National Louis University Digital Commons@NLU Dissertations 6-2018 Deconstructing Negative Stereotypes, Myths And Microaggressions About Black Women: Reconstructing Black Women’s Narrative, Identity And The mpE owering Nature Of Ethnic Identity Patricia Luckoo National Louis University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss Part of the Community Psychology Commons Recommended Citation Luckoo, Patricia, "Deconstructing Negative Stereotypes, Myths And Microaggressions About Black Women: Reconstructing Black Women’s Narrative, Identity And The mpoE wering Nature Of Ethnic Identity" (2018). Dissertations. 319. https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/319 This Dissertation - Public Access is brought to you for free and open access by Digital Commons@NLU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@NLU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 1 Running Head: Deconstructing Negative Stereotypes, Myths and Microaggressions About Black Women and the Empowering Nature of Ethnic Identity NATIONAL LOUIS UNIVERSITY DECONSTRUCTING NEGATIVE STEREOTYPES, MYTHS AND MICROAGGRESSIONS ABOUT BLACK WOMEN: RECONSTRUCTING BLACK WOMEN’S NARRATIVE, IDENTITY, AND THE EMPOWERING NATURE OF ETHNIC IDENTITY A DISSERTATION PROPOSAL SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY DOCTORAL PROGRAM IN THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCE By PATRICIA R. LUCKOO Chicago, Illinois, June 2018 2 Running Head: Deconstructing Negative Stereotypes, Myths and Microaggressions About Black Women and the Empowering Nature of Ethnic Identity 3 Running Head: Deconstructing Negative Stereotypes, Myths and Microaggressions About Black Women and the Empowering Nature of Ethnic Identity Abstract This research study retraces the lives of Black women in America through a microscope that emphasize the historical formulation of Black women's identity and how the distorted figures of stereotypes have emerged and manifested into contemporary macroaggressions. The work explores two central inquiries: The first, quantitative study, examines slavery as the malignant marker that has shaped Black women's identity, socioeconomic status, educational progress and political frameworks. The study theorizes that macroaggressions towards Black women pose serious harm to their overall psychological sense of self-efficacy and empowerment. However, ethnic identity has within it the resource to combat microaggressive attitudes. The second, qualitative study, examines deeper issues related to black women empowerment and attempts to further theory building through narratives of black women participants and their narratives and views on a variety of issues. Keywords: black women, microaggressions, ethnic identity, psychological empowerment, sexual exploitation, negative stereotypes (slave-era narratives, U.S. slavery, dehumanization, racism, oppression, empowerment 4 Running Head: Deconstructing Negative Stereotypes, Myths and Microaggressions About Black Women and the Empowering Nature of Ethnic Identity Acknowledgement To my children for whom I hope to inspire and show that with hard work and perseverance they can break down barriers. To my committee members, Dr. Bradley Olson, Tiffeny, Judith Kent and Ericka Mingo, who provided assistance and expertise throughout this journey, I am grateful for your counsel. Special thanks to the participants who agreed to participate in this study. I admire your resilience, strength, courage and professionalism. Thank you for sharing your life stories. 5 Running Head: Deconstructing Negative Stereotypes, Myths and Microaggressions About Black Women and the Empowering Nature of Ethnic Identity Table of Contents Abstract ………………………………………………………………………………..….3 Acknowledgement ………………………………………………………………………..4 Table of Contents…………………………………………………….................................5 List of Tables ……………………………………………………………………………..7 Review of the Literature ……………………………………………………………..….. 8 Slavery: An Institution of Profit, Power and Black Lives 1600 – 1865 ………………...16 Enslave women: Rape, Sexual Exploitation, Productivity and Reproduction…….…….21 Stereotypes and Microaggressions …...............................................................................28 The Mammy and Aunt Jemima ……………………...................................................... .30 Jezebel and the Black Prostitute ………………………………………………………...32 Sapphire and the Angry Black Woman………………………………………………….33 Child-bearers of slavery and the Welfare Queen………………………………...............35 Black Women’s Identity …....…………………………………………….......................38 The Jim Crow Era – (1877- 1954) ………………………………………………………43 The Feminist Movement (1960’s) ……………………....................................................46 Study 1 – Research Hypothesis, Questions and Qualitative……………………………. 