Book Report -- The Black Family

As Staples sets the scene for his compilation of research about multiple aspects of the Black family and their environment, he discusses why Black families are special and why, as a special group, they are subject to a separate sociological discussion: "Their special status as a racial minority with a singular history continues to give the Black marital and family patters a unique character. Despite what many allege to be the positive gains of the sixties and seventies, the problems of poverty and racial oppression continue to plague large numbers of Afro-Americans" (Staples1).

Staples compilation is more than slightly reactionary - h

. . .
ze the family structure; exchange theory focuses on reinforcement patterns that lead people to do what they do. The premise is that certain types of family structures persist when there are consistent patterns of reward that people come to expect. Exchange theory suggests an individual will not stay in a relationship in which s/he feels that what they are "giving" is not equal to what they are "getting". The family ideology of Black people is centered around the traditional concept of the nuclear family, with conservative values of motherhood and childbearing. The role of the mother is regarded as more important than any other role including that of wife, which may be why almost all Black women have children at one time or another in their lives. The major problem for Black women who want to raise children in a family environment is not the quantity of black men available but the quality. While women select mates on various criteria, the minimum is usually that he be employed. Larger economic factors often work against this minimum requirement. Other non-marriage-material men would be those unavailable or under confinement in mental or correctional institutions. The remaining premise is that Black women have fewer opport
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 2164
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page)

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