Stages of Minority Identity Development

1. Pre-encounter: Characterized by individuals (Blacks) who consciously or unconsciously devalue their own Blackness and concurrently value White values and ways. There is a strong desire to assimilate and acculturate into White society.

2. Encounter: A two-step process begins to occur. First, the individual encounters a profound crisis or event that challenges his/her previous mode of thinking and behaving; second, the black person begins to reinterpret the world and a shift in world views results.... The person experiences both guilt and anger over being “brainwashed” by White society.

3. Immersion-emersion: the person withdraws from the dominant culture and immerses himself or herself in Black culture. Black pride begins to develop, but internalization of positive attitudes toward one’s own blackness is minimal. In the emersion [ emergence ] phase, feelings of guilt and anger begin to dissipate with an increasing sense of pride.

4. Internalization: Characterized by inner security as conflicts between the old and new identities are resolved. Global anti-white feelings subside as the person becomes more flexible, more tolerant, and more bicultural / multicultural.

from Cross, 1971

Stages of Minority Identity Development

1. Passive-acceptance: The person accepts and conforms to White social, cultural, and institutional standards. Feelings of self-worth come from a white perspective.

2. Active-resistance: The person is dedicated toward rejection of White social, cultural, and institutional standards. A great deal of anger (global anti-White feeling) is directed toward White society.

3. Redirection: The individual attempts to develop uniquely Black values, goals, structures, and traditions. This is a period of isolation in which anger dissipates and is channeled into pride in identity and culture.

4. Internalization: Inner security develops, and the person can own and accept those aspects of U.S. culture that are seen as healthy... White and Black cultures are seen as not necessarily in conflict.

Jackson, 1975

Stages of White Development

1. Conformity: Adherence to social stereotypes.... The White person believes that White culture is the most highly developed... Marked by contradictory and oftentimes compartmentalized attitudes...

2. Dissonance: In most cases, a person is forced to acknowledge their whiteness at some level, to examine their own cultural values, and to see the conflict between upholding humanistic nonracist values and their contradictory behavior.... Feelings of guilt, shame, anger, and depression may characterize this stage....

3. Resistance and Immersion: The White person... begins to question and challenge his/her own racism.... The “White liberal” syndrome may develop and be manifested in two complementary styles: the paternalistic protector role or the over-identification with another minority group.

4. Introspective: An independent search for goals and direction beyond merely reacting to White racism is needed.... The person no longer denies that he or she is White. But there is also a reduction of the defensiveness and guilt associated with being White.

5. Integrative Awareness: A non-racist White identity begins to emerge.... There is increased knowledge of socio-political influences as they affect race relations, increased appreciation for cultural diversity, and an increased social commitment toward eradication of racism.

from Sue & Sue, 1990