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In order for African-Americans to be structurally empowered to meet the challenges of the 21 st century, ones family must be properly set in such a way that their education, economic, and socialization combined will guide them in the direction of success, not only physically and mentally, but also spiritually. Envision with me for a moment, a family with God as head of the household, then the father, mother, and children. The father and mother both have earned a degree from a University and have well paying jobs. The children are encouraged to stay in school so they too one day will be successful. Following the leadership of the Holy Spirit they attend church every Sunday and practice living by the laws of God and the land. The parents do not influence their children with drugs or alcohol, but rather instill morals and values for them to live a healthy life.
This ideal family may be viewed as being structurally equipped with the tools to prosper mentally, physically, and spiritually in the 21 st century. On the other hand, let us take a look at a family headed by a single mother with no college education and living on welfare. She too tries to keep her children in line and train them up in the way they should go. Is this family also empowered to meet the challenges of the 21 st century?
Some African-American families are prepared, but on the contrary many are not. Many African-American households lack a father or father figure in the home and have no set rules or standards to follow. Although some households have fathers they may not be good role models. They may often influence their children by drinking, smoking, using drugs, and being abusive to the mother. According to the Journal of Negro Education there are high rates of dysfunctional and pathological behavior found among black men. A recent study done by the Sentencing Project on Criminal Injustice proved that sixty-two percent of young black men are doing time in jail.
Many of them have children, but this is a negative example for the child, therefore, the father cannot teach them the right path to follow. When the mother heads the household she must go to work, cook, clean, and struggle to instill morals and values in the child. In the Journal of Black Psychology nine thousand six hundred and forty-three African-American households were examined. It suggests that in a family structure the maternal child rearing practices are affected by the number of children in the household, the level of the mothers education, and the amount of financial resources available to the family. Financially unstable mothers worry about how they will receive their next meal. The mother may begin to work two jobs just to keep a roof over their heads.
She looses tabs on where her children are going, whom they associate with, and whether or not they are staying out of trouble. If the children are too young to work they may try to steal or sell drugs to help support the family. By doing this they develop associations with the wrong people, which can lead them to join a gang, go to jail, or even death. This family structure has depleted and is not empowered to be successful in the 21 st century. In the Journal of Clinical Child Psychology single mothers that are active participants in an extended family system have a greater opportunity for self-improvement, work, and peer contact than single mothers who do not participate in such a system. This family's structure may be ready to meet the challenges of the 21 st century, but help and support from other family members is needed.
One might say that African-American families are not structurally empowered to meet the challenges of the 21 st century, due to a dysfunctional family structure, but I do not agree. Let us take a look at the past. The African-American culture has weathered all manners of criticism, disrespect, and painful blows to our dignity throughout history. We have made inventions and innovations to make everyones life more comfortable: such as the automatic transmission, the elevator, the traffic light, the soles for our shoes, the cell phone, the refrigerated unit for trucking and trains, and on and on and on. Our talents have changed the face of America and contributed to its rise as the most powerful nation in the world. The African-American family is still resourceful and highly productive.
Although only three percent of Black students attend the University of California school systems, over ninety percent attend historical Black colleges: such as Clark Atlanta University, Hampton University, Spelman College and other Universities of higher learning. We are better able to capitalize on the future because we are armed with a firm understanding of the past. We have survived many struggles and challenges that have stood in our pathway in order to destroy us. We must not allow the media to determine who we are and what we have become as a people, but rather we must continue to fight against the inequalities and the injustices that America has shown toward African- American families. We must continue to train and educate our children teaching them to be honest, and not to steal from others, but to stay in school and strive for excellence. Yes, todays African-American family is structurally empowered to meet the challenges of the 21 st century because this represents a new beginning, a renewed hope; it is our opportunity to realize the American dream.
The 21 st century represents a chance to symbolically dust the hindrances of the past from our feet and to have a new start on the playing field. We have an opportunity to embrace our brothers and sisters, to become active in our community, and to reach down to give a helping hand to others in need. We have a legacy to continue. All of us cannot be Oprah Winfrey, Colin Powell, Johnny Cochran, or even Jessie Jackson, but we all have the seeds of greatness.
I am a promise, I am a possibility, and I can be anything that God wants me to be and so can you. I, too, am hopeful. I am optimistic and I look forward to meeting the challenges of the 21 st century.
Free research essays on topics related to: single mothers, morals and values, family structure, african american families, 21 st century
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