Stress significantly impacts the health of African Americans and is deeply intertwined with various socioeconomic and environmental factors. Chronic stressors such as racial discrimination, economic disparity, and community violence contribute to heightened psychological and physical health issues within this community. Stress-induced inflammation in African Americans has been linked to several chronic diseases, including obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. Despite these stressors and chronic diseases, African Americans appear to have a lower burden of mental illness, though this may not accurately reflect reality. Increased drug and alcohol use in this community may be a coping measure for systemic stress and oppression. Sleep differences are also noted, which have a genetic basis as well. Finally, both alcohol and drug use, as well as overdose death rates among African Americans, have been increasing and exhibit significant disparities compared to other racial and ethnic groups.