All Skinfolk Ain’t Kinfolk: Examining Diasporic Differences Along Dimensions of Black Identity

Abstract

Existing psychology literature relating to Black identity tends to group members of the racial category without considering the differential history and experiences of ethnic groups within the larger “Black” umbrella classification. Significant strides have been made with respect to exploring intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1989) and dimensionality within the Black identity. The present study utilizes a multidimensional methodology in order to (1) disentangle the relationship which exists at the intersection of race and ethnicity and (2) determine its impact on measures of Black identity. 198 participants identifying as African American (n=148), African (n=13) and Afro Caribbean (n=37), respectively, completed the Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity (Sellers et. al., 1997), a 56-item survey consisting of 7 subscales falling into the categories of Centrality, Regard and Ideology. Descriptive and comparative analyses demonstrated ethnic differences in inventory responses with significant results attributed to humanist ideology subscales. Limitations and future directions are discussed. This study adds to the larger psychology literature surrounding the topic of Black identity by complicating the relationship between ethnic and racial identity and the methods used to most effectively study each.