Black Folk Don't: Commit Suicide

Suicide usually isn't an option for Black folks, especially since there are a whole host of reasons for why our mortality rates are ridiculously high, but is this always true? Given some recent high profile suicides and apparent suicides in the black community, is there more room to have this discussion now?

[@great9800]

Suicide definitely affects the black community whether you agree or not. Mental illness is very much real in the black community. It needs to be talked about. Black people do need the help. It's time to start looking out for each other again.

[@shadow12264]

SAMUEL JOHNSON in the first place anyone can catch the suicide disease, harming one self has got nothing to do with someone appearance

[@jackw8827]

SAMUEL JOHNSON I disagree. Different communities do have different issues. ALSO "getting help" is bullshit. Therapists don't do anything. The two solutions are: medicate things like bi-polar or psychosis, also, solve the problems in your life that are making you unhappy. Are you depressed or just unhappy with your circumstances. If you really need to talk to someone, better to find a friend or a member of your family. Therapists don't do shit.

[@therobin980]

@@jackw8827 your "advice" is uneducated and dangerous. People, please get a therapist if you have suicidal thoughts and or depression. This is not something that can be gotten over by talking to your friends and family for a bit. You are basically telling people not to get the medical help they need.

[@jackw8827]

@@therobin980 it's not a medical problem it's a personal and even spiritual one. Family and close friends and loved ones are the ONLY ones other than yourself who CAN help.

[@HustleTownUSA69th]

I'm ready

[@AwesomeMiles8]

skin color doesn't prevent mental illness, chronic pain, depression, suicide, etc. These are human conditions that anyone can experience.

[@dcflava74]

It pains me as a black man we are in so much denial in this issue.Our arrogance and pride prevents us from acknowledging this painful reality.We have so many people in our midst whether its famous or non famous who had commited suicide.Lee Thomas Young,Phyllis Hyman,Don Cornelius.I have a sister who suffers from bi-polar disorder and at times has suicidal tendencies and self inflicted herself with cutting and a dad that who commited suicide 17 years ago,it stems from childhood trauma.The pain of my fathers death is so hard to bear and its one thing that you dont forget.We must realize that suicide and depression is not a color issue,it always will and always had effect people of color,were just in denial and have way to much pride to acknowlege the issue and instead we cover it up with church and prayer which is good,im a christian myself but church and prayer alone is not going to alone help the issue.It takes for us to have some sort of awareness and acknowlege the fact that we need help and healing,its time for us to break the stigma that we are this tough super human group that's immune to this very taboo and serious condition.

[@ajwriter5699]

If you haven't experienced that level of pain, then you won't understand.

[@bluebird5173]

@@jackw8827 Where did you get your statistics from? According to Wikipedia, of the top 20 countries that have the highest suicide rates in 2016, nine of them are predominantly black -- almost half the countries on the list. Meanwhile, five of these countries are predominantly white. And only two of them are Asian (well, three if you count India). Honestly, I think you're invoking popular stereotypes rather than an actual basis in reality.

[@HustleTownUSA69th]

I feel like killing myself now. I'm tired as a black man, husband, father

[@matthewgonzalez9034]

@@HustleTownUSA69th Remember Jesus suffered for you, don't waste your life.

[@cliffkonkle3467]

@@HustleTownUSA69th I hope you are still with us and find a way to better days. I am white and I feel the same way about life as you. I know my words don't mean shit to a stranger suffering but I don't care I am going to say it anyway I LOVE YOU AND CARE ABOUT YOUR LIFE.

[@galacticcactus5530]

Now, I know the "Black Folks Don't Get Depressed" is a lie, because I have been depressed many times, especially thinking about things that I know that I can't change. But I always end up back on my feet somehow. :)

[@HustleTownUSA69th]

I feel like shooting myself now

[@insomnia9999]

Our suicide doesn’t look like everyone else’s.

