Finding the Black Self: A Humanistic Strategy

Abstract

This brief paper develops a humanistic strategy for study of Black self-definition. It contrasts the distinction be tween personality and culture traditionally conceived in the social sciences with the way in which these important constructs are regarded by those utilizing humanistic strategies. Particular attention is given to the utility of humanistic strategy for penetrating Afro-American pre sentations of self, and an effort has been made to explore humanistic developments in anthropology, history, and sociology, as well as psychology.