African-American Mental Health: A Historical Perspective

Mental health for African Americans is an intimately connected history. It can be translated into a survival mechanism with the influence of race as a driving factor (Hines-Martin, Brown-Piper, Kin, and Malone, 2002; McNeil and Kennedy, 1997). Historically, African Americans differ from every other group as they entered this country involuntarily and experienced demeaning systems to control their behavior through slavery (McNeil and Kennedy). The history of African Americans and their mental health needs is a difficult history indeed. Many scholars and researchers would argue that the social and psychological ills that African Americans face are directly related to various historical aspects of slavery. As indicated throughout the chapters in this book, it is evident that whether one is discussing teenage pregnancies, substance abuse issues, psychiatric problems, child welfare concerns, familial issues, or issues pertaining to gang violence, slavery continues to have an impact on the psychosocial lives of today's African-American population.