Students will evaluate historical and sociological issues related to the experiences of African American families that have emerged out of the overlapping contexts of bondage, racism, sexism and economic exploitation. Students will access how African Americans have continuously constructed, defined, and lived family life in the face of constant social, political, and economic challenges, and in ways consistent with their cultural values, religious and spiritual values, and needs.
Students will evaluate African American families from historical, holistic, and multidisciplinary perspectives. They will be exposed to factual information about African American families in contradiction to prevailing myths and stereotypes, particularly from the perspective of African Americans. This course will foster students’ ability to critically examine how structural inequalities and social policies have historically and continue to affect the formation and development of family life for many African Americans. It will also foster students’ ability to relate their knowledge and understanding of African American families to their personal and professional lives.
while also speaking and demonstrating biblical truths within those communities as a living witness by ministering the gospel through the word and deeds of service to this particular community.
The Bible and spirituality have always played an important role in the lives of African American families. The Bible and spirituality has been one of the very foundations that influences African American families more than any other book ever written or any other outside influences. This spiritual influence stems from the Black Church and its rich history that has been a source of hope and strength for the African American community. The African American foundational roots of Christianity and the Bible allows for ministry to those who identify with “cultural Christianity" but lack a true Christian witness and biblical conversion, which is needed in all cultures and ethnicities.
This course is missional because of the emphasis on providing services in and beyond the scope of the traditional church setting.
This course is contextual due to dealing with the issues African American families face within their environment.
Culture refers to the totality of the ways of life of a people and includes the basic conditions of existence, behavior, style of life, values, preferences, and the creative expressions that emanate from work and play. There can be little doubt that the ways of life for African-Americans in this country are different in major respects from the ways of other ethnic groups. There are similarities, but major differences do exist even within the African American / African immigrant community. For example, there are cultural differences within the Black community and various recent African descended immigrants from different countries, differences between African American communities in the north and south, in rural areas, and suburban and inner city areas, etc. To understand the deep divisional differences that exists between African Americans and Africans etc., one first has to examine the background of the two groups. When black people, be they from Africa or America, unite to reconcile their differences and instill discipline and respect for each other that is when the chasm that has divided these people will narrow. The repository for the culture of any people is the family, and in the African-American family resiliency, adaptability, and sheer strength are primarily responsible for this group's survival in an alien and hostile environment.
This course has practical application within society as it pertains to addressings pertinent issues such as single parenting and the support for traditional marriage, the epidemic proportions of out-of-wedlock, teenage pregnancies among African Americans which furthers the disintegration of the African American family. This course will address these issues in a candid fashion.
Students will take part in a group project which will explore topics that are important to understanding the diversity of African American families and the Black experience
