Introduction: Summary of the Book
The book Black fatherhood by Khalid Akil White revolves around the negative stereotype of a black father and misconceptions linked to it. Using his own experiences, the author speaks about the erroneous ideas that are present in society and their irrelevance in the existing context. He views fatherhood as a great gift and a big responsibility and wants to show that race does not influence the qualities of a person and his relations with children. It introduces numerous important ideas about parenting and how it impacts a person.
Interesting Ideas
I think the central part of the book is challenging the harmful ideas of black fatherhood that became so prevalent in society today. Coming from popular culture, stereotypes, and harmful racial profiling, black men are often seen as inherently more violent, aggressive, and non-committal. It contradicts the common idea of a good parental figure. The book, however, challenges this notion and recognizes it as a product of problematic racist messaging, over-representation of bad black fathers in media, and a lack of systematic support for black families. The role of society in the plight of black children is often underplayed, and the work seeks to remedy that, refusing to look at the issue as purely a problem of character. Instead of a self-contained series of examples, the lives and experiences of the black population are made clear to be a result of structural inequality, poverty, police brutality, and other social problems.
Connection to Previously Discussed Material
Parenting and the role of parents are a focal point of the book’s entire message and a central problem the authors want to discuss. The issue of black fathers’ absence from their children’s lives is understood as a grave problem for future generations, one which often disallows children from developing in a healthy and stable environment. Compared to the stereotypical image of an absent father, as it is uncritically presented on TV, the book submerges this issue in a relevant context, making a case for why this trend should change. After reading this work, I still want to further engage with the ideas of social reform and family organization more, as they appear to be extremely important for future generations. I wonder how society can be improved in order to minimize cases of fatherly absenteeism and how questions of racial inequality further interact with the lives of the black population.
Relation to Modern Families
The information presented in the book might also be correlated with modern families and how they function. For instance, White (2016) assumes that “being a father is a role not everyone is given, nor can everyone embrace it” (p. 23). Today, numerous young people are afraid of their parental roles and responsibilities coming with them. Moreover, numerous men fail to succeed in the given field, although they have children. The number of divorces continues to grow, meaning that many young people might grow up without fathers, which repeats the book’s idea, as not everyone is ready to accept the role. For this reason, the author touches upon an important idea and develops it to present his perspective.
Gender Roles
The book can also be analyzed regarding the gender roles and relations between men and women. Thus, the author says that having a daughter promoted a radical change in this worldview and relations with females (White, 2016). Cooperating with a small girl, he learned about her unique needs and acquired a new lens impacting his perception of gender roles (White, 2016). It introduces the idea that readiness to listen and patience can help to address the problem of gender in modern society and contribute to the establishment of better relations between males and women. In such a way, fatherhood is also an excellent way to promote critical shifts in people’s mentalities and thinking.
Main Issues Resonating with Me
The book also offers some fundamental issues resonating with me. For instance, White views fatherhood as one of the greatest gifts and responsibilities simultaneously. For this reason, he cannot understand the negative stereotype linked to the concept of a black father (White, 2016). I agree with this idea and find it one of the most important takeaways of the book. A person who has children is blessed with the great happiness of being a parent, meaning he behaves appropriately and responsibly to ensure a child is safe. The existing exclusions cannot serve as the basis for generalization and introducing the stereotype of black people being bad fathers.
Questions
At the same time, the book raises several questions that should be answered. I think the most important one is linked to the emergence of the discussed stereotype. The idea of black fathers being violent or rude arises from the past and can be viewed as a remnant of the previous epochs. The discrimination based on gender viewed people of color as inferior to others. Today, numerous attempts are made to eliminate this belief; however, numerous stereotypes, such as the idea of black fathers, remain. For this reason, it is vital to understand why people prefer to use such stereotypes in their everyday lives.
Conclusion
Altogether, I think that the book Black Fatherhood touches upon a meaningful and relevant issue. The author wants to destroy the stereotype which views black men as rude, violent, and criminal individuals who cannot be good fathers. Using his own examples and ideas, the author focuses on the impossibility of using this concept in modern life and the necessity to be more tolerant and open to new ideas. The book can also be linked to the modern family problems, and the ideas learned during the course.
Reference
White, K. (2016). Black fatherhood: Trials & tribulations, testimony & triumph. BLKMPWR, LLC.