“The Talk I Received From My Parents, I Gave to My Little Brother”: Black Emerging Adults’ Experiences of Intergenerational and Bidirectional Racial Socialization

While much literature examines racial socialization in Black families, specifically “the Talk,” few studies focus on this process during emerging adulthood. Guided by relational communication and racism-related stress theories, this qualitative study examined Black emerging adults’ experiences of “the Talk,” a specific form of racial socialization that prepares Black individuals for encounters with racism and policing, and its impact on their personal lives and family dynamics. Thirty Black college students at Historically Black Colleges/Universities (HBCUs) participated in interviews and focus groups. Thematic analysis revealed four key themes related to “the Talk”: (a) guide for survival, (b) intergenerational communication process, (c) village phenomenon, and (d) source of Black familial stress. Findings highlight “the Talk” as an essential yet complex practice that poses emotional and relational challenges for Black emerging adults and their family systems. Implications underscore the need for culturally-specific interventions to support Black families and reforms to address systemic police violence.