The author notes that in conversations with some of her West Indian patients they have objected to being identified as African-Americans because of a fear of being targets of the same racial prejudice. Most West Indians continue to believe that if they work hard they can improve their financial situation, raise their class status, and be less affected by racism. First-generation West Indian immigrants came from a society in which being Black was not a handicap or a reason for being denied social and economic opportunities. In coming to America, they wish to maintain the same self-concept they experienced in their native land. West Indian immigrant parents encourage their children to preserve their culture and their sense of distinctiveness as a West Indian. Many have their children live in the West Indies for a prolonged period, so they can take advantage of what both the United States and the West Indies have to offer. The values they want for their children are to learn to live a community life, to respect their elders, and to cooperate with others. Second-generation West Indian adolescents have a different perspective on racial issues in America compared with their parents. Unlike their parents, they believe that efforts to distance themselves from African-Americans has little effect on their treatment by Whites. Some share the same views as some African-American adolescents. Both groups believe that being Black is in itself the basis for the discrimination they experience in America. 22 references