The Management of Grief: A Study of Black Funeral Practices

Abstract

This study is concerned with the nature of the influence of noneconomic values in economic transactions. It deals with the ethnic differences in meeting the bereavement needs of black mourners, as well as the means used by black morticians to impute roles to their clientele; and their means of meeting the bereavement needs of those they serve. Some practices of black morticians are examined in contrast to their white competitors; others are studied in terms of traditional values vs. rational behavior. More than the mere disposal of the dead, the black mortuary emerges as an institution for the sublimation of guilt and the acquisition of social status. This study demonstrates the role of the clergy within the funeral pageantry.