Description
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewColes...makes a major contribution to the literature on single black custodial fathers. Her study is exploratory and descriptive, offering an examination of the meaning of fatherhood held by the 20 single black custodial fathers she interviewed. Her work offers a rich picture of fatherhood embodied by the fathers she interviewed. ... An important book that gets this best-kept secret out in the open. * Library Journal *
Interspersed throughout are compelling portraits of men raising their children and coping with all of the challenges women typically face in child rearing....Coles offers a new perspective on black male fatherhood that defies conventional wisdom on the subject. * Booklist *
Coles should be commended for her tenacity to interpret some black male experiences with rearing children. Recommended. * CHOICE *
Roberta Coles, by blending a case study approach and detailed personal narratives, reveals the neglected face of single African American custodial fathers committed to raising their children. Long ignored by researchers and misunderstood by agents of key social institutions, these men share powerful, intimate stories about the joys and struggles of fatherhood in a society conditioned to expect less of them. -- William Marsiglio, University of Florida
I highly recommend that we all read [this] essential book by a leading scholar on the subject of Black American fathers. * L.A. Watts Times *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Chapter 1: Introducing a New Concept: Black Single Custodial Fathers Chapter 2: Choosing to Parent on Their Own Chapter 3: Being All Things to their Children: Parenting Roles and Behavioral Goals Chapter 4: Fathering Daughters and Sons: The Role of the Child's Gender Chapter 5: Negotiating Racial Identity and Socialization Chapter 6: Is Fathering Good for Fathers? Chapter 7: Single Custodial Fathers and Institutional Policies References Index About the Author
