Attending to the Adversity of Racism Against Young Black Children

Abstract

The first 1,000 days is one of the most consequential times for children’s development. As a hugely ignored adversity embedded in all aspects of black children’s lives before birth and throughout their life course, racism in all forms deserves more attention in the developmental science literature. Racism—including structural, institutional, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and cultural—negatively impacts the health, learning, and well-being of black children, their families, and their communities. Using the Integrative Model for the Study of Developmental Competencies for Minority Children and Critical Race Theory frameworks, this article elucidates how racial disparities in every opportunity and outcome connected to black children and their ecosystem are due to white supremacy and anti-black racism. We call for urgent action focused on preservation, protection, and promotion to address white supremacy and combat anti-black racism through racial equity and culturally grounded science and policymaking.