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Amos Wilson On Black Child Psychology - From Maulana Karenga's Introduction to Black Studies

Focusing on the psychological development of Black children, Wilson contributes to the projects of defining the task and parameters of Black psychology. Wilson argues, as do nobles and others, that an understanding of the psychology of Blacks, adults and children, demands that the study of Blacks begin in Africa, not in slavery.

Moreover, he maintains that Black psychology must be extremely careful about the application of European psychologically and the use of its models. In fact, he suggests white psychology does not even adequately explain white people who "seem bent on destroying themselves as well as the rest of the world."

Drawing on the growing interest in melanin and its properties, Wilson contends that the study of melanin is important in the study of Black people. Arguing that the history of Blacks is in their genes, he suggests Black superiority in the areas of mental development, neurological functioning and psychomotor development of the Black child which are all related to the possession of a high level of melanin.

Melanin, he contends, is not simply a coloring agent, but "an integral part of the body system itself operating in the brain." In fact, the ability of the Black children to survive and the comparative long life of Blacks are related to their Blackness.

Wilson is also concerned that Blacks have been reduced to use only one side of their brain. This right side, he states " processes information…deals with the world in a holistic fashion and (also) processes music and art." The left side is the analytical side, which develops technology, mathematics and so forth.

But "the side of the brain and individual uses is determined by experience," therefore, if we look at the history and experience of Blacks in America, we see essentially that the European has rewarded Blacks for using the right brain," i.e., singing dancing, music and sports.

On the other hand, because whites "are afraid intellectually assertive Black people," Blacks are discriminated against and discouraged from using the left side of the brain, i.e., the linguistic and analytical. The need is thus for a balance, for "the ultimate human being is the one who can balance between the use of both sides of the brain."

Finally, Wilson maintains that one of the major problems of Black child development "is determining how we can maintain the intellectual and psychological advance that nature has given our children." It is here, he states, that we see the inadequacy of child psychology for "the issues and questions that Black psychologist must address are distinctly different."

This essentially demands the development of an educational psychology and methodology directed toward "the reconstruction of the personality and the orientation of our children".

Such a thrust would be directed towards educational and cultural change which not only simulates the brain, but teaches children how to think, not simply prepares them for jobs but also facilitates and encourages high levels of self-development and service to their people. For "Blacks who are not conscious of their Blackness, who have no sense of destiny, and then go though (white systems of education) ultimately end up their own oppressors and a means of oppressing their own people."

Therefore, Black liberation depends on educational system for Black children based on a psychological model, which builds on and develops Black strength "in order to create a intelligent, independent thinking, interpretive and critical person committed to working tirelessly in the interest of Black people."

In one of his latest works, Wilson discusses the social psychology of violence among young Black men. It is his contention that Black male adolescent criminality is the principle outcome of three things: 1) white-on Black violence since enslavement; 2) The deliberate creation of white American dominated racist society; and 3) "unrelenting and collective ego defensive and political economic needs for white America to criminalize, denigrate and degrade Black America."

Moreover, he states that he is not arguing that Blacks have no responsibility in this problem. Rather that he is arguing that white America sets the context and sustains it. But he argues "such a regime can only hold sway over African Americans and Africans in general as long as their consciousness and identity are not African centered."

The need then, is to bring that consciousness to them in order to end their destructive alienation from self and community and enable them to escape the criminality and anti-social conduct which plagues them.

Maulana Karenga

Introduction to Black Studies