The following abstract and presentation was delivered at the National Social Science Association Fall Conference in San Antonio, Texas (October 2017). We thank you for your comments and look forward to publication of our paper in the near future.

Bridging the Gap: Examining the Correlation Between Racism and Mental Health Among African Americans and Latinos

By

Merida A. Valera, Umeme Sababu, & Jennifer D. Dashiell

                                                                         

Abstract

     This paper examines the correlation between racism and mental health among African Americans and Latinos.  It traces the history of racism and discrimination people of color have experienced in the United States. Presently, there is an abundant wealth of research data that highlight the deleterious effects and influence that racism has impacted on mental illness on people of color. Our study seeks to build on research of the link between racism and mental illness focusing on Latinos and African Americans. It has been a disgraceful issue that has resulted in negative implications. In addition, the article examines the attitude, the psychological outcome of discrimination, and the implicit component of racism against people of the color.

     More specifically, this study attempts to answer the following question; has racism resulted in a high rate of mental illness among Latinos and African Americans due to exposure to traumatic stress? Jones argued that in a more objective view, African Americans and Latinos share a number of characteristics that by observation help define the disadvantaged status of the two groups (Jones, 2015, pp. 14). These characteristics include slavery, segregation, discrimination, prejudice, and racism. Hence, the racial hierarchy that was formulated during the colonial period in Latin America and North America and oppression of people of color has continue to the historical era (Jones, 2015).

      There has been a number of researchers who have written on this subject. Therefore, the researchers’ hypothesis declares that racism has a degree of impact on mental illness among people of color. The researchers review the subsequent system of control that replaced slavery (e.g., discrimination, Jim Crow, segregation, and prejudice) that continue today in many covert and overt ways. Finally, this study attempts to unfold several questions pertaining to racism and discrimination and mental illness among African Americans and Latinos.