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The Augusta News-Review September 22,1984 The Black family Over the past three years, many people have become aware of the crisis condition of Black families. One third of the Black families in the United States live in poverty; more than 47 percent of Black children under 18 live in poverty; and well over half of the Black families Jiving in poverty are headed by women, who are paid less than men overall. Conferences, workshops, and other forums focusing on these problems have raised the “Black family issue” to a prominent place on the national agenda. Which is not to say that much has been done about it. Given all that is known about the plight of these families, the time has come to set forth a clear and comprehen sive agenda for improving the con dition of Black families. Clearly, there is a role for government in resolving the crisis of the Black family —a role that no other entity in the society, no matter how well-intentioned, can play. Most fundamentally, the federal government must create a healthy economic environment in which domestic industry can expand to provide work for all who want it. For four decades, the U.S. economy has failed to provide what Black families need most for their economic health jobs. But attempts to resolve the problems must be as wide-ranging and varied as the causes of the problems. This article will concen trate on initiatives to be under taken by Black organizations, in stitutions, and individuals; the Black community has always been an important source of help for the Black family. A Unified Approach Black organizations currently have many initiatives under way. But so far, there has been no cen tral coordination of efforts, which could reduce duplication and overlap and maximize the return on investments of time, money, and energy. Furthermore, there is no national clearinghouse to disseminate information on con cepts that work well in various sec tions of the country. What is needed is a national NEW ORLEANS (NC) - The Black middle class can help prevent development of a “per manent underclass,” in the Black community, Auxiliary Bishop John Richard of Baltimore told 500 people at the Black Catholic Family Conference at Xavier University. Bishop Richard, ordained an auxiliary bishop of Baltimore in July, said the underclass has characteristics such as “single parent households, large families, teen-age mothers, low income and lack of educational opportunities. He was speaking of “Problems Besetting the Black Family” during the confernece, sponsored by the Josephite Society. Black men bear brunt of fight by Gus Savage From birth to death, Black males face far greater health, social and economic obstacles than flny other group ini American soci-| ety. His is the! inescapable conclusion rea-| ched from an] objective anal-] ysis of statistics contained in a National Urban League study released early in August. The report, written by James McGhee, the League’s research director, stated: “The attrition of Black males from various causes from conception through adulthood finally results in an in sufficient number...who are willing and able to provide for women and children in a family setting.** This has resulted, according to McGhee, to a significant decline in male-headed Black families—from 74 percent in 1960 to 54 percent in 1981. The plight of Black males, stems from a ‘Gauntlet of dangers,” in- jiio Action, self-reliance, the vision of self and the future have been the only means by which the oppressed have seen and realized the light of hteir own freedom. program of supporft for Black families, developed under the auspices of as many national Black organizations and institutions as will lend their energy and support to the effort. This group should include Black churches, colleges, fraternities, sororities, and political, social, professional, and civic organizations. Participating in these efforts should not interfere; with the activities for which these organizations are normally respon sible. For such a diverse group to form an effective coalition, differences among members must be put aside, and the coalition must emphasize collective effort in pursuit of a common goal improving the chances of Black families at risk. The first step in such an under taking should be the convening of a leadership meeting by a nonpar tisan, noncompetitive organization. Participants in this initial meeting would determine the scope of activities to be under taken and approve a program of action, the basic design of which should be setteld before the gathering. Specific tasks would be assigned to the organizations and in- Middleclass can prevent underclass The bishop, who completed doc toral studies in psychiatric social work at the Catholic University of America while serving as a pastor in Washington, said many of the problems, could be helped by en couraging stable, nuclear families. The church and the Black mid dle class must help provide reasonable and realistic alter natives to the ghetto, he said, suggesting that computers instead of drugs could be placed in the hands of Black teen-agers. “The middle class has to go back to the ghetto, to the inner city, and provide the moral thrust and leadership that once was there. When the middle class moved out, a stabilizing influence left Black cluding untimely deaths from disease, accidents, suicides and homicides and the failure to break discrimination in the job market. The life expecteancy of Black males at birth in 1979 was 65.5 years, compared with 70.5 years for white males, 74.2 years for Black females and 78.2 years for white females. Contributing heavily to the shor tage of Black men available for the maintenance of two-parent families is the high percentage of Black males in prisions. In 1978, 38 percent of prisoners in local jails were Black males; in the same year, of those prisoners in state and federal prisons, 45 per cent were Black males. The Black male population of the United States is probably less than 6 per cent of the total population. When I think about the horrible statistics quoted above, 1 am for ced to conclude that in a very real sense Black Americans are social, political and economic prisioners in the United States of America. And although Black women suf fer heavily, the fiercest enemy fire is directed against the Black male. Page 2 stitutions represented. For example, a nationwide organization of Black women might be given responsibility for developing an instructional program on human