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There is perhaps no greater influence in a son's life than his relationship with his father; nor is there a greater joy than being a parent. Too often in popular consciousness, however, negative stereotypes about African-American fathers persist as conventional wisdom; the complexity of the father-son bond is glossed over or ignored - or more to the point, too many people assume that black men are incapable of responsibly raising children. Faith of Our Fathers eloquently answers these powerful stereotypes, bringing together twelve prominent African-American writers and thinkers, fathers and sons, to discuss the various issues that surround this critical relationship.
Among the writers in this rich and varied collection are such celebrated names as John Edgar Wideman, author of the classic Brothers and Keepers; Henry Louis Gates, Jr., author of the acclaimed memoir Colored People; Cornel West, who wrote the bestseller Race Matters; and nine other leading journalists, novelists, and academics. Each author offers candid, and often intensely personal, reflections about who his father was and the impact of his father on his dreams, passions, and beliefs. Readers will find echoes of their own father stories in the pages of this book: the authors speak of fathers who were absent or distant, loving and involved, stern and demanding, accepting and welcoming. Each author discusses the influence his father's parenting has on his efforts to raise his own children, whether he seeks to emulate his father's parenting, to repudiate it, or to transform it. The book also brings to light how such issues as racism, class, patriarchy affect and inform the ways African-American men choose to raise their children.
The twelve essays that comprise Faith of Our Fathers will enrich and enlighten every reader. The book marks the first time many of the contributors have shared their insights on the subject of fatherhood with a wide audience, and readers will learn from and identify with the lessons the authors reveal as they explore the triumphs and struggles of fatherhood. It is an inspired, unique collection, which deepens our understanding of what it means to be a father and provides a more complete and textured picture of what it means to be an African-American man.
