African American Health and Behavior

History and Context

The term race has historical roots in distinguishing humans based on ancestry and physical characteristics. Race is most often used to distinguish a population based on biological factors such as genetics, common descent, and physical appearance. For example, the Caucasoid race is often characterized as pale pinkish white to olive brown in skin color, of medium to tall stature, with a long or broad head, and of European ancestry. The Mongoloid race is often characterized as saffron to yellow or reddish brown skin color, of medium stature, and a broad head with Asian ancestry. The Negroid race is characterized by brown to brown-black skin, usually with a longer head, varying statures, and thick everted lips and African ancestry. Historically, race has been viewed as either a convenient mechanism for social and political classification or a useful and distinctive term that conveys salient information about biological predispositions and behavioral characteristics. More recently, the utility of race as representing distinct variance among groups of humans has grown into disfavor as having extremely limited utility, as not identifying unique intragroup genetic variance, and having limited scientific value. Many epidemiologists have suggested that ethnicity (biology + behavior + culture) may be a more accurate term.

The importance of race, particularly in American society and as exemplified by how we manage the construct, has undergone several distinct transitions over the years, but can be grossly divided into three eras. From the period beginning with slavery and extending into the 1950s, race was used as one of the most distinguishing characteristics of humans. Having a single drop of “Black” blood (any Black ancestors) was sufficient to identify a person as Black (one drop rule). During this time, very limited attention was placed on studying African American health because they were considered of little importance. Early medical researchers often failed to include African Americans because they were considered animalistic, property, and second-class citizens, if citizens at all. When they were included in research, they were treated as if their capacities were equal to or less than animals. Consent was almost never obtained and there was little regard for their comfort or long-term impairments including death resulting from experimentation. Race was thought to be associated with stereotyped genetic, behavioral, cognitive, and emotional[Page 13] characteristics. For practical purposes this time is characterized as the “race is everything” era.

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