A Race Against the Odds: The Historical Influences on Modern-Day Racism and Structural Discrimination and the Impact on Black Me

In the Post-Civil Rights era, there has been a remarkable shift from historically blatant racism to a more covert form of prejudice and discrimination, where Black men are now targeted via unequal legal protection, geographical segregation, and mass incarceration. The significant effects of structural discrimination and modern-day racism on Black men in the U.S. is in need of a long overdue re-examination of laws, policies, and negative media depictions that, for several decades, have marginalized them. From submissive and naive beings in need of structure and guidance, to criminal and violent individuals requiring persecution and discipline, negative attitudes and beliefs have historically influenced society's views of Black men and how they should be treated. I will provide an overview of these negative depictions of Black men, and how such depictions still influence the present-day zeitgeist, including influences on mental health providers. I will then outline steps that providers can take to help overcome such negative influences in their own clinical work.