09/08/2026
A new study found that black parents who had internalized more negative ideas about race were less likely to share positive messages with their adolescent children that affirm racial pride and self-worth.
Led by Prof. Shardé McNeil Smith, the study also found that these patterns were stronger among parents and teens with lighter skin tones.
“Interventions that help parents process and resist appropriated racial oppression may be key to fostering resilience and racial pride in the next generation,” Smith said, adding that efforts to address the structural and institutional conditions that perpetuate racial oppression beyond individual families are imperative.