An Overview on Death and Dying Including Cultural Influences within the Major Non-White Populations of the United States

This piece outlines the meaning of death, dying, and bereavement in the United States through artistic, medical, and psychological definitions of the words, all unique and different in their own ways. Medically, death may occur when the brain dies, but the existence of life support instills a sense of hope in loved ones. Media and art representations of death can show an inordinate amount of violence and unhealthy coping skills. The foundation of dying stages is laid out by Kubler-Ross’ five stages of grief. At the same time, this alters for different races and ethnicities. Common funeral practices and coping skills as well as death in art and history is shown for the African American and Mexican American populations