"None but ourselves can free our minds": Toward a theory of collective Black consciousness

Drawing on the cultural legacy of Africa and its diaspora, this article takes an emic, transnational approach to articulate collective Black consciousness (CBC)-an emerging culturally rooted theory of sociopolitical consciousness grounded not only in the necessity of Black resistance, but also in the joys and love for Black people's existence. CBC is a multidimensional theory created by the authors. This theory demonstrates the ways of thinking, knowing, feeling, and being that have allowed Black people globally to strive toward collective growth, love, and joy as they fight for a more liberated reality for themselves and the world. In this article, we trace the historical and theoretical foundations that shape our formation and conceptualization of CBC and define its dimensions: Black liberatory practices, sociopolitical transcendence, radical Black love, collective Black knowledge, and collective Black wisdom. We conclude by discussing the significance and implications of our theory for decolonial research, clinical practice, and community organizing. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).