ABSTRACT
Researchers from a host of different fields have begun to study why some children succeed despite extraordinary hardships and disadvantages. Emmy Werner devoted her professional career to following a population of approximately 200 children born and raised on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. In “Building a Positive Self-Concept in the Black Child,” Dr. Alvin Poussaint argues that the single most important element in developing a child’s self-esteem is consistent caring from immediate family members. The chapter presents a case study of the childhood of Maya Angelou. As soon as she arrives in Stamps, Maya experiences a deep feeling of alienation and displacement. Stamps schools, while segregated and vastly inferior in resources to the white schools, provide Maya with another opportunity to succeed—and Momma and Uncle Willie insure that Maya takes advantage of this opportunity.
