Malcom X and Racial Identity Development Essay

Racial Identity Development is the steps minority or majority groups go through to gain understanding of their racial identity. Many people don’t go through all these stages in their life and it requires a lot of inner growth to get there. After watching Malcom X, a civil rights leader, I saw how Malcom went through each of the stages of black/ minority racial identity development; some with difficulty and others with not as much trouble. After reading about and reflecting on the minority development, I realized that I’m at the stage of immersion/ emmersion. I find myself more concerned about my culture and who I hang out with. I’m constantly asking questions about where I come from and why certain things work the way they do based on skin color. I’m also noticing how my race is seen through the eyes of others/ majority groups and what factors contribute to their opinions. I’m making more connections with kids and adults my race instead of with others just to get a better understanding of myself. Everybody has to go through the pre-encounter stage. This is the stage where race isn’t very apparent to the individual. They don’t question the idea that â€Å"white is right† and â€Å"black is wrong†. Malcom experienced this stage in many ways. One example of this is when Malcom went to the barber shop to get his hair permed. After seeing his hair straight, he makes a comment saying, â€Å"look like white hair don’t it†. This is an example of the pre-encounter stage because Malcom is saying that white people have straight hair which automatically makes white hair better. The next stage is the encounter stage. In this stage, the individual grows aware of their race and the disadvantages that come along with it. A certain event usually triggers this acknowledgment. An example of how Malcom went through this stage was when he was in school and was told by his white teacher that he couldn’t become a lawyer because he was black. This is also a form of direct racism. He realizes that there are certain things he can and can’t do due to his race. He also realizes that he’s part of a group that has certain disadvantages. After the encounter stage comes the stage of immersion/ emmersion. At this point in the individuals life they want to become more intact with the visible symbols of their race. They concentrate on themselves and the others that are their race. They tend to move away from people of other races. As Malcom is going through this stage, he tends to push people of other races away. A white reporter approached Malcom and asked him what she could do to help support the black community and he replied that there was nothing she could do to help the black cause. He felt that white people had so much of an advantage that they wouldn’t be able to understand or help the black community. The last stage of the minority racial identity development is internalization and commitment. In this stage, the individual uses what he/she learned about themselves and their race and transfers it to take action about their concerns about their race. When Malcom reaches this stage, he takes his time to apologize to other black civil rights leaders. He realizes that they all had the same ending goal and that they should be working together to help better the understanding of their race. After learning about these stages of minority race identity development, I feel like I have a better understanding of myself and others around me. I’m more open to learning more about other races and if my race reflects theirs. As I go through the other stages, I hope to gain a better understanding of what I can do to better the way my race is perceived and how to move on through the stages.