[@MartellThaCool]

I'm currently suffering depression, anxiety and dealt with suicidal tendencies before as a black man dealt with horrible events in my life

[@venus1608]

+Martell Nelson Stay Strong Brother... it's always darkest before the dawn

[@MartellThaCool]

venus1608 thank you brotha

[@MartellThaCool]

venus1608 😀😊😎

[@MartellThaCool]

It's hard to be honest

[@russellshaw8835]

Martell Tha Cool just be strong my brother don't give up

[@LadyL31786]

I don't agree with the statement "black folk don't commit suicide". There are some African-American people who committed suicide.

[@PhoenixRising87]

Mental illness is all throughout the black community; too many of us, though, are too afraid to talk about it. I say this coming from a background of suicidal ideation myself (and I do have depression and anxiety), and my mother has revealed that depression runs in our family on her side.

[@C2G2]

PhoenixRising87 Yes 💯and it also runs in my family as well and I too have it and I think that we should talk about mental health in the black community and our lives matter I mean the last time I checked there was a group called black lives matter but when will we actually come together in the black community and speak about the many issues that plague our community. Anyways that is all I got to say.

[@BriaBarrows]

It’s so true. I remember when I was depressed and people kept saying, “you have to be strong.” It makes no sense. I get it but sometimes you have to weep at what you are going through. Sometimes you need comfort and support. We need more education on mental illness.

[@BklynWho]

That sister with the fro is so smart. :)

[@PeteS_1994]

I completely agree.

[@CharlaTV]

and beautifull

[@delaneywalkerjr6928]

We as Afrikans dehumanize one another

[@orangesilks8750]

Yes Abiola is sooo right! At 4:50, she's saying the "strong Black Woman" archetype is overtly flattering but covertly damaging to our psyche because we don't seek help because it's deemed "weak". TRUTH!

[@oRuTRa45]

+49jubilee Also bullcrap.

[@rahbeeuh]

She spoke straight facts!!

[@oRuTRa45]

Donny Hathaway, Phyllis Hyman, Weldon Irvine, Don Cornelius. And these are just some famous ones.

[@rahbeeuh]

Lee Thompson Young was another one

[@Dee-iy9uq]

Twitch was the most recent

[@NyFilmmaker32]

This was the best Black Folk Don't I've seen yet . Not only was direct suicide discussed, but slow forms of suicide, such as alcoholism, or other extremely risky behaviors.

[@renatamarie5546]

I feel like a lot of people I know, black people, because I live in a Caribbean country do not take mental illness serious. That tells a person that if they feel some kinda way that they need to go to church cuz it's 'spiritual ' and not a serious illness makes me confused and sad and angry. I understand turning to your faith for guidance but sometimes you need the help of a medical professional.

[@veinteduece6625]

😕 😣😣😣😣😣

[@ronspice8636]

well I'm black and one day if it doesn't get better life I'm checking out

[@markofcain2761]

Drink me Fabulous fuck you.

[@The__Nation]

💯💯

[@NonDramaZone]

My girlfriend's son drank two fifths of whiskey and threw himself off the top of a parking garage, and he was black as the ace of spades.

[@blakebarker6874]

Sounds mean but sounds like running . from bad parenting

[@The__Nation]

@@blakebarker6874 bruh you don’t even know the back story you just made an assumption 🤡🤡

[@blu9645]

We Don't believe you you need more people

[@blu9645]

@@blakebarker6874 that must be why your people kill themselves.

[@blu9645]

@@blakebarker6874 always being mol__ested.lol

[@mikedjock]

It might be a generation thing but at my school a lot of smart kids would always get bullied and harassed just for being "too smart".

[@jrmetmoi]

Devo Mike no it's not just a generational thing

[@rahbeeuh]

It's always been that way

[@ajwriter5699]

I LOVE this video! MUCH needed information!