49 Research Hypothesis …………………………………………………………………….50 Research Questions……………………………………………………………………... 50 Study 1 Methods (Quantitative)……..…………………………………………………...50 Participants …....................................................................................................................51 Recruitment and Data Collection………………………………………………..…….…51 Procedures ……………………………………………………………………………….52 Empowerment Scale….………………………………………………………………… 53 Ethnic Identity Scale..……………………………………… ……………………...…....53 Microaggressions Scales ………………………………………………………………...54 Psychological Empowerment Scale ……………………………………………………..55 Study 1: Result…………………………………………………………………..…..…...56 6 Running Head: Deconstructing Negative Stereotypes, Myths and Microaggressions About Black Women and the Empowering Nature of Ethnic Identity Data Analysis …………………………………………………………………………....59 Description of the Participants ……………………………………………….………….60 Linear Regression Group Analysis ……………………………………………………...64 Study 1: Discussion ………………………………………………………………..…... 67 Study 2: Qualitative ……………………………………………………….……….........68 Theoretical Frame ………………………………………………………..………..…….69 Purpose of the study ………………………………………………………………....…..71 Archetype ………………………………………………………………..……..……......71 Study 2: Methods (Qualitative)………………………………..…………. …………......72 Participants …………………………………………………………………………..... ..73 Recruitment and Data Collection………………………………………………………...73 Procedures ………………………………………………………..……………………...74 Instruments ……………………………………………..……………………...……...…74 Data Analysis Procedures …………………………………………………………….…75 Summary of participants…………………………………………………………………77 Study 2: Results ………………………………………………………….…………..….82 Archetype 1: The Empowered Black Woman...................................................................84 Archetype 2: The Warrior Black Woman …………………………………………….... 92 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………...105 Limitations of the Study ………………………………………………………………..108 References ……………………………………………………………………………...110 Appendices ……………………………………………………………………………..118 Appendix A - Informed Consent ………………………………..…..………………….119 Appendix B – Demographic Questionnaire …………………………....…………..…..121 Appendix C – (MEIM); (Phinney, 1992) ………………………..……………..………124 Appendix D – (GRMS) ……………………….…….…………………….……….…...127 Appendix E – (REMS); (Nadal, 2011) ………………………………..………..……...131 7 Running Head: Deconstructing Negative Stereotypes, Myths and Microaggressions About Black Women and the Empowering Nature of Ethnic Identity Appendix F – (PEQ); (Spreitzer,1995) ………………………………………………..139 Appendix G - Qualitative Interview …………………………………………………...142 Appendix H – Collage of Black Women’s Experiences with Macroaggression……..…147 List of Tables Page and Figures Study 1- Tables Table 1 – Correlation between slave-era and contemporary stereotypes…….…. ..…….30 Table 2 – Ethnic Identity Reliability Scale.............................. ………………..…..….…57 Table 3 – Microaggressions Reliability Scale ………………………………..…..……..58 Table 4 – Black Women Psychological Reliability Empowerment Scale…………...…..58 Table 5 – Summary Descriptive of the Participants …………………..……………..….60 Table 6 – Reported Age of the Participants ……………………………………………..60 Table 7 – Reported Educational Status of the Participants ……………………….…..…61 Table 8 – Reported Employment Status of the Participants ………………………….…62 Table 9 – Reported Annual Income of the Participants………...…………..……………62 Table 10 – Reported Relationship Status of the Participants …………....………………63 Table 11 – Regression Model Summary …………………………………………....…...64 Table 12 – Variables Entered/Removed ………………………………………....……...66 Table 13 – Coefficients …………………………………………………………..……...66 Study 2 – Figures Figure 1 – Black Women Archetypes ………………………………………..……….....77 Figure 2 – Demographic of Participants …………………………..…………….……....82 Figure 3 – The Black Woman Empowered Archetype and Dimensions …...…….……..85 Figure 4 – The Black Woman Warrior Archetype and Dimensions …………………….94 8 Running Head: Deconstructing Negative Stereotypes, Myths and Microaggressions About Black Women and the Empowering Nature of Ethnic Identity DECONSTRUCTING NEGATIVE STEREOTYPES, MYTHS AND MICROAGGRESSIONS ABOUT BLACK WOMEN: RECONSTRUCTING BLACK WOMEN'S NARRATIVE, IDENTITY, AND THE EMPOWERING NATURE OF ETHNIC IDENTITY "But what of black women? . I most sincerely doubt if any other race of women could have brought its fineness up through so devilish a fire?" W. E. B. Du Bois Despite remarkable progress, racism and the stereotypes that stems from it remain malignant markers in the socioeconomic, political and psychological body of Black women's lives. Seminal research by scholars throughout