ABSTRACT
Not too long ago, any discussion of Black identity focused almost exclusively on issues of low self-esteem and self-hatred; however, the last 20 years has seen an explosive expansion of this discourse (Akbar, 1985; Clark, 1983; Cross, 1991; Cross & Fhagen-Smith, 1996; Early, 1993; Gordon, 1980; Lawrence-Light foot, 1994). Beyond self-hatred, internalized racism, and oppositional identity, contemporary discussions highlight the broad range of identities to be found among African Americans. The identity of any particular Black person lays claim to multiple identity reference points; therefore, future explanatory models will further seek to understand the identity dynamics of, for example, a Black person who is female, lesbian, biracial, and disabled, or a German-born Black male who now lives in Chicago, believes in an East Indian concept of god, heads a school of futuristic modern dance, and is an accomplished cyclist.
