Contemporary African American Families: Achievements, Challenges, and Empowerment Strategies in the Twenty-First Century

Description

For decades the black community has been perceived, both in the United States and around the world, as one which thinks alike, acts alike and lives alike - in poor and downtrodden environments. Following the persistent effects of the great recession and the American elections of 2008, now more than ever the political and socio-economic state of America is crying out for this deficient and prejudiced conception to be dispelled. Focusing primarily on black families in America, Contemporary African American Families updates empirical research by addressing various aspects including family formation, schooling, health and parenting. Exploring a wide class spectrum among African American families, this text also modernizes and subverts much of the research resulting from Moynihan’s 1965 report, which arguably misunderstood the lived experiences of black people during the movement from slavery to freedom in a Jim Crow society. A timely subversion of the myth that America is successfully in a post-racial era, this new anthology on the Black Family in Americawill appeal to advanced undergraduate students and research scholars interested in black studies, Africana studies, women and gender studies, sociology, political science, anthropology, criminal justice, education, psychology, public policy, healthy policy and social work. Cover Title Copyright Contents List of Figures List of Tables Foreword Acknowledgments 1 Introduction and Overview 2 Collateral Damage: The Impact of the Incarceration of African American Men on the Mothers and Children They Leave Behind 3 Examining Fatherhood within the Black Family 4 Grandparent Caregiving in the Context of a Natural Disaster 5 Mental and Physical Health Disparities and Older African Americans 6 The School-to-Postsecondary Pipeline: Proposing Proactive Measures for African American Youth’s Educational Success 7 Family Matters: The Role of Familial Support in the Success of African American Female STEM Majors 8 Home Is Where the Wealth Is: African Americans and the Housing Debacle 9 Brew City Bellwether: The Changing Landscape of the Black Family in Milwaukee 10 The At-Opportunity Policy Agenda: The Charlotte, North Carolina Region: Black Families, Education, Economics and Philanthropy 11 “You Must Learn”: How Racial and Ethnic Socialization Affirms Black Identity among Black Americans and West Indians 12 Black Families Today: The Genius of Dr. Charles V. Willie 13 Epilogue: The Future of African American Families Contributors Index