by James Holder

Created on: September 02, 2009   Last Updated: September 04, 2009

To understand the subject of black fathers, and their absence within the home, you must first have to look at the perspective of which caused this absence, jail, murder, guilt, could these be some of the reasons why a child may be deprived of a father figure. Black men in America have always been the prime statistical figures, in which some way negatively affected society. For instance CNN's Black In America coverage states:

1 in 3 Black Men will have a prison record in their lifetime
Black men are 6 more times likely to go to jail then a White Male
Currently 1 million Black Men are in prison
Over half of Black males will not finish High School
60% of High School drop-outs will end up in prison
60% OF ALL BLACK CHILDREN ARE GROWING UP WITHOUT BLACK FATHERS
Black Men only hold 3% of management jobs in America

Notice that I capitalized the statement, that 60% of all black children are growing up without Black fathers, that is a large percentage of children who are being raised without black fathers. Not to say that the children aren't being raised by another male from another race, or another Black man, but the child may never get to know their biological father. The article stated there are currently 1 million Black Men in prison, so just imagine how many children, that are living without their father due to incarceration. I'm 19 years old, I have only seen my biological father twice in my life, he continued to go in and out of prison ever since I was born. I have a stepfather who I have grew to love as my father, he has been with me since I was 8 months, so I'm an exceptional example on what its like to be without your biological father. There are children out there, who can't begin to think what it would be like to have a father, either their father was murdered, incarcerated, or just walked out on them. Growing up in this society today, the adolescents of the world, need a father figure around to set an example for our children.

An abundance of Black men are incarcerated as the article stated, many of these men were also once children, many of them too never had a father figure around. Several of them most likely strayed toward the street life and began by selling drugs, robbing, stealing, just to get by because they know of no other way, because it wasn't taught to them. Another reason as to why, there is an absence of Black fathers is because, some of those same men who never got to know their father, are going out taking the lives of men, who never got the chance

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>