sexuality, with emphasis on the preteen years. One of the national sororities could be charged to distribute and teach the program through its local chapters across the nation. Similarly, a national fraternity might be asked to work closely with families that include school age children whose well-being is threatened by drugs and alcohol. Special support for young Black males to counteract the temptation of drug abuse may be especially needed in those families with temale heads. Little imagination is required to envision the range of support ac tivities a local fraternity chapter could provide to families in need of help. And with each national frater nity assuming responsibility for a particular area of family life, the impact of this support could be hugely beneficial. The church is deeply rooted in the Black community; it is a familiar, local institution that is available during extended hours each day. So it seems eminently neighborhoods,” he said. At another meeting at Xavier University before the family con ference, Auxiliary Bishop Wilton Gregory of Chicago said Blackness and Catholicism are very com patible. “We must teach, through all our endeavors, that Blackness and Catholicism do indeed mix well togehter,” Bishop Gregory siad. The meeting, a national con ference of Black clergy, nuns and seminarians, included more than 300 participatnts who discussed their specific roles in the Bvlack community. “Leadership in the Black com munity requires risk-taking because of the historical mandate Blacks have as being charged with The wonder is not that so many of our young men fall by the wayside, but that as amny as do survive with dignity and nobility. In the midst of this devastation I remember again the marathon race of the Rev. Jesse Jackson for the highest office in the land, and the wonder this effort evoked in changing the face of American politics forever. When I mourn for the young Black man dying with dope in his veins, I also marvel at the spectacle of a Carl Lewis rushing to foru Olympic goald medals with such ease that one is almost forced to conclude that superman is alive and well. When I view with sadness young Black men deserting their families, 1 also applaud with pride those tough-minded young Blacks who are pounding on the door of cor porate America and refusing to take less than total entry into these power worlds. The aforementioned is a round about way of proclaiming how much better things could be, of pointing out how much the Marcus Garvey reasonable to expand its nurturing from the spiritual to encompass the earthly needs of Black families. Churches could be used as “family resource centers,” not necessarily delivering family ser vices directly, but perhaps hiring familv advocates, professionals who can assist families in ob taining needed help from both public and private agencies. Black colleges, too, have traditionally played an important role in the progress of Blacks and could serve a variety of functions in a national Black family support program. Different institutions could assume responsibility for such ac tivities as planning, data collection and analysis, running clearinghouses, and so on. Black colleges would help provide the in tellectual energy to keep the effort focused, creative, and productive. What the Back Community Can Do Best These are only examples and not an exhaustive list of precise roles and functions to be performed by national organizations. The needs of Black families are extensive, and Black institutions cannot ad dress all of those needs. But there are some things they can do better than anyone else. Furthermore, some of this help can be provided more efficiently and more effec tively in coalition with other Black groups. Regional meetings subsequent ot the national meeting of the leader ship group could establish lines of communication between .regional and local affiliates, which would enable the leadership to under stand issues unique to different sections of the country. Such un derstanding would permit fine tuning of program activities. We have the know-how to build a national program of support for Black families; the challenge now is to put it to work. Such an effort will give weight to future demands that the public and private sectors come forward with more realistic support for the country’s Black families. As long as so many Black families remain at risk, the nation itself is at risk. the bringing about of social justice,” Jualynne Dodson of the Union Theological Seminary said during the conference. “As Black ministers you must be willing to raise critical questions even when it might mean personal loss,” she said. “Your personal salvation is of little value to the Black community.” Howard Dodson, sharing the podium with his wife, added that “new times require different roles and responsibilities for all of us. This is especially true for Black leaders. Ministers in the Black community must transcend the narrow corridor of the concerns of the Black community and address the much larger problems of society as a whole.” audacity of young Black American men could contribute to the world if the stones of obstruction were just rolled a short distance fromt he door of opportunity. Recently, in thinking about the perils created by Black-led gangs in our major cities, I was reminded how gangs declined during those turbulent years when the Black Panthers were struggling to make their programs prominent. At the very least this indicates that our young men will not wallow in, idleness and despair when they have something positive to com mand their attention. The group most depreived must always make the first move if progress is to be made. We must define our own struggle, select our own priorities, and get on wit the business of win ning our liberation. We must so commit our young men to imaginative, appealing programs that they, in spite of themselves, will not stand still long enough to be numbered among the horrible statistics of that National Urban League report. Who cares about Black children ? by Sherman N. Miller I recently visited Municipal Court to testify on behalf of a friend. While I sat waiting for my friend’s case to come up, I thought 1 was going to vomit from the dismal show I saw acted out on the cour troom stage. It disturbed me when I found that I could discern the stories to ♦ ' be balderdash long before the judge ruled in these cases. Some of these incredible stories were excellent candidates for the Buffoonery Hall of Shame. My nausea was exacerbated as I watched young Blacks parade in one after another for an assor tment of crimes. 