[@torronbrown5045]

I don't agree with the title of this video no one is safe from suicide no matter what your race is

[@ncjohnso08]

this is such a great web series!!! such interesting, thought provoking conversations

[@MrJuly1990ish]

I was having this conversation last year with a cousin of mind, when Don Corneilus committed suicide last year, that she couldn't recall any famous black person over the past 30 or 40 years committing suicide. I had to refresh her memory that there were two singers who did and that was Donny Hathaway & Phyllis Hyman.

[@ShalandaElise]

Great video thanks for sharing!

[@mrhymer95]

I don't believe anyone said that, church going Black folk don't do because they believe they will go straight to hell.

[@stillsearchin3457]

No one ask to be born or exist. Why is this exit supposed to be looked upon in a negative manner?

[@Dee-iy9uq]

Us blacks have been brainwashed for so long that we don’t know if we even really believe what comes out of our mouths at times let alone the mouths of others, yet we go and submit to it anyway. And that right there is why we’re perceived as ignorant and uneducated more often than not.

[@318DoubleE]

You can’t go to anyone now because the info will just leak out into the wrong hands.

[@juneilgoode1022]

This is a great and informative video.

[@0397rb]

Yes they do

[@ccdj504]

Wow! A lot of y'all have missed the point of this video. Its not saying black don't commit suicide, its saying suicide is a major stigma and the statistically we are less likely than other racial groups to commit suicide. But we, of course, still do it and we still suffer from mental illness.

[@AbiolaAbrams]

Well done! Thanks for including me. xo

[@nobodyspecial2138]

This channel needs to come back.

[@VLM123]

Great segment!

[@halimacandy]

We have other ways to show/not show pain!!! not true!!...WE HURT OURSELVES OR WE KILL OTHERS , OR WE HURT OURSELVES IN OTHER SLOWER METHODS!!!

[@BloominLotus85]

Absolutely wonderful.

[@jrmetmoi]

Phyllis Hyman the singer from back in the day committed suicide.

[@sobored761]

And this is why More and more Of us will keep dying because Black people see It as weak or crazy and they will ridicule and belittle even their own family for being depressed and Suicidal instead of helping them. I’ve been made fun of for being depressed most of the people in this vid are prime examples of that

[@FaithfulWords]

I have had three friends, two of which were Black commit suicide.

[@AmirKhan-tb3ld]

Because they never have it too good to begin with. If they get a check cashed, it's enough to cheer them up.

[@JESUSLOVESYOU219]

😂😂 what a stupid comment. Seek God Amir.

[@BriaBarrows]

People have to understand that there is no colour when it comes to your brain. We all have one and we can all get sick. With all the trauma we’ve been through as a community, it makes perfect sense to me. Stress, drama. trauma, etc

[@jrmetmoi]

Regarding 0:49 it looks as though this series is from and the people interviewed are residing in NYC which means that at some point and time they must have all heard of a certain tragic institution with a scary and notorious reputation called Bellevue which is supposed to be in downtown Manhattan. No black person in NYC anyway can doubt the existence of mental illness amongst them if they've heard of Bellevue not to mention the sad cases of the many homeless mentally ill black men that roam NYC's streets on a daily basis who probably came from that place. Some homeless mentally ill black men roam the NYC streets alone and uncared for so many times that they become well known for certain behavior or certain 'ticks' such as for instance the one that would talk to himself wherever he went and would start yelling out a gasping 'PWWEEHHHHH!'...... Still think that therapy shouldn't be in the cards?.....

[@brianbirc]

Im confused is this a bad thing or a good thing

[@RooseveltAliWashingtonX]

Does Paul Mooney have a sister?

