Assessment of the Status of African-Americans. Volume II: Research on the African-American Family: a Holistic Perspective
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
DOCUMENT RESUME ED 415 310 UD 032 090 AUTHOR Hill, Robert B.; Billingsley, Andrew; Ingram, Eleanor; Malson, Michelene R.; Rubin, Robert H.; Stack, Carol B.; Stewart, James B.; Teele, James E. TITLE Assessment of the Status of African-Americans. Volume II: Research on the African-American Family: A Holistic Perspective. INSTITUTION Massachusetts Univ., Boston, MA. William Monroe Trotter Inst. ISBN ISBN-1-878358-02-2 PUB DATE 1989-00-00 NOTE 173p.; For Volumes I through VI, see UD 032 089-094. PUB TYPE Reports Evaluative (142) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC07 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Black Family; *Economic Factors; Educational Attainment; Equal Opportunities (Jobs); *Holistic Approach; Income; Politics; *Racial Discrimination; *Research; Research Methodology; Social Change; *Socioeconomic Status; Trend Analysis IDENTIFIERS *African Americans; National Research Council ABSTRACT In 1987 a project was undertaken to assess the status of African Americans in the United States in the topical areas to be addressed by the National Research Council's Study Committee on the Status of Black Americans: education, employment, income and occupations, political participation and the administration of justice, social and cultural change, health status and medical care, and the family. Six volumes resulted from the study. This volume, the second, uses a holistic perspective to examine recent social and economic trends among black families and to describe how a holistic framework can enhance understanding of the causes and cures of the current crisis among black families. The impact of both external and internal factors is assessed, and new research and programmatic insights to facilitate the development of more effective strategies are discussed. Recommendations are made for public and private policymakers and service providers. The following sections are included: (1) "Introduction"; (2) "Recent Social and Economic Trends"; (3) "Holistic Perspective on Black Families"; (4) "Impact of Societal Forces"; (5) "Impact of Social Policies"; (6) "Impact of Community Subsystems"; (7) "Impact of Family Subsystems"; (8) "Impact of Individual Factors" ; (9) "Action Implications"; (10) "Appendix" (study group members and contributors); and (11)"References." It is argued throughout that the causes and nature of the crisis among black families cannot be understood without a holistic consideration that includes analysis of societal forces such as racism, classism, sexism, recessions, inflation, and job competition. (Contains over 200 references.) (SLD) ******************************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * ******************************************************************************** Researchon the African-American Family: A Holistic Perspective Assessment of the Status of African-Americans Volume II U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as 'received from the person or organization originating it Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality Points of view or opinions stated in this docu- ment do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. IN MI Ell =CITE PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS MIR EJE17 BEEN GRANTED BY Jroiler \=7E7Lp nnes_ TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) 1 The William Monroe Trotter Institute 0 University of Massachusetts at Boston BEST CopyAVAILABLE 2 RESEARCH ON AFRICAN-AMERICAN FAMILIES: A HOLISTIC PERSPECTIVE Robert B. Hill with Andrew Billingsley Eleanor Ingram Michelene R. Malson Roger H. Rubin Carol B. Stack James B. Stewart James E. Tee le William Monroe Trotter Institute University of Massachusetts at Boston 1989 © 1989 by William Monroe Trotter Institute ISBN 1-878358-02-2 TABLE OF CONTENTS I.INTRODUCTION 1 A. Conventional Treatment of Black Families 2 B. A Holistic Perspective 6 II. RECENT SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC TRENDS 8 A. Economic Trends 8 B. Social Trends 13 III.HOLISTIC PERSPECTIVE ON BLACK FAMILIES. 