1 wondered how many of those young Blacks might not have been fighting to avoid prison terns had their parents given them a few good spankings when they were little children. As I watched the young Blacks plead their cases, I recalled the rash of home break-ins and small article thefts that have plagued my own neighborhood. I was haunted by the thought, “Who is to blame for the destruction of the Black community’s future here in this courtroom today?” This question was quickly an swered when I looked around at the other people observing the proceedings. Clearly the Black parents bear the brunt of the responsibility for their young people being highly incarcerated. When I was a child, if I had brought something strange into the house I had better be able to tell my parents where it came from. If I could not give a credible story to explain how this strange object came into my possession, 1 got a whipping. Furthermore, my parents would get the truth out of me and the object was returned to its rightful owner. We thought at the time our parents were too strict, yet we never got into trouble with the law for stealing. Looking back on my parents’ policies, 1 give thanks that they were really interested enough in their children to see that we didn’t start a life of crime. However, I can remember my oldest brother getting my father hauled down to court because he Christian values must be maintained Two well-known entertainers and an expert in black family studies told more than 1,200 Atlanta teens that if the Black family is to survive, basic family traditions and Christian values must be maintained. Entertainers Marilyn McCoo and husband, Billy Davis Jr., and Dr. Wade Nobles, director of the Institute of Advanced Studies—Black Family Life and Culture in Oakland, Cal were keynote speakers for a two day national parenting conference sponsored by SCLC/WOMEN. The theme of the sth annual con ference was “The Survival of the Black Family in the Eighties: The Wheels of Parenting.” Dr. Nobles said on the first day of the conference that the history' of the Black family has been distorted over the years. “There has been a premeditated attempt to falsify the history of the black family. Power is the ability to define reality. The empowerment of Black people is to define our reality for ourselves.” Nobles said he’s disturbed at the growing rate of single-parent families amonp nt?-jre “We can’t allow single-parent households to continue to eat us up “The law must be changed to keep us together,” he said referring to laws in many states that require the male head-of-household to leave home before his wife and children can qualify for public assistance money. That was on the books in Georgia until the most recent session of the general assembly. Nobles went on the advocate that Black families go back to the “old ways” of family reunions, backyard bar-b-ques and other had done something stupid and he’ knew he would have to undergo Papa’s wrath. I can still hear my father’s comments when he came home. He said, “I told that judge if he sent that boy home I was going to whip him.” Papa kept his word and he never had to go to court again for childhood foolishness. My father’s actions do offer some guidance on what might help to stem some of the crime problems currently plaguing the Black community. Dad was infuriated that he had to lose a day’s wages over my brother’s foolishness. He took immediate action to see that he didn’t have to repeat this experien ce. Father further demonstrated accountability for his child’s ac tions. I feel the ultra-liberals have sold the Black community a bill of goods whereby they have gotten many Blacks believing my father’s actions are extraordinary. These liberals created the illusion that all Blacks were culturally deprived so their parents are not expected to act in the best interest of their children. This kind of thinking only serves the best interest of these same liberals because if Blacks stay uneducated or untrained this is an excellent barrier to their threatening the liberals jobs in the economic main stream. I also feel that the public school teachers should have the authority to dole out corporal punishment without fear of major legal cases. The Black poverty custodians are probably crying, Don’t let no white person strike your child because theu will not issue the punishment equitably.” I believe in some cases they will be right. However, we are looking at the opportunity to hopefully save many of our future Black generations from incarceration. I opt for the good spankings where they are needed. My feelings can be summed up in three statements: Blacks with no self esteem means dollars in the pockets of the poverty pimps. Ignorant Blacks insure job security for the super liberals. Intelligent Blacks means Black heirs to the American bounty. Will Black America accept the challenge of the future or will they remain the laughingstock of the nation because their family struc ture is on the verge of imminent collapse? traditional values that are basic to the African-American culture. On day two of the conference, the teens were told how to make marriages and other valued relationships work by nationally known entertainers, Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. “You have to be friends and learn one another,” said McCoo, who is seen weekly on television’s syndicated Solid Gold program. You have to take marriage seriously and not go into it saying. “Well, if it doesn’t work out I’ll get a divorce,’ you won’t be giving your marriage a chance if you ap proach it in that way,” McCoo said. McCoo and Davis have been married to each other for 15 years but they said until they were ‘born again’ as Christians about 3 years ago, “there was a boid” in their lives. “We had the social side, and the business side,” said Davis, “but until we had the spiritual side, our marriage was not complete.” The couple spoke to the group for more than an hour and fielded questions from the students that they both said really made them “dig for the answers.” McCoo and Davis were the special guests for the Drum Major for Justice Awards Dinner that was also part of the Martin Luther King Memorial Observance Week sponsored by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. However, Davis said, “We really wanted to come talk with these kids more than anything because we feel it’s so important to share our experiences and try to help them become better adults.”