Nigrescence Model of Racial Identity Development

In 1971, Dr. William E. Cross, a famous researcher (specializing in black psychology) as a black psychologist, developed a framework for evaluating ways in which African Americans understand the meaning of blacks did. Dr. Cross introduced his ideology as "a model of the development of ethnic identity". He insists that all black Americans must form a sound and balanced understanding of the black's experience and experience a range of identities to become comprehensive in our global society.

Interest in racial and ethnic identity encouraged early researchers to develop racial identity models. One of the earliest and most studied ethnic identity models is a black and white model. A multidimensional model of racial identity is an updated identity model that provides a framework for understanding the significance of race and the meaning of being a member of racial group. The early racial identity model assumed that people advanced through the stage or stage of identity. Individuals in a particular stage have specific attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors that are different from those in other stages. Extinct models of ethnic identity have been extensively studied, and these models have been improved recently.

The Nigrescence model (or Black Racial Identity model) was introduced by William Cross Jr. in 1971. Nigrescence, a French word for "blackening process", is a review by blacks or African Americans. It is five stages. Comprehensive ethnic identity. Since its inception the theory of Nigrescence has evolved from concepts outlining the stage of identity change (now called state) to a theory about the movement of black power, including six other levels of Nigrescence. In this view, all kinds of black identities are taken into account and the differences within the group among people of different groups are emphasized. This theory is aimed at outlining the development of ethnic identity in adults, but it also applies to young African Americans as it is close to adolescence and adulthood.