The Black Experience with Death: A Brief Analysis through Black Writings

Abstract

How people die is strongly influenced by group membership. The experience of black Americans with death can be examined through mortality statistics, but more vivid insights can be obtained from spirituals, poetry, and other literature that has been created out of the black experience. Taking an historical perspective, it is found that the usual assumption that blacks take an otherworldly view of life and death is not clearly supported. On the contrary, the black norm of death seems to be largely secular and practical-and serves as an important commentary on the relationship between social status and the individual's interpretation of his most powerful experiences.