Afrocentrism: a Perspective of Positive Development Among Black Youth

Abstract

Afrocentrism is a perspective wherein phenomena, ideas, events, and cultures that influence the lives of people of African descent are centered within the epistemologies of the African descent communities. Afrocentrism as a socialization mechanism for youth has been increasingly endorsed by African descent communities globally but remains nascent within youth studies literature on adolescent development. The omission of Afrocentrism as a perspective on youth development represents an oversight of culturally responsive, anti-racist research with African-descent youth populations. This conceptual article revisits Afrocentrism as a perspective to envision healthy development of Black youth. In doing so, the authors propose that positive development among Black youth intersects not only with the reality of youth developmental universalisms and race-related concerns, but also that Africanness and associated philosophical underpinnings, as will be described, are central to their healthy development. Historical, theoretical, and findings from exemplar Afrocentric programs are presented, with implications for future scholarship.