[@adfvssl011]

i kinda thought one of the reasons is that (as it is for most) if we can survive slavery we can survive w/e we are dealing with in the 21st century

[@TheNehemiahGroup-ew5kq]

Is it okay to share your video on other platforms

[@youtubeaccount7728]

Suicide isnt always bad. As long as the person is at least 1 year younger than adulthood and doesnt have any decendants

[@Adamomar4]

LOL at the brudda on the horse tho, i can hear that horse's pain

[@makimoments]

did he say she got riciculed because she was smart??? thats fucked up

[@powwowtv282]

I thought my mans in the thumbnail was a Tracy Morgan character

[@animegirl506]

i don't know if it was mentioned but maybe it also has to do with Faith? since many blacks in America are Christians and the bible said not to kill oneself maybe that is the reason?

[@cuttietory]

Well when you hear gunshots all the time from where you stay , you tend to appreciate life more .😒

[@jamesbedukodjograham5508]

However compared to other white groups and the influence of Religion and the community ethic. On the other hand African Culture does not accept suicide compared to Asian Societies. Black people love life a lot.

[@HustleTownUSA69th]

That's a fuckin lie cause that's how I feel

[@C2G2]

For some reason I just hate the music playing at the end of this video 💯🙄🙄🙄

[@Keshia.means.GreatJoy]

Yes we do :(

[@checkunderyourbed]

Sure we do, has anybody read "Revolutionary Suicide"?

[@muthaafrika6137]

This BLACK person done several suicide attempts. Suffocation. Run out in road in front of moving traffic. Overdose. Tried starving myself. Tried overeating. Tried cutting. Hit myself across the head with objects hoping to knock myself out

[@polishherowitoldpilecki5521]

Hopefully you’re doing better. Im praying for you ✝️

[@momorina5580]

That not true and that count as racism. There's bunch of African Americans lost theirs own lives from committed suicide.

[@latoyathomas9640]

Encouragement For those contemplating suicide,I encourage you to NEVER QUIT!NEVER GIVE UP!Please read the following scriptures from the KING JAMES VERSION(JER 29:11,ISA 41:10,JOHN 14:15,JOHN 14:18,JOHN 14:27,PS 35:1,JER 33:3,3 JOHN 2,1 JOHN 1:9&MATT 6:14,15

[@johndasilva2686]

Hmm Donny ( singer) Hathaway Dorathey ( actress) Dandbridge paul ( temptations ) williams

[@pjangels609]

Suicide by Cop is a form of suicide, just more selfish.

[@steemdup]

Mule of the World - preach it. Break the myths

[@toksuno]

The Lady at 4:14 for President!!!!!!!!!

[@DragonBellyTravels]

#SandraBland - did not commit suicide. Point of video taken.

[@iluvemmanuel]

Capital Steez...

[@Honey-pz5um]

ME ONE DAY..... MAYBE

[@zakiyyafarrakhan1098]

It exists however black people will kill eachother before they kill themselves and that’s suicide in itself because then they end up in prison so it’s all suicide

[@EmmettPeriod]

Nice.

[@muthaafrika6137]

To eskape da FUCKn PAIN

[@JaySantanaofficial]

I keep to myself , everything religion to us smh

[@captainkaijin6459]

Oh but it happens.

[@DanielleSperandeo]

the lady at 4:15 like a woman Paul Moody

[@Clarence_13x]

Those seem like southern evangelical blacks, I’m very different, black people can vary!

[@azamazizi471]

that's a LIE !!!

[@TobaccoRowe1960]

If someone ask me what race commits the most suicides, my guess, redheads. I like redheads tho, sometimes.

[@jrmetmoi]

TobaccoRowe no the Native Americans/First Nations people - especially the men and the boys

[@TobaccoRowe1960]

@@jrmetmoi How the hell am I suppose to remember a video I watched 6 years ago. Aside from what ever you are talking about, your KZbin intelligence is running on empty.

[@jrmetmoi]

@@TobaccoRowe1960 shut up you idiot nobody is making you remember this video or quizzing you on this video - this isn't Jeopardy you jackass 😆😆

[@TobaccoRowe1960]

@@jrmetmoi wtf, man can a guy eat his sausage egg and biscuit in peace or what.

