Midterm blog: Reaching out to men of the Black community.

“In 1925 six out of seven black households had either a husband or a father” (Franklin, J. H. 1987.). Today the marriageability index of African Americans is at a low of 41% and the visibility of African American men fulfilling roles as husbands and fathers has declined. As a woman who is a part of the African American community I find it difficult to dismiss the decline of black men at these particular roles considering the importance of family within the black community. Chapman refers to black males as endangered species and states, “the psychological status of black men has serious implications for the survival of black family life” (Chapman, A. B. 1986). On one hand society perpetuates the idea that African American men can thrive based on the extent of their hard work and success. The emergence of Obama set forth the notion that black men no longer had an “excuse”, and this notion continues to linger over men of the black community. However on the other hand deep-rooted within our society are barriers set between African American men and the ability to successfully fill their roles in the black family. Over the decades institutional violence, government policies, and stereotypes have been utilized in the degradation of black male visibility and their ability to fill their roles within the black family, if we focus in on support from the black community for African American men we might see a rise in their ability to fill their roles within the black family.

Post slavery, the visibility of black men and their ability to fulfill roles as fathers and husbands exceeded far beyond what we see today. The importance of family and unity led many African Americans to the pulpit to legalize their unions. “Until the 1960s, a remarkable 75% of black families included both husband and wife” (Franklin, J. H. 1987.). However simultaneously as African Americans were declared free to reestablish their family structures institutional violence and racism removed several men from their families. As discussed in professor Gilberts class several assaults were put on the black family. A new form of slavery or slavery by another name emerged disabling the progress of Black families. For many years African American men were removed through beatings and Lynching. They were arbitrarily arrested and then sold to labor. With the re-enslavement of Blacks many men were forced out of their roles as husbands and fathers because of death or removal.

To continue the manifestation of this degradation governmental policies have also aided in removing and or disabling black men from their roles as husbands and fathers. The reform of the welfare policy impacted the role of black men as fathers. The reformation of the welfare policy required recipients to assign their child support rights to the state. Only 45% of black mothers had already established child support orders in comparison to 72% of white mothers (Hill, R. B. 1998). In addition to this most child support laws required lower-income fathers to pay higher child support. As discussed in professor gilbert’s class black men earn only 64% of their white counterpart in annual income making them the lowest earning group of men. So with that being said this policy reform weighted heavily upon the black male community.  Several men became discouraged knowing that majority of their earnings were already spent. Also many men grew overwhelming anxieties due to the inability to find work, which ultimately landed them in jail for non-payment. I believe the welfare reform only worked to remove more men from the role as fathers for their inability to meet child support requirements. This painted a picture that many Black men were “dead-beats dads.” However as stated in Robert hills Impact of welfare Reform, in Black families 80% of black fathers ages 14 to 24 had positive contact with their children. As discussed in Dr. Gilberts class and seen in the film Another kind of Black man, African American men across all individual intersections age and sexuality define masculinity as being accountable and responsible which coincides with the statistics in Hills article.

    Lastly the stereotypes about black men that are perpetuated in the media leave many in a bind. There is the idea that black men have to be absent, shiftless, aggressive, abusive, unfaithful, and irresponsible. The early images of black men ranging to the current images of black men have always set a negative portrayal of them within society. Edden Agonafer presented in her blog the “Barrack versus 50 cent” video, which is a prime example of how media continuously perpetuates an “Authentically black,” stereotype about black men. With the lack of knowledge about who they are and where they come from many internalize these stereotypes and live up to what society has said about them. This in itself calls for a change. As a part of the African American community I feel it is my responsibility to help the men of my community remember who they are and where they come from. African Americans come from a long line of brilliance and accomplishment and it is important that we all know that. This fact leads to the importance of the African centered behavior change model in relation to this issue. This model infuses an individuals sense of self worth or authenticity and the environment in which they live to establish which quadrant they identify with. The ultimate goal is to progress each individual to quadrant one being high in authenticity and self worth. If applied to African American men we can help them progress to levels of high authenticity and knowing who they are and where they come from driving those who internalize these stereotypes away from living them out.

    I believe as a part of the African American community we have to get back to our roots. I am speaking out to anyone who is a part of the African American community that also realizes that in order for the black community to progress we have to uplift our familial system. A positive start would be establishing therapy for the men using the four strategies of the strengths perspective, which are communicating, raising consciousness, giving the men a voice, and exploiting their resources. Applying the core ideas of the Strengths perspective and giving black men the capacity and confidence to deal with issues that they face can also ignite confidence within them to better fill their roles as husbands and fathers.  By reinforcing ideas from the Nguzo Principles such as Unity and purpose we will remember that we all are here for a purpose and that purpose is lifting the black community up. I believe family is the heart and core of the black community and that is why we should start by uplifting our men who are the protectors of that core.