Methods One-time focus groups engaged 41 Black adults aged at least 45. A demographic survey included residence area/duration. Discussions were thematically coded. Ecological Systems Theory guided interpretation. Results The majority of participants resided within gentrifying historically Black neighborhoods (89.2%), were aged at least 65 (54.6%), and lived in their neighborhood for at least 21 years (24.3%). Emergent discussion themes were rise and fall of Black ownership, displacement, race-related stress, and financial burden. Gentrification contributed to the dismantling of Black property ownership curated over generations, increased financial burden, and threatened place security. Physical displacement strained social networks, diminishing intergenerational neighborhood ties that supported aging in place. Cultural and physical displacement weakened the sense of social cohesion and belonging and induced race-related stressful interactions with new residents within original and relocation neighborhoods. Discussion and Implications Gentrification in the Pacific Northwest echoes national trends, uprooting critical close-proximity social networks and deteriorating motivation to engage in neighborhood-based social activity. Smaller, aging Black communities may be particularly vulnerable to these effects, which critically affect aging in place. Data inform researchers and policymakers to better understand how gentrification affects smaller, aging Black communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We must enter the second decade of AIDS with the knowledge that existing public health efforts have failed to stop the disproportionate spread of HIV disease among Americans of African descent. This article presents the cold epidemiological facts which lay bare the moral tragedy that Black Americans are being killed by a disease which is almost totally preventable. This paper discusses the primary behavioral risk factors for HIV infection and the context in which HIV disease emerged in the 1980s. Additionally, we present results from cross-sectional surveys of selected black populations to demonstrate how AIDS knowledge deficits and attitudinal barriers have shaped the perceptions of Black Americans toward needle exchange programs as an HIV prevention strategy advocated by public health authorities. A model that may be utilized to educate the Black community and facilitate their involvement in the development of needle exchange policy is described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States. Among the risk factors for college students, obesity and physical inactivity are disproportionately high among African Americans (AAs), and while studies of the obesity epidemic have increased in recent years, few target AA college-aged students. This study developed and piloted an evidencebased, 15-week, 3-credit hour, CVD risk-prevention and intervention course, Rams Have HEART that used e-learning, web-based technologies, and a mobile application and compared its effects against a control course. Methods: Two cohorts were recruited in a two-year period; 124 AA college students voluntarily consented to participate in the study, with, n = 63 representing the control group and, n = 61 representing the intervention. CVD risk factors were assessed by examining blood markers and anthropometric measurements. Demographic, clinical, and survey data (physical measures, blood marker investigation, and self-report surveys) were collected at baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up over the academic year. Results: The mean blood markers for lipid panel and glucose results were within the established optimal range. Intake of fruits and vegetables increased along with knowledge of CVD risk factors; 86% of students enrolled in the intervention passed the course; 100% (n = 61) would recommend it to future students. Conclusion: Developing and offering a healthy lifestyle-behavior CVD intervention course to AA college students is feasible and effective in optimizing their awareness of chronic disease risk factors and prompting behavior change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black and Latinx youth are situated in a maladaptive discriminatory context in the United States; however, prosociality may be one way that youth can promote their own positive development in the face of these experiences. We examined the longitudinal associations between discrimination and prosociality among 380 Black and Latinx early adolescents (MW6age = 12.38 years, 52% female) and considered race/ethnicity and self-esteem control beliefs as potential moderators to this association. Discrimination predicted higher levels of prosociality among Black youth 6 months later, but not among Latinx youth. Discrimination also predicted higher prosociality among youth with very high self-esteem control beliefs 6 months later, but not among youth with lower levels of self-esteem control beliefs. None of these associations were significant when looking across a 1-year time frame. Our findings support the predictions of self-esteem enhancement theory and highlight the importance of considering how youth's unique racialized experiences can inform how they respond to discrimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and related policies have led to an unequal distribution of morbidity and mortality in the U.S. For Black women and birthing people, endemic vulnerabilities and disparities may exacerbate deleterious COVID-19 impacts. Historical and ongoing