“Racism significantly impacts racial identity development in the United States…”
Adams (2005) stated, “Race is the sharpest and deepest division in American life, and because of the long-standing divide, achieving equal access to and benefits from institutions of higher education has been an ongoing struggle for people of color in general, but particularly for African Americans” (p. 285).
Given the realities now surfacing within the collective consciousness of Black people—under whatever their level of understanding of the settler/colonial experience—the need to reconcile this longstanding dissonance between our subjective reality and a racial realness aligned with an objective, healthier reality deserves greater consideration. Put differently, when one becomes aware of the truth of their plight and the conditions they suffer under an oppressive society, they are required to take steps to detach from negative attachments to their self-concept. This process improves their self-perception and equips them to more accurately view the society that set the conditions for their oppression.
William Cross developed Nigrescence theory in 1971, a model considered the seminal Black racial identity development theory (Vandiver, Cross, Worrell, & Fhagen-Smith, 2002). When Cross introduced Nigrescence in 1971, he described it as “an identity change process as a Negro-to-Black conversion experience, the kind of process that could be seen in Black behavior during the Harlem Renaissance” (Cross, 1991, p. 189).
Pre-Encounter Stage
- In the pre-encounter stage, the Black Being remains in a state of indoctrination—a perpetual cycle of dissociative self-denigration and aggressive projection of that internalized violence onto other Black or Brown individuals. This is the colonized mind. Cross (1991) stated, “Anti-Blacks loath other Blacks folks; they feel alienated from them and do not see Black folks or the Black community as potential or actual sources of personal support” (p. 191). Typically, this stage occurs when someone does not realize they have been raised with white, Westernized ideologies, as these ideologies are so deeply embedded in their culture. Cross (1991) noted that “persons have frequently been socialized to favor a Eurocentric cultural perspective” (p. 193).
Encounter Stage
- The encounter stage arises when the Black Being can no longer reconcile their subjective experience with objective reality. It involves a death of the old identity and the reconstitution of the self-concept—beginning the decolonization of the mind. “People in the encounter stage must work around, slip through, or even shatter the relevance of their ideology and worldview. At the same time, others must provide some hint of direction in which to point the person to be re-socialized or transformed” (Cross, 1991). Cross (1991) emphasized that the encounter “need not be negative” (p. 197) for it to have a meaningful impact and catalyze the Nigrescence process. What matters most is the significance of the encounter to the individual.
From Fanon’s concept of decolonization, to Wynter’s processes of indigenization and transplantation, to Derrick Bell’s reckoning with racial realities, all emphasize that the reconstitution of the self-concept begins in the mind. It requires exposing the conditions of one’s experience in order to recognize society as a destructive force on subjective existence.
Immersion–Emersion Stage
- In the immersion–emersion stage, the process of decolonizing the mind takes form through the continued construction of a cleansed, positive self-concept. This involves uprooting the indigenized self through the introduction of concepts and value systems that align with a worthy and progressive ideal. "The immersion–emersion stage of Nigrescence addresses the most sensational aspect of Black identity development, for it represents the vortex of psychological Nigrescence" (Cross, 1991). Cross (1991) stated that “immersion is a strong, powerful, dominating sensation that is constantly energized by rage [at white people and culture], guilt [at having once been tricked into thinking Black ideas], and developing a sense of pride [in one’s Black self, Black people, and Black culture]” (p. 203). Paradoxically, “while rebelling against the larger society, the new convert may willingly conform to the demands of Black organizations” (p. 205).
Internalization Stage
- The internalization stage marks a transitional period in the process of Nigrescence, in which the Black Being settles into an identity that is detached from the negative attachments of indoctrination and colonization. Here, the Black Being accepts the subjective truths of their experience, reconciles them with objective reality, and gains a more accurate understanding of the hegemonic society they exist within. This stage marks a shift from "groupthink" to a more autonomous form of "double consciousness." Cross (1991) explained, “Internalization marks the point of dissonance resolution and reconstruction of one’s steady-state personality and cognitive style” (p. 220). At this point, the Black Being embraces what it means to be Black and expresses Black self-love. Most importantly, “Black identity functions to fulfill the self-protection, social anchorage, and bridging needs of the individual” (p. 220).
Internalization–Commitment Stage
- In the internalization–commitment stage, the Black Being has fully accepted the mechanisms of hegemonic control, detached from the negative attachments imposed by indoctrination and colonization. The individual has developed a positive self-concept and is equipped to create long-term goals rooted in the pursuit of a worthy and progressive ideal—for themselves and for their community. “Internalization–commitment focuses on the long-term interest of Black affairs over an extended amount of time” (Cross, 1991). Cross (1991) noted, “Other than to repeat what has already been said about internalization, a more differential look at internalization–commitment awaits the results of future research” (p. 220).
This essay is a short and reductive examination of Nigrescence and the development of a positive self-concept. Further exploration is necessary to determine the foundational elements and their application within society for those with whom this theory resonates. I hope this work supports the realization and actualization of a healthier self-perception and a more accurate understanding of society—along with a clearer pathway to attaining a worthy and progressive ideal.
Ritchey, K. (2014). Black Identity Development. The Vermont Connection, 35(1). https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/tvc/vol35/iss1/12
Cross, W. E., Jr. (1995). The psychology of nigrescence: Revising the Cross model. In J. G. Ponterotto, J. M. Casas, L. A. Suzuki, & C. M. Alexander (Eds.), Handbook of multicultural counseling (pp. 93–122). Sage Publications, Inc.
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