The Validity of Cross’s Model of Black Racial Identity Development in the South African Context

Abstract

W.E. Cross’s theoretical model for Black racial identity development has had substantial empirical validation. However, this validation has occurred exclusively in the United States; the applicability of the model to Black populations outside the United States remains largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to assess the validity of the Cross model in the South African context. South Africa was specifically chosen because of: a) the unique importance and salience of race in the country, b) the greater degree of societal discrimination based on race, and c) its indigenous African context and the omnipresent influences of African heritage. Considerable support for Cross’s stages of Black racial identity development was found among Black South Africans, as were some marked differences. Modifications to Cross’s model and the development of an indigenous African framework are recommended to account for all aspects of Black racial development in the South African context.