19 A. Comprehensive Frameworks 19 B. Key Themes 22 C. Key Issues About Black Families 25 1V.IMPACT OF SOCIETAL FORCES 27 A. Class Stratification 27 B. Racial Stratification 27 C. Sectoral Stratification 28 D. Individual Racism 28 E. Institutional Racism 29 F. Structural Discrimination 30 G. Sexism 32 H. Baby Boom Cohort 33 I. Sex Ratio 34 J. Rural to Urban Migration 34 K. Central City/Suburban Migration 35 L. Return Migration 35 5 M. Immigration 36 N. Industrialization 36 0. Recessions 37 P. Inflation 37 V. IMPACT OF SOCIAL POLICIES 39 A Fiscal and Monetary Policies 39 B. Income Taxes 39 C. Payroll Taxes 39 D. Great Society Programs 40 E. Block Grants 41 F. Reagan Budget Cuts 42 G. Social Security 43 H.Welfare Policies 44 I. AFDC-UP and GA 45 J. Child Support Policies 46 K. Foster Care and Adoption 47 L. Health Policies 47 M.Education Policies 48 N.Housing Policies 49 0. Plant Closings 50 P. Employment and Training Programs 51 Q. Jobs Tax Credits 53 R. Unemployment Insurance 54 S. Affirmative Action 56 VI. IMPACT OF COMMUNITY SUBSYSTEMS 59 A. Negative Community Influences 59 B. Self-Help Institutions 64 6 iv VII.IMPACT OF FAMILY SUBSYSTEMS 77 A. Family Functioning 77 B. Family Strengths 79 C. Family Structure 80 D. Family Culture 81 E. Family Class 96 VIII.IMPACT OF INDIVIDUAL FACTORS 104 A. Culture of Poverty Norms 104 B. Dysfunctional Attitudes 106 C. Work Discouragement 107 D. Self-Concept 108 E. Self-Esteem 109 F. Stress 110 G. Mental Illness 112 IX. ACTION IMPLICATIONS 114 A. Guiding Principles 115 B. Recommended Strategies 116 X. APPENDIX 121 ASBA Project Study Group Members 121 Contributors 123 XI. REFERENCES 124 v 7 PREFACE In the Spring of 1987 the William Monroe Trotter Institute at the University of Massachusetts at Boston initiated a project entitled, "The Assessment of the Status of African-Americans." Thirty-five scholars were organized into studygroups, one for each of six topics: education; employment, income, and occupations; political partici- pation and the administration of justice; social and cultural change; healthstatus and medical care; and the family. The studygroups were established to analyze the status of African-Americans in each of the topical areas in anticipation of the results and analyses of the National Research Council's Study Committeeon the Status of Black Americans. We wanted to have the widest possible discussion of thepresent condition of blacks and the social policy implications of that condition. The multidisciplinary group of scholars comprising the studygroups included persons from all sections of the country and from varied settingsprivate and public universities, historically black universities, and private agencies. A list of these scholars by study group is given in the Appendix. Each of the studygroups met and drafted an agenda for examining significant issues under their respectivetopics. Members chose issues from this agenda within theirareas of expertise and identified other scholars who had written extensivelyon other issues on the agenda. These oth- er scholars made a variety of contributions, including original papers, reprints, notes and materials, and/or substantial commentarieson draft documents. Despite the pressures of limited time and limited financialsupport for this work, five volumes were produced: Volume I: Summary Volume Research on the African-American Family: A Holistic Perspective Volume ill: Education of African-Americans Volume IV: Social, Political, and Economic Issues in Black America Volume V:Health and Medical Care of African-Americans Each of the study groups developed itsown conclusion and policy recommendations. In addition to study group members and other contributors,we are indebted to a number of individuals for the production of this study. Weowe thanks to Phillip Hal- len and the Maurice Falk Foundation for underwriting thecosts of producing these volumes. Special thanksare also offered to the following persons:our editors Duncan Nelson, Manuscript Editor; Linda Kluz and Suzanne Baker,Production Edi- tors; the office staffEva Hendricks, Tina Wilson, Patricia Wellington,and Gemima Remy; and Assistant Director Frances Stubbs. Wornie L. Reed vii I. INTRODUCTION The strong social and economic gains of black families during the 1960s were se- verely eroded during the 1970s and 1980s (Swinton, 1988). While unemployment rates among black adults and youth fell markedly between 1964 and 1969, poverty rates among two-parent and one-parent black families also declined to record lows. Moreover, the narrowing of the income gap between black and white families result- ed in unprecedented increases in the number of working-class and middle-class black families during the 1960s. However, between 1969 and 1983, the jobless rate among all blacks soared from 6% to 20%-the highest level ever recorded for blacks by the U.S. Department of Labor. Although the official jobless rate for blacks fell to 14% by 1987, unofficially a depression-level one out of four black workers is still unemployed (National Urban League, 1978b). Black families were affected by soaring unemployment during the 1970s and 1980s-regardless of family structure. Four back-to-back recessions between 1970 and 1985 led to a tripling in the jobless rates among husbands and wives in two- parent families as well as among women heading single families (Hill, 1986). Like their parents, black youth