William E. Cross Jr., is Professor Emeritus of Higher Education and Counseling Philosophy at the University of Denver and the author of Shades of Black: Diversity in African American Identity (Temple); coeditor of Meaning-Making, Internalized Racism, and African American Identity; and coauthor of Dimensions of Blackness: Racial Identity and Political Beliefs.
“Black Identity Viewed from a Barber’s Chair is classic Bill Cross,
a brilliant jazz ensemble—part intellectual history, part memoir,
part social and political history, and part critical science.
Elegant and original, this book is both groundbreaking and
backward-looking in ways that carve new and innovative intellectual
paths. Cross re-views Frazier, Clark, Du Bois, and the works on
Black racial identities. And he reflects thoughtfully on his own
work, the relentless persistence of the deficit perspective, and
where the field needs to go. This book is just stunning; Cross
moves in and out of political and intellectual history with
brilliance.”—Michelle Fine, Distinguished Professor of Psychology,
The Graduate Center, City University of New York
“An impressive synthesis of psychology and Black studies, Black
Identity Viewed from a Barber’s Chair is an intellectually
interesting journey through Black history by one of the most
significant Black theorists of our time. Cross is an erudite and
insightful thinker of the highest order, and this book provides
context for the creation of Black psychology as a discipline. It is
a fitting conclusion to his life’s work.”—Kevin Cokley, Professor
in the Department of Educational Psychology, University of Texas at
Austin, and author of The Myth of Black Anti-Intellectualism: A
True Psychology of African American Students
"This is a first-rate overview of Black identity by Cross, a
leading psychologist and major developer of Nigrescence theory and
the Cross Racial Identity Scale measuring Black self-identity.
Here, he thoroughly analyzes his and other leading Black
psychologists’ lifespan models of Black consciousness.... Summing
Up: Highly recommended."—Choice
"[This book] is part professional memoir, part introduction to
Black Studies; part intellectual history, part introduction to
psychology; part declaration of support for humanist psychology;
and altogether insistent on the manifest diversity of Black
ontology.... All in all, with its conservational tone, accessible
writing, and didactic quality, Cross very much delivers on the
'educational narrative' he sets out to offer. I recommend this book
highly."—Ethnic and Racial Studies
"[T]his pointed book, which can be used as a casual read or as
required academic reading, provides the sort of interrogation that
we need to reengage, reimagine, and retell the stories of our
Blackness in ways that uplift, empower, and advance us."—Teachers
College Record
"The strengths of this text are many.... [T]he major themes and
concepts are illustrated for the reader through application to
historical events and prominent figures in ways that will resonate
with many audiences…. In all, Black Identity Viewed from a Barber’s
Chair is a worthwhile and engaging read for anyone interested in
Black humanity and experiences."—Contemporary Sociology
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