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In the Mix WHAT is the state of the "black family" in America? Not good! Not good at all! And that’s the conclusion one would have to come to after watching a flawed nationally televised symposium focusing on the "State of the Black Family." According to panelists speaking at the symposium: Black people have the lowest rate of marriage of any group in America, and the highest rate of divorce (66 percent) of any group in America. Over sixty percent of black children are being brought up without the help of a father. They have the smallest network of friends of any group in America, and therefore, are among the loneliest group of people in America. They have the smallest number of people to turn to in times of need. Over fifty percent of the two million people in prison are black men; there are more young black men in prison than in college. Blacks earn $ 688 billion annually, but only spend four percent of their money with each other. Money earned by blacks circulates only one time in the black community. While blacks constitute 12 percent of the population in the United States, black females account for 64 percent of all the AIDS cases in the U.S. One out of two black people will die of heart disease. One out of three black people will die of cancer. One out of six black people will die of diabetes. Four of every 10 black women suffer from fibroid tumors. These alarming findings, along with other disturbing statistics (i.e. black families earn 56 percent of the median income of white families and 54 percent of black high school seniors have "below basic" reading skills) indicate that the black family is in a state of crisis. On February 28, 2004, C-SPAN Television broadcasted live Tavis Smiley’s annual symposium on "The State of the Black Union." This year’s symposium focused on the "State of the Black Family." The event-- marking the fifth year anniversary of the symposium—was held at the New Birth Baptist Church in Miami, Florida. Its goals were to assess the state of the black family, discuss issues affecting the black family, and provide recommendations (solutions) on how to make the black family stronger. Issues discussed included Haiti, black love, black fathers, the media, hip-hop culture, black loneliness, money, education, sex, the criminal justice system, sexual orientation, gay and lesbian marriages, black mental and physical health, the thug life, male/female relationships, knowing self, black pathology, the black church, and the psychology of victimization. The symposium’s two panels (one panel had 10 panelists and the other had 12) included some noted critical thinkers and professionals. Panelists included Ivy League professors Cornel West, Orlando Patterson, and Michael Eric Dyson; psychologist Na’im Akbar, authors Julia Hare and Iyanla Vanzant, former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher, U.S. Rep Sheila Jackson Lee (Texas, Democrat), world renown pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson, Sr., television’s Judge Mathis, educators Marva Collins and Jawanza Kunjufu, social critic Stanley Crouch, Essence Magazine’s Susan L. Taylor, child psychiatrist Dr. James P. Comer, and NAACP Chairperson Emeritus Myrlie Evers-Williams. Each panel also had one "youth" participant: Jordan A. Harris, a sophomore in college and President of Youth Action, and Erin Mumphord, a freshman in high school and Vice President of the NAACP Youth Council. The solutions presented by the panelists included making sure that adults spend more quality time with young people; that black women "close the candy store; that black men "man up;" that blacks stop watching BET; that blacks be taught how to manage, spend, and invest their money; that black men get back in the church; that schools return to single gender classrooms for our children and youth; that blacks be taught effective communication skills; take greater care of their health; mentor one another; look at their lives and how they are living; that adults embrace and educate misguided hip-hop youth; that blacks be taught not to except failure; and that blacks be taught to love one another. Despite its noble goals and some valuable information provided, the symposium had two major flaws: First, the practice of having only one (token) young person participate in a panel discussion must stop. This practice is common but counterproductive. Adults do not know it all and do not have all the answers. In fact adults, not young people, are responsible for causing society’s problems. Our young people must be heard in significant numbers. They, definitely, should not be only one 10 panelists or one of 12 panelists in any discussion on the black family. Today’s young folks see a lot, face a lot, experience a lot, and know a lot; adults can learn much from them. Further, young people are the ones who must shoulder the burden adults have let fall. The symposium organizers were derelict in their duties and irresponsible when they decided to have only one young person on each panel. Second, not one symposium panelist (exclude the youth panelists) was a member of the black working class, black working poor, or black unemployed even though these groups make up the vast majority of the black population (the black family) in America. All of the symposium’s 20 panelists (exclude the youth panelists) were members of what is considered the black middle class or black bourgeoisie. The panels were not representative of the black family in America. This common practice of having only members of the black middle class speak regarding black people’s issues, problems, concerns, and solutions (being the spokesperson and savior for the black race) must stop. The practice is elitist (and the black family cannot afford to have any elitism) and serves no constructive purpose. It reflects the historical disconnect between the black middle class and the black masses and some of the internal conflict within the black family. The black family is in a state of crisis. And to adequately discuss and address its problems and develop ways to strengthen it, black people must be inclusive, relying on the knowledge, wisdom, skills, and expertise of all segments of the black family. Michael O. Francis is a juvenile justice expert and social commentator. © Copyright 2003 by JRBarras.com |
