Suicide of Black Males

Dr. K.F. Ashanti

(EDITOR'S NOTE: Dr. Kwabena Faheem Ashanti is a leading scholar in African American Studies. He has a Ph.D in counseling psychologist with post doctoral study in traditional African medicine and religion. Dr. Ashanti also a psychologist in the counseling department at North Carolina State University , lecturer and author of many publications including "Contemporary African Psychology: Metamorphosis," "Psychotechnology of Brainwashing" and "Voodoo in Mental Health.")

The phenomenon of suicide among African people in general, and the African American male in particular, historically are rare occurrences. Like other racial and ethnic groups however, it has and does occur. As far back as the Classical African Period of Kemet ( Egypt ), there were laws, rules, taboos, and religious injunctions against the taking of one's own life.

This is because only God can create life, and only God (through the lesser gods and spirits) is permitted to take a life back. If one took his or her own life by suicide it was considered a "sin" in the religious context, and a crime by society.

In the religious context, the individual's soul would not be saved in the after life, and would dwell in the concept of a "burning hell of monsters." Society would consider such an individual guilty of attempting to avoid the consequences of a crime against someone, and consequently the community, would cut off the dead person's head (the one who committed suicide) and bury it separate from the body. This was to continue to punish the individual, even in death, for the deed which was a "sin" and a "crime."

The depths of these beliefs accordingly permeated the total fabric of African culture. These beliefs Africa contributed to African-Americans -- from slavery until today. As a result, black people have always valued the salvation of their souls after death. This belief enabled black people to be very successful with stress management and overcoming depression. This African philosophical, ideological, religious, and cultural traditional social system is what has accounted for the relative low rate of suicides among black people in America .

The more blacks become estranged from their own culture and practice those of other races the more their suicide rates increase. This is due to the loss of traditional African coping skills to stress.

There is one archtype moreover, presently recalled, where suicide is an honorable act. When an African society or nation is on the verge of destruction from an outside evil force and when standard warfare methods are not effective in repealing the attacks, the extreme tactic of suicide attacks are permitted and approved. In these instances, the priests have blessed them, the God, the lesser gods and the ancestors gave permission and society gave sanction. Instead of their souls being lost, their souls were saved. Examples of this type of suicide occurred in the liberation of Haiti from France and among black slaves in America .

It is important to understand that suicide is a very personal and implosive act. It most often is due to feelings of rejection, shame, and anger from or toward someone very close in their own families or a romantic interest outside. These are feelings of despair and hopelessness and suicide is seen as the only way for relief.

There also appears to be an economic class element associated with suicides among blacks. In general, the higher the social class, the higher the rates of suicides. It would appear that lower social class blacks are more closer to traditional African cultural patterns and beliefs than those of higher social classes. Rarely do blacks take their own lives because of outside racism and discrimination. However, the more they acculturate into white society the more the suicide rates due to racism and racial discrimination may increase.

One may notice that the rise in the black male suicide rates dramatically increased with the advent of racial integration in America . This appears to be due to the lack of the rewards of society for higher education and skills verses the promise of equal opportunities and a race neutral society based on merit. In other words, they become depressed, angry, and feel that they don't fit in the successful white society. They become tired of having to be the ones who have to always give up their own beliefs and cultures and force fit themselves into a society that actually rejects them. Healing can only occur when one learns to fit into their own culture, or relearn it. Otherwise, there may come a time when a play will be presented called "Colored Boys Who Commit Suicide Because the Rainbow (multiculturism) Wasn't Enough." Today there is also unintentional or unconscious suicide. This type is most often associated with illegal drug abuse, but it also occurs with overeating and obese people, and even those on prescription medication. In these cases, individuals often are committing suicide without even knowing it.

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