In 1995, popular anxieties about black masculinity became evident in public reactions to the conclusion of the OJ Simpson trial and the Million Man March on Washington. The nation's divided response to the OJ verdict, together with the controversy surrounding Louis Farrakhan's call to black men to come together for a "day of atonement", brought issues of race and gender to the forefront of national debate. In his timely and incisive book Are We Not Men? Phillip Brian Harper explores issues of race and representation and shows that ideas about black masculinity have always played a troubled role both in the formation of African-American identity and in the mass media at large. Using examples from a variety of cultural contests, ranging from sports and pop music to literature and television, Harper shows the ways in which narrow definitions of black manhood have failed to acknowledge real differences within the African-American community - to grave social and political effect.
Boykin, a former Clinton White House aide, syndicated columnist, and AIDS activist, breaks new ground by going beyond the media hype with the first responsible, eye-opening look at the down low sensation, referring to the secretive phenomenon of closeted black men who have sex with other men.
In the face of centuries of institutional and interpersonal racism, in light of the signals they receive from society, and given the choices they must make about what they want from life and how to go about getting it--how can Black men in America realize their full potential? In "Black Man Emerging," psychologists Joseph L. White and James H. Cones III fashion a moving psychological and social portrait that reflects their personal views on the struggle of Black men against oppression and for self-determination. Using numerous case histories and biographical sketches of Black men who have failed and those who have prevailed, the authors describe strategies for responding to racism and entrenched power--underscoring the healing capacity of religion, family, Black consciousness movements, mentorships, educational programs, paid employment, and other positive forces. They also explore the concept of identity as it applies to being Black and male and ithe influence of Black men on American culture. "Black Man Emerging" is a poignant and personal discussion of the issues facing and felt by Black men in this country and an important commentary on the conflicts born of human diversity.
" Erma Jean Lawson and Aaron Thompson have made a significant contribution to our understanding of divorce in announcing the publication of Black Men and Divorce. Men are often the missing part of the equation as we try to explain couple relationships. The male perspective in the decline or termination of these relationships has been seriously neglected. This is particularly true in regard to divorce among Black Americans. This lack of knowledge is especially distressing if we are to understand the significance of divorce within the broader social context. Without recognition of the unique Black experience in the United States, we severely limit our ability to interpret personal motives and behavior in interpersonal relationships. Erma Jean Lawson and Aaron Thompson provide the reader with a comprehensive depiction and interpretation of a select sample of Black men and their divorces. For this they are to be praised as their study may serve as a catalyst and model for continued work with more diverse populations of Black men. The authors efforts at providing policy and program implications for their findings lend further credibility and value to Black Men and Divorce." Roger H. Rubin, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Director, Graduate Studies, Department of Family Studies, University of Maryland. At a time when anthologies of lack men are hitting the bookshelves, Black Men and Divorce is the first book to get a close and personal understanding how Black men feel about divorce. Focusing on working and middle class Black men, this ground-breaking study offers startling accounts of their experiences of divorce and their adjustment to postdivorce. Drawing on extensive in-depthinterviews with 50 Black men, this book chronicles their passage from courtship and marriage to divorce and ultimately to the establishment of a new life. Authors Erma Jean Lawson and Aaron Thompson analyze the stories men tell about their marriages, the inciting conditions and culminating events, and postdivorce coping strategies. Debunking the stereotypes of Black fathers, Black Men and Divorce examines noncustodial and stepfather/child relationships and explores the unique distress of noncustodial fathers from interracial marriages. Topic by topic, men talk about their ex-wives and former in-law relationships; discuss the role of black mothers, family, and friends during divorce and postdivorce; and identify barriers to forming future heterosexual relationships in a society characterized by pervasive racial stereotypes. The authors elucidate the difficulties Black families encounter to maintain an ideal Euro-American family structure and conclude that the structure of black families in the United States may be a barometer of future Euro-American family trends. Black Men and Divorce is crucial reading for students and scholars of marriage and family, Black studies, gender studies, social work, sociology, psychology, and family policy.
