Breathe, Baby, Breathe: Clearing the Way for the Emotional Emancipation of Black People. (June 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Grills, Cheryl N.; Aird, Enola G.; Rowe, Daryl
• Other Names: Alexander Bryant Keith guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Cultural studies, critical methodologies. Volume 16:Number 3(2016:Jun.)
• Page Start: 333
• Page End: 343
• Publication Date: 2016-06
• Subjects: racism -- Black inferiority -- cultural trauma -- historical trauma -- emotional emancipation; Culture -- Research -- Periodicals; Popular culture -- Research -- Periodicals; 306.05
• DOI: 10.1177/1532708616634839
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1532-7086

Abstract

The BlackLivesMatter movement has rightly pointed to the dehumanization of people of African ancestry as the driving force behind the wanton killing of Black people by the police and vigilantes. This article identifies and addresses the root cause of the dehumanization of people of African ancestry, the lie of Black inferiority (and its correlate, the lie of White superiority), examines the damaging effects of the psychological, cultural, and historical trauma caused by the lies, and introduces Emotional Emancipation Circles, a promising intervention for helping Black people overcome, heal from, and overturn the lies.