Bebe Moore Campbell
"While everyone - all colors - everyone is affected by stigma - no one wants to say 'I'm not in control of my mind.' No one wants to say, 'The person I love is not in control of [their] mind.'
But people of color really don't want to say it because we already feel stigmatized by virtue of skin color or eye shape or accent and we don't want any more reasons for anyone to say, 'You're not good enough.'"
-Bebe Moore Campbell
Bebe Moore Campbell was an American author, journalist, teacher, and mental health advocate who worked tirelessly to shed light on the mental health needs of the Black community and other underrepresented communities.
The establishment of the Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
Bebe Moore Campbell struggled to support her daughter who battled with mental illness and a system that prevented her daughter from getting help and support.
She founded NAMI-Inglewood in a predominantly Black neighborhood to create a space that was safe for Black people to talk about mental health concerns.
Throughout her time as an advocate, Campbell made her way to DC. On June 2, 2008, Congress formally recognized Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month to bring awareness to the unique struggles that underrepresented groups face in regard to mental illness in the US.
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Literary Work of Bebe Moore Campbell
Novels
- Your Blues Ain't Like Mine (1992)
- Brothers and Sisters (1994)
- Singing in the Comeback Choir (1998)
- What You Owe Me (2001)
- 72 Hour Hold (2005)
Children's Books
- Sometimes My Mommy Gets Angry (2003)
- Stompin' at the Savoy (2006)
Non-Fiction Books
- Successful Women, Angry Men: Backlash in the Two-Career Marriage (1986)
- Sweet Summer: Growing Up With and Without My Dad (1989)
Selected Articles and Essays
- "Staying in the Community" (1989)
- "Daddy's Girl" (1992)
- "Remember the 60's?" (1992)
- "Brothers and Sisters" (1993)
- "I Felt Rage — Then Fear" (1993)
- "Only Men Can Prevent Spousal Abuse" (1994)
- "Coming Together: Can We See Beyond the Color of Our Skin?" (1995)
- "The Boy in the River" (1999)
- "Poor Health of African Americans" (2000)