This study is an empirical study of Black women's perceptions of mental health and mental health stigma. There has been extensive exploration of the intersections of race and mental illness, however, there has been a limited amount of research conducted when it comes to race, gender, and the stigma attached to mental illness combined. Researchers have found that there is a significant difference in terms of the amount of adults who are affected by mental illness when looking at racial groups (Anglin, D. M., Alberti, P. M., Link, B. G., & Phelan, J. C., 2008). Furthermore there have been studies that have shown that Black women in particular suffer from mental illness at a highly disproportional rate than any other group in the United States. In this study, I will investigate what it is scholars in the field are saying pertaining to the issue of Black women being affected by mental illness/stigma and what the possible causes are. The research will allow us to delve into the conversations that Black women are having regarding this topic. We will get the overall sentiment about mental stigma, and what solutions Black women are offering for coping with mental illness and mental illness stigma.

Keywords: African American women, Black women, mental health, mental illness, stigma, stereotypes.