Jas M. Sullivan is an assistant professor of political science and African and African American studies at Louisiana State University. Ashraf M. Esmail is an assistant professor in social sciences at Southern University at New Orleans.

• Part 1. Theoretical and Methodological Issues in African American Racial IdentityChapter 1. Forty Years of Cross' Nigrescence Theory: From Stages to Profiles, From African Americans to All AmericansChapter 2. The Conceptualization and Measurement of Racial Identity and Racial Identification within PsychologyChapter 3. African American Racial Identity Research in Political Science: The Need for a Multidimensional MeasurePart 2. African American Racial Identity and Psychological Well-BeingChapter 4. The Effects of Racial Identity on African-American Youth Well-Being: A Clarification of the Research and Meta-analysisChapter 5. Black Identity and Well-Being: Untangling Race and EthnicityChapter 6. Black Racial/Ethnic Identity and Its Impact on Well-Being: Bridging Identity Theory and Racial/Ethnic Identity ResearchChapter 7. When Racial Identity Matters: Stressful Events and Mental Health in Rural African American AdolescentsPart 3. African American Racial Identity and Physical HealthChapter 8. The Role of African American Racial Identification in Health BehaviorChapter 9. Vascular Depression and African Americans: A Population at RiskPart 4. African American Racial Identity Development and Effects on Parents and ChildrenChapter 10. Black Like Me: The Race Socialization of African American Boys by Nonresident FathersChapter 11. Toward a Model of Racial Identity and Parenting in African Americans Chapter 12. African American Children's Racial Identification and Identity: Development of Racial NarrativesPart 5. African American Racial Identity and Influence on Educational BehaviorChapter 13. Racial Identity as a Buffer to Discrimination among Low Income African American Adolescents: An Examination of Academic PerformanceChapter 14. The Congruence Between African American Students' Racial Identity Beliefs and their Academic Climates: Implications for Academic Motivation and AchievementChapter 15. The Influence of African American Racial Identity on Standardized Test PerformanceChapter 16. An Exploration of Racial Identity among Black Doctoral Students Involved in Cross-Race Advising RelationshipsChapter 17. The Relationship between African American Males' Collegiate Peer Support Groups and Their Racial Identity Development

African American Identity is a must-read for anyone seeking a scholarly understanding of racial/ethnic identity of Black folks. In one volume, Sullivan and Esmail bring together noteworthy scholars across various disciplines, as well as new scholars. The writings are stimulating and provocative and extend the debate about the conceptualization and measurement of Black identity, as well as its applications across disciplines, sociology, medicine, psychology, and political science.