Final answer:
Racial identity development for people of color begins with racial socialization, usually by caregivers who teach them about the positive aspects of their in-group. This forms the early stage of identity development, which can be complex due to historical contexts, miscegenation laws, and evolving attitudes towards mixed-race identities.
Step-by-step explanation:
An early stage in racial identity development for people of color involves the process of racial socialization. This development is typically guided by caregivers, who impart messages teaching the positive aspects of their in-group, which has been shown to influence feelings about that in-group. The identity development process is complex and multidimensional, often influenced by historical contexts, such as the legacy of miscegenation laws and the evolving acceptance of mixed-race identities, as well as contemporary experiences of racism and racial socialization.
Certain racial identity models, such as those by William E. Cross Jr., describe this early stage as one where individuals may have a lack of consciousness about race or may internalize the dominant group's view of their racial group. This is often referred to as the pre-encounter or pre-awareness stage, where the impact of race on one's life is not fully realized. As individuals receive positive racial socialization and encounter personal or societal events that highlight the significance of race, they may progress to deeper and more complex stages of racial identity development.