Chapter 2: Black Masculinity and Identity Development as Foundation for Counseling African American Males

There is an old African proverb that states, “If there is no enemy within, the enemy without can do you no harm.” Many Black men are engaged in an internal conflict in regards to their own beliefs about the negativity of Black manhood that is inconsistent with their historical and lived experience. This conflict is significantly influenced by the experience of chronic racial discrimination. Racial discrimination has contributed to the internalization of messages of Black men being viewed as dumb, deviant, and dangerous (Kniffley, 2014). These messages have impacted the creation of “an enemy within” in the form of hypermasculinity, endorsement of negative stereotypes, and cultural identity suppression. Furthermore, the messages associated with racial discrimination have influenced the development and maintenance of mental health issues for Black men (Ghafoori, Barragan, & Palinkas, 2013). Black men presenting with these issues will pose significant challenges in a counseling setting in regards to the formation of a therapeutic alliance and the implementation of meaningful clinical interventions (Scott, McCoy, Munson, Snowden, & McMillen, 2011).