[@xPROGNOSISx]

This is terrible and dangerous rhetoric. It’s statistically inaccurate.

[@shadow12264]

Where all hypocrites in the eye's of the lord, u may hide yourself on camera,but in the end reality hits

[@voirdire]

Hey, Make a Video, Black People Dont: TIP.

[@jamesbedukodjograham5508]

It is a stereotype because some Black people dont do so. We are also human beings who do the deed. However compared to white people very few black people do commit suicide.

[@2blakandbold]

Thought about it ! Attempted it and wasnt successful .......DUH!

[@2blakandbold]

+2blakandbold Years years years ago! I had trauma ! I grew up with a lot of drama and trauma ! Unfortunate ,when your a child and have no say over your own life but I did as my mother and others kept saying.And , I got over it!

[@theway9740]

bullshit we commit it just not as much

[@jaysantana3078]

Guess ima be weak tmo

[@jenniferhoskins4872]

yes they do they are tricking

[@FredC1968]

3:04 Men successfully commit suicide.

[@muthaafrika6137]

Some folk do 💉 pop 💊

[@suicide-preventionresource7134]

BlackFolkDont

[@user-qm3yy5mh8l]

Suicide isnt always bad

[@The__Nation]

I’m suicidal myself I’m 50/50

[@general_electrics]

Wow. That black woman don't crack.

[@Executnr]

Suicide is a white trait. This stop bullying movement makes kids weak, an is disguised to make make kid acceptable to other types of lifestyles, the higher suicide numbers for blacks is because the changing of times with the younger generations an their influences, the same with seeming like more people saying they are gay these last few years all of a sudden its a change in stimuli what people see an what they deem acceptable. 1:13 I experienced the EXACT same thing. 2:54 is a great explanation. And I hate when people say slaves committed suicide, like duh thats a totally different situation.

[@dcflava74]

As I said earlier suicide is not a color issue.Its always effected us but we always been in extreme denial of this.

[@Executnr]

dcflava74 I dont think its an issue at all, cause the bottoom line is that its a choice that one chooses to make according to their emotions an feelings an they have free willto do so rather its done without thinking or done after being thought upon internal an external. Some races just do it more than others and kids think about it more than ever through video games an such like when u jump of a cliff in video games the word suicide pops up, an sometimes thats the 1st time a kid learns what it means.

[@rayj.7538]

Executnr You should really consider doing more research. What about the children committing suicide who DID NOT play or were exposed to video games? What about the increasing numbers of African American female adolescents attempting suicide (successfully or not) due to sexual abuse?...Yes, these may be isolated events, but you can't generalize suicide based on skin color. It's an emotional/mental disorder that is NOT limited to one group, race, nor color.

[@Executnr]

Ray J. 1. Depression(America is the land of confusion) 2. Black female adolescents, well I'll tell u this it damn sure just aint coming out of the blue if the numbers are getting higher.(but then I see u slipped sexual abuse in their, that wasnt even pertaining to this video an its obvious that suicide would be caused by something like that.) An yeah I may have been harsh by saying its a white trait but I feel good about that statement that its truthful. But for the fact that the title of this video is "Black folk don't commit suicide" and knowing lots of black people old an young it fits perfectly, I counld talk to my aunts uncles an grandparents right now an theyd tell me straight up black people aint never used to do that(to the point that nowadays people are saying its on the rise), theyd also tell me black people aint never used to be having heart attacks like they are today either even when they were working in the fields, cause I know fairly young people who recently died from them., an that ties in because its a change of mindset an whats acceptable an what makes u depressed and a change in diet.

[@rayj.7538]

Okay, I get your point. And you're right about the shorter life spans of Blacks compared to decades ago...good point.

[@itsHappening-ry2ef]

Shiddddddddddd💩💩💩

[@BlotBlackInk]

P.S. I've riden a horse..