macro-level policies and forces over time have induced disproportionately higher rates of maternal morbidity and mortality among Black women and birthing people, and contemporary macroeconomic and healthcare policies and factors continue to hold particular consequence. These factors induce detrimental psychological, health, and behavioral responses that contribute to maternal health disparities. The COVID-19 pandemic is likely to disproportionately impact Black women and birthing people, as policy responses have failed to account for the their unique socioeconomic and healthcare contexts. The resulting consequences may form a 'vicious cycle', with upstream impacts that exacerbate upstream macro-level policies and forces that can further perpetuate the clustering of maternal morbidity and mortality in this population. Understanding the impacts of COVID-19 among Black women and birthing people requires theoretical frameworks that can sufficiently conceptualize their multi-level, interacting, and dynamic nature. Thus, we advocate for the proliferation of syndemic perspectives to guide maternal disparities research and prevention during the COVID-19 pandemic. These perspectives can enable a holistic and nuanced understanding of the intersection of endemic and COVID-19-specific vulnerabilities and disparities experienced by Black women and birthing people. Syndemic-informed research can then lead to impactful multi-level prevention strategies that simultaneously tackle both endemic and COVID-19-specific factors and outcomes that lead to the clustering of vulnerabilities and disparities over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though many African American churches offer health promotion activities to their members, less is known about organizational factors that predict the availability of this programming. This study examines organizational capacity as a predictor of the amount and type of health programming offered by a convenience sample of 119 African American churches. Leaders completed a survey of health promotion activities provided in the previous 12 months and a measure of organizational capacity. Churches offered an average of 6.08 (SD = 2.15) different health programs targeting 4.66 (SD = 3.63) topics. Allocation of space and having a health ministry were positively associated with both the number of health programs and health topics addressed. When seeking to initiate health programming in an African American church setting, it is recommended that stakeholders partner with churches that have existing structures to support health promotion such as a health ministry, or help them build this capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ending the HIV epidemic requires that women living with HIV (WLWH) have access to structurally competent HIV-related and other health care. WLWH may not regularly engage in care due to inadequate quality; however, women's perspectives on the quality of care they receive are understudied. Methods: We conducted 12 focus groups and three in-depth interviews with Black (90%) and Latina (11%) WLWH enrolled in the Women's Interagency HIV Study in Atlanta, GA, Birmingham, AL, Brooklyn, NY, Chapel Hill, NC, Chicago, IL, and Jackson, MS from November 2017 to May 2018 (n = 92). We used a semi-structured format to facilitate discussions about satisfaction and dissatisfaction with health care engagement experiences, and suggestions for improvement, which were audio-recorded, transcribed, and coded using thematic analysis. Results: Themes emerged related to women's health care satisfaction or dissatisfaction at the provider, clinic, and systems levels and across Institute of Medicine-defined quality of care domains (effectiveness, efficiency, equity, patient-centeredness, safety and timeliness). Women's degree of care satisfaction was driven by: 1) knowledge-based care resulting in desired outcomes (effectiveness); 2) coordination, continuity and necessity of care (efficiency); 3) perceived disparities in care (equity); 4) care delivery characterized by compassion, nonjudgment, accommodation, and autonomous decision-making (patient-centeredness); 5) attention to avoiding side effects and over-medicalization (safety); and 6) limited wait time (timeliness). Conclusions: Quality of care represents a key changeable lever affecting engage in care among WLWH. The communities most proximally affected by HIV should be key stakeholders in HIV-related quality assurance. Findings highlight aspects of the health care experience valued by WLWH, and potential participatory, patient-driven avenues for improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychiatric disorders impose significant personal, social, and financial costs for individuals, families, and the nation. Despite a large amount of research and several journals focused on psychiatric conditions, there is a paucity of research on psychiatric disorders among Black Americans (i.e. African Americans and Black Caribbeans), particularly older Black Americans. The present literature review examines research on psychiatric disorders among older Black Americans and provides a broad overview of research findings that are based on nationally representative studies. Collectively, this research finds: (1) older African Americans have lower rates of psychiatric disorders than younger African Americans; (2) family support is not protective of psychiatric disorders, whereas negative interaction with family members is a risk factor; (3) everyday discrimination is