View the Table of Contents .nbsp; nbsp; nbsp; Read the Introduction . "This voice and timely book addresses the perceptual split between an officially 'colorblind' world and the lived experience of so many for whom race determines so much. Although centered on images of black men, these extraordinary essays provide compelling insights about stereotypes of women, whiteness, class status, ethnicity, and gender. From 'suspect profile' to 'natural athlete, ' the disuniting effects of racial cliché s are meticulously analyzed in this sharp and always moving anthology." --Patricia J. Williams, Author of The Rooster's Egg and The Alchemy of Race and Rights"This exciting anthology breaks new ground in the battle to end misogyny and sexism. It gathers for the first time the diverse and eloquent voices of black men -- many of them speaking out as feminists for a revitalized vision of feminism. This unique collection offers insights, perspectives rarely heard, and tremendous hope. It is required reading for all who care about the intersection of race, gender, class and sexuality." --Urvashi Vaid, Director of the Policy Institute of the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force and author of Virtual Equality: The Mainstreaming of Gay and Lesbian LiberationIn late 1995, the Million Man March drew hundreds of thousands of black men to Washington, DC, and seemed even to skeptics a powerful sign not only of black male solidarity, but also of black racial solidarity. Yet while generating a sense of community and common purpose, the Million Man March, with its deliberate exclusion of women and implicit rejection of black gay men, also highlighted one of the central faultlines in African American politics: therole of gender and sexuality in antiracist agenda.In this groundbreaking anthology, a companion to the highly successfulCritical Race Feminism, Devon Carbado changes the terms of the debate over racism, gender, and sexuality in black America. The essays cover such topics as the legal construction of black male identity, domestic abuse in the black community, the enduring power of black machismo, the politics of black male/white female relationships, racial essentialism, the role of black men in black women's quest for racial equality, and the heterosexist nature of black political engagement.Featuring work by Cornel West, Huey Newton, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr., Houston Baker, Marlon T. Riggs, Dwight McBride, Michael Awkward, Ishmael Reed, Derrick Bell, and many others, Devon Carbado's anthology stakes out new territory in the American racial landscape. --Critical America, A series edited by Richard Delgado and Jean Stephancic
View the Table of Contents .nbsp; nbsp; nbsp; Read the Introduction . "This voice and timely book addresses the perceptual split between an officially 'colorblind' world and the lived experience of so many for whom race determines so much. Although centered on images of black men, these extraordinary essays provide compelling insights about stereotypes of women, whiteness, class status, ethnicity, and gender. From 'suspect profile' to 'natural athlete, ' the disuniting effects of racial cliché s are meticulously analyzed in this sharp and always moving anthology." --Patricia J. Williams, Author of The Rooster's Egg and The Alchemy of Race and Rights"This exciting anthology breaks new ground in the battle to end misogyny and sexism. It gathers for the first time the diverse and eloquent voices of black men -- many of them speaking out as feminists for a revitalized vision of feminism. This unique collection offers insights, perspectives rarely heard, and tremendous hope. It is required reading for all who care about the intersection of race, gender, class and sexuality." --Urvashi Vaid, Director of the Policy Institute of the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force and author of Virtual Equality: The Mainstreaming of Gay and Lesbian LiberationIn late 1995, the Million Man March drew hundreds of thousands of black men to Washington, DC, and seemed even to skeptics a powerful sign not only of black male solidarity, but also of black racial solidarity. Yet while generating a sense of community and common purpose, the Million Man March, with its deliberate exclusion of women and implicit rejection of black gay men, also highlighted one of the central faultlines in African American politics: therole of gender and sexuality in antiracist agenda.In this groundbreaking anthology, a companion to the highly successfulCritical Race Feminism, Devon Carbado changes the terms of the debate over racism, gender, and sexuality in black America. The essays cover such topics as the legal construction of black male identity, domestic abuse in the black community, the enduring power of black machismo, the politics of black male/white female relationships, racial essentialism, the role of black men in black women's quest for racial equality, and the heterosexist nature of black political engagement.Featuring work by Cornel West, Huey Newton, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr., Houston Baker, Marlon T. Riggs, Dwight McBride, Michael Awkward, Ishmael Reed, Derrick Bell, and many others, Devon Carbado's anthology stakes out new territory in the American racial landscape. --Critical America, A series edited by Richard Delgado and Jean Stephancic
Here is the seminal and critical work that helped solidify Haki Madhubuti as an informed, passionate, and caring commentator on Black life, culture, relationships, and the development and stability of the Black community. In "Black Men," an integral text for anyone with vested interest in building healthy, thriving Black families and communities, Madhubuti takes aim at some of the critical issues facing the African American family. He offers useful, pointed, practical solutions for overcoming these obstacles and challenges
With a message that calls equally for communal empathy and individual growth, this assessment of the plight of black men views them in relation to today's most controversial topics--the prison system, drugs, education, and parenting--to empower teachers, social workers, ministers, and interested readers.
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