Black Men in America

Essence Magazine published an intriguing expose of Black men in the age of President Barrack Obama in the recently released November 2009 issue. My readers should know that I don’t read magazines from front to back, I read vice versa. I was hooked from the last article of this expose all the way to the first. Usually, I concern myself with issues that affect Black women. What I did not realize that black women do affect the outcome of what happen to our black men. They are mothers of our Black men for godsake. But I must note that mothers of biracial children–biological or adopted–have to step up as well.

Black women affect the lives of Black men in how we raise young Black boys, the morals we teach them, the examples we set for them, discussing education and work ethics, etc. Nick Chiles, editor-in-chief of Odyssey Couleur magazine, stated in his article that, “More than 54% of Black children live in single-parent homes headed by women; one-third of Black Children suffer in Poverty.” I read in a census last week that 60% of the African-American population is women; 43% of Black women are single or have never been married. Of that percent, I do not know how many single-parents are. I grew up without a father but my beloved grandfather was my father-figure. However, Black men—as do Black women—need a positive role model in their life.

I have a few burning questions on my mind and  maybe you can answer it for me; what kind of role model can a young Black boy have when his own father is absentee? What kind of Black men do we expect to have in our children’s lives if their father, grandfather, great-grandfather’s father was an absentee dad? How do we expect them to overcome a lifetime of bad parenting? How do we expect Black men to get educated, make decent pay and a lead a decent lifestyle if society engrains in them from a young age they are nothing?
Maybe we need to change how we think as a society and the perception of Black men. Many of the men who wrote articles for the expose credited crumbling school systems, neighborhood violence, despair and poverty to the problem. Speaking of crumbling school systems, Ellis Cole, editor and columnist for Newsweek, pointed out that between the ages of 25 and 29, 15% of black men earned their bachelors degree; while 39% of Asians and 24% of whites in the same age bracket earned their bachelors.

I strongly believe men and women of all races and backgrounds will probably never achieve the same academic and professional heights. That is a part of reality and we should embrace it but we need more educated Black men. If Black men, young and old, believe they have the power to change themselves, their children’s lives and communities we could do wonders. 2.3 million people are held in jails and prisons, 846,000 of them are black men. Can we reduce that number? Not only is that number scary, it’s dangerous. Granted some of the crimes people commit are so minor but the government has to make money so why not just lock them up. But, that is another story.

There are many steps we need to take to better our community of Black men. We (meaning all people) need to stop glorifying pimps, drug lords, deadbeat dads, youth violence and any negative things that paint black men in bad light. We need to fix our schools system. Whether its more and better teachers, improved funding and curriculum, standards and requirements, or people who just care about the future…we need a better system.

We need more jobs for the men who are not as educated but are vibrant and willing to do anything. We need government officials to really open their eyes to youth violence and where it stems from. I refuse to think its because Black men don’t know better; they know better, they just lack opportunities and options. They are not aware of their worth. Black men do not have to be thugs to be considered grand. They can be ghetto fab and brilliant.

We just need to stop whatever we are doing wrong. These stories of young Black boys losing hope because they know what their future may hold for them is ridiculous.