For centuries to come the notion may persist that men of African descent and in particular, the fathers are nonexistent within the Afro American/Caribbean family. It is believed that men of African descent are not present in the children’s lives. For some of us this may be our reality but slightly skewed to paint a negative image of the men in these communities. However, for us to understand why this has infiltrated our culture and way of thinking, we must examine the creators of this culture and way of thinking.
In 1712, a well-known slave owner by the name of Willie Lynch set forth a full proof method of conquering the rise of the Afro American/Caribbean race. A part of his doctrine was targeted towards the “Negro Marriage.” It states, “We
…show more content…
We are sensitized to this way of thinking and belief which perpetuates the culture set forth by people such as Willie Lynch. Some of us believe that in order for the man to be present means that he has to be married to the mother of the child. Even though this may be the ideal situation, it’s not always going to be the reality. For a lot of men, this does not affect the involvement and fatherly impact they have in and on their children’s lives. According to Naasel from BET “more than half of black households are headed by women, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that whether or not they live under the same roof, black Dads are actually more involved with their children than their white and Latino counterparts, spending more time feeding, dressing, playing with and reading to their children.” Also whether the father is married to the mother or not—were just as likely as white and Latino dads to eat meals with, bathe, diaper, read to, or dress their kids every day. So according to all statistics and credible sources it is safe to say that “absent” Black Fathers are the most involved of all