Letters to the Black Community focuses on generational experiences of racial oppression within the Black Community and its development of the illness, internalized oppression. Internalized oppression is a byproduct of the systemic structures of racism that negatively impact the Black psyche, communal energies, and overall interpersonal relationships within the Black community. In Letters to the Black Community, Dr. Griffin discusses an array of ways the symptoms of internalized oppression manifest within the community, but she also offers general solutions to combat this maladaptive phenomenon.
The book is divided into four sections with letters directed to important groups within the Black community: The Collective, Black Men, Black Women, and Black Youth. In each section, the letters address the symptomatic manifestation of internalized oppression within each group and offers remedies targeted specifically to them.
This book is relevant for all readers interested in thoughtful exploration of the maladaptive behaviors displayed within Black communities that hinder growth, communal energies, and healing from generational racial oppression. It is my hope that we will become more conscious of our actions, spoken words, resume our communal spirit, and make positive changes where necessary.