About the Book

Following the success of its best-selling predecessors, the Fourth Edition of Harriette Pipes McAdoo's Black Families retains several now classic contributions while including updated versions of earlier chapters and many entirely new chapters. The goal through each revision of this core text has been to compile a book that focuses on positive dimensions of African American families.

The book remains the most complete assessment of black families available in both depth and breadth of coverage. Cross-disciplinary in nature, the book boasts contributions from such fields as family studies, anthropology, education, psychology, social work, and public policy. Directions for future research are suggested at the end of each chapter, and references guide readers to more in-depth discussion of specific topics. Chapters are grouped into six parts covering history, theoretical conceptions, religion, child socialization, gender relations, and public policy.

New to This Edition:

• A new chapter 2 by the creator of the annual celebration of Kwanza, Maulana Karenga and Tiamoyo Karenga
• A new chapter 16 by noted historian of Black women, Darlene Clark-Hines
• Two new chapters on religious dimensions by Harriette Pipes McAdoo (chapter 7) and by Pamela Martin (chapter 9)
• A new chapter 10 covering the topic of death is discussed by Latrese Adkins, with emphasis on the role that funerals play with Black communities
• A new chapter 17 on breast cancer prevention for women by Karen Williams adds to the coverage of gender relations
• The latest demographic information on Black families in a new chapter 11 written by Harriette Pipes McAdoo
• Jonathan Livingston updates John McAdoo's work on the socialization of men within families in a revised chapter 15
• Robert Hill updates his earlier chapter on social welfare policies in a revised chapter 23 that examines the aftermath and impact of welfare reform enacted during the Clinton administration

Black Families, Fourth Edition will interest students, scholars, and practitioners in African American Families, Black Families, and related courses in fields of African American and ethnic studies, human development and family studies, sociology, social work, and education.

Table of Contents:
Part I: Historical Conceptualizations of Black Families 1. African American Families: A Historical Note - John Hope Franklin 2. The Nguzo Saba and the Black Family: Principles and Practices of Well-Being and Flourishing - Maulana Karenga and Tiamoyo Karenga 3. Interpreting the African Heritage in African American Family Organization - Niara Sudarkasa Part II. Theoretical Conceptualizations of African American Families 4. Conceptualizations and Research of African American Family Life in the U.S.: Some Thoughts - Jualynne Elizabeth Dodson 5. African American Family Life: An Instrument of Culture - Wade W. Nobles 6. African American Education: A Cultural-Ecological Perspective - John U. Ogbu Part III. Spirituality and Religion in Black Families 7. Religion in African American Families - Harriette Pipes McAdoo 8. Old-Time Religion: Benches Can’t Say “Amen” - William Harrison Pipes 9. Sources of Racial Socialization: Theological Orientation of African American Churches and Parents - Pamela P. Martin and Harriette Pipes McAdoo 10. Death in the Family: Historical Description and Funerary Display in African American Families - LaTrese Evette Adkins Part IV. Family Patterns 11. African American Demographic Images - Harriette Pipes McAdoo 12. African American Female-Headed Households: Some Neglected Dimensions - Niara Sudarkasa 13. The Significant Other: Type and Mode of Influence in the Lives of Black Families - Wilhelmina Manns Part V. Socialization Within African American Families 14. Parenting of Young Children in Black Families: A Historical Note - Marie Ferguson Peters 15. The Roles of African American Fathers in the Socialization of Their Children - Jonathan N. Livingston and John L. McAdoo 16. Family First, Then the World: The “Know-It-All” Aunt and Her Three Nephews - Darlene Clark Hine 17. Kin Keepers: Breast Cancer Prevention for African American Women - Karen Patricia Williams 18. Family Therapy: A Help-Seeking Option Among Middle-Class African Americans - Monica Mouton-Sanders Part VI. African American Gender Relations 19. An Overview of Race and Marital Status - Robert Staples 20. In Search of Love and Commitment: Dealing With the Challenging Odds of Finding Romance - Audrey B. Chapman 21. Practices and Attitudes Toward Contraception in the Black Community - Algea Othella Hale Part VII. Family Policies and Advocacy 22. A Portrait of Inequality - Marian Wright Edelman 23. The Impact of Welfare Reform on Black Families - Robert B. Hill