It’s a well-known fact George Washington Carver was a scientist, botanist, educator, and inventor to whom God revealed the Earth’s secrets hidden within the lowly peanut.
It’s a less well-known fact the first black heavyweight champion, Jack Johnson, was also an inventor having patented a wrench in 1922.
History is an open book, but the people who write history books are selective. So there’s much note-worthy history that is completely ignored. Such is the case for much of “black history.”
We’ve barely connected the dots — milestones, landmarks, newsmakers, martyrs, and celebs — because someone always comes along and in some instances rearranges some of the dots and in others erases some of the dots altogether — declaring them to be in consequential. So many dots, a million points of light, obscured or snuffed out altogether, and we are all the worse for it.
Consider the fact in our recent history there is a photo of a black father with a baby strapped to his chest while he combs his toddler’s hair. It went “viral,” which is how history is made today. Why did this picture become so popular? Because it was deemed a cultural rarity – a social anomaly.
The history of black fathers, as recorded in the popular press, is abysmal. It’s a history of absence, abuse, and neglect. And yet the chronicle of daily life testifies this is not entirely true.
A recent article in the Los Angeles Times reported among black dads who do live with their young ones, they’re as involved in child care as their white and Hispanic counterparts. Bathing, dressing, feeding, and diapering – these dads do it all…willingly…without accolades or media notoriety. They get the job done because that’s what dads do.
In the absence of quantifiable data about the role of African American stepdads, our evidence is anecdotal, and yet no less compelling. They step forward and fill the gap left by deceased, incarcerated, and emotionally broken biological fathers.
They step in and cook, clean, wash, dress, teach, and discipline children whose “birthright” started in their stepdad’s heart instead of his loins. They step away when necessary in order to give their stepchild room to search for and even bond with a prodigal father.
They step up the expectations of the child’s academic performance and of his or her responsibilities at home. They raise the bar, set the tone, and shoulder the weight of being the spiritual head, while carrying the burden of responsibility for their families on their backs. They make amazing, noteworthy black history every day and we say “Thank you!”
Writer LaGeris Underwood Bell hopes this post will inspire and encourage African American fathers and stepdads in recognition of the tremendous impact they have had and will continue to have on the lives of their families.
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There does need to be more research into black stepdads. It is neglected because we’ve been told for decades that black men are bad fathers.