a risk factor for psychiatric disorders; (4) both older African Americans and African American across the adult age range have lower prevalence rates of psychiatric disorders than non-Latino whites; (5) Black Caribbean men have particularly high rates of depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and suicide attempts; and (6) a significant proportion of African American older adults with mental health disorders do not receive professional help. This literature review also discusses the "Race Paradox" in mental health, the Environmental Affordances Model, and the importance of investigating ethnicity differences among Black Americans. Future research directions address issues that are directly relevant to the Black American population and include the following: (1) understanding the impact of mass incarceration on the psychiatric disorders of prisoners' family members, (2) assessing the impact of immigration from African countries for ethnic diversity within the Black American population, (3) examining the impact of racial identity and racial socialization as potential protective factors for psychiatric morbidities, and (4) assessing racial diversity in life-course events and their impact on mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Introduction: This study examined the effects of cigarette price on intention to quit, quit attempts, and successful cessation among African American smokers in the United States and explored whether price effects differed by income level and menthol use status. Price effects were further compared to White counterparts.Methods: We used pooled cross-sectional data from 2006 to 2007 and 2010 to 2011 Tobacco Use Supplements to the Current Population Survey to analyze 4213 African American recent active smokers. Three dependent variables were examined: any quit attempts in the past 12 months, successful cessation for at least 3 months, and intention to quit in the next 6 months. For each dependent variable, separate multiple logistic regression models were estimated to determine the impact of cigarette prices.Results: There was no indication that price was associated with quit attempts or successful cessation, but price was positively associated with increased odds of intending to quit among African American smokers (p < .001). In contrast, prices were positively associated with intention to quit and quit attempts for White smokers. The association between price and intention to quit was significantly positive for African American low-income and menthol smokers but was not statistically significant for African American high-income and non-menthol smokers. There was no evidence of a price effect on quit attempts and successful cessation for each subgroup of African Americans.Conclusions: Tobacco tax policy alone may not be enough to increase quit attempts or successful cessation among African Americans. Community-based cessation programs tailored toward African American smokers, especially low-income menthol smokers, are needed.Implications: The results revealed that, among African American smokers, particularly among low-income and menthol smoking African American smokers, price appears to be positively associated with intention to quit; nevertheless, this deterrent effect does not appear to translate to actualized quit attempts or successful cessation. Increasing cigarette prices as a standalone policy may not be independently effective in increasing quit attempts and successful cessation within the African American community. Community-based cessation interventions tailored for African Americans are needed to help further translate desired cessation into actualized quit attempts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the antebellum period (1800–1860), thousands of enslaved people attempted to escape slavery by making their way to the burgeoning cities and towns within the American South and passing as free or as self-hired slaves. The labor market proved to be especially beneficial for a successful integration due to capitalist transformations and rapid urbanization. There, runaway slaves joined free African Americans of whom many were undocumented residents of their states. This 'undocumentedness' placed them in a liminal status between free and unfree. Over the decades, black people were pushed into even more exploitative working conditions and labored at the lowest end of the urban labor markets. These downward developments were linked to their vulnerable political, legal, and social status. At the same time, this increasingly disadvantageous socio-economic position of the free black population created opportunities for runaway slaves to blend in in large numbers, as well as for the undocumented as a whole to make ends meet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The story of Black/African descent women in academic leadership is laced with challenging and triumphant narratives, including mine. Here, I share narratives of family, research inquiry into relational aggression in academia, and my own experiences as a Black woman in the academy. Academic context and political timing play a large part in this writing. I use the work of Black feminists and thinkers critical of race and White supremacy in the United States to contextualize my personal narrative and articulate drawbacks and pathways to leadership for women generally, particularly Black women. Practical considerations for leadership development and mentoring are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]