I’m getting a fair number of hits for Kay Hymowitz, so I decided to investigate. In the search results is a link to post I wrote called The Mission: Middle-Class vs. Lower-Class Families. I discussed an article written by Hymowitz titled What’s Holding Black Kids Back?
She has another black-themed article in the Summer 2005 issue of City Journal, The Black Family: 40 Years of Lies. I always thought the information in the article was common knowledge, but apparently it’s still new to some people, denied by others, or just plain ignored by die-hard socialists:
So why does the [New York] Times, like so many who rail against inequality, fall silent on the relation between poverty and single-parent families? To answer that question — and to continue the confrontation with facts that Americans still prefer not to mention in polite company — you have to go back exactly 40 years. That was when a resounding cry of outrage echoed throughout Washington and the civil rights movement in reaction to Daniel Patrick Moynihan’s Department of Labor report warning that the ghetto family was in disarray. Entitled “The Negro Family: The Case for National Action,†the prophetic report prompted civil rights leaders, academics, politicians, and pundits to make a momentous — and, as time has shown, tragically wrong — decision about how to frame the national discussion about poverty.
Oh yes, the Moynihan Report. The late Moynihan, a Democrat, presented a thesis for which he was maligned and branded a racist. His crime? He warned that the collapse of the black family, already at a critical point 40 years ago, would have devastating consequences. Anyone with half a brain can see that family structure plays a role in the well-being of children in particular and society in general, but we’re not suppose to discuss the fact that 70 percent of black babies are born out of wedlock.
I don’t agree with everything Moynihan wrote, but he was an intellectual giant compared to vacuous liberal politicians running things today, with their hare-brained, more-money-will-solve-the-problem schemes.
Before you comment on this post, I encourage you to take the time to read the City Journal article and the entire Moynihan Report. It’s a lot of reading, but I think if you’re at least familiar with the material, it will make for a better discussion.
Just a suggestion.
Jeff Goldstein wrote a thoughtful post on the matter. Another at TrueGrit.
I read this article some time back and it makes loads of sense. Even before reading this, I read the article below on how the warning signs for blacks in the sixties are now showing up today as far as the white family goes. As the civil rights activists attacked Moynihan’s report, the feminists have attacked the recent report. Here is the link:
http://www.cogfamily.org/content.php?id=115
Comment by Shade — 08.26.05 @ 12:20 pm
“t is more difficult, however, for whites to perceive the effect that three centuries of exploitation have had on the fabric of Negro society itself. Here the consequences of the historic injustices done to Negro Americans are silent and hidden from view. But here is where the true injury has occurred: unless this damage is repaired, all the effort to end discrimination and poverty and injustice will come to little.”
LB, I am interested in here your solution to this dilemma…
Comment by Dell Gines — 08.26.05 @ 12:27 pm
I had read it when it was posted before. Absolutely loved it.
Comment by Steve — 08.26.05 @ 1:19 pm
La Shawn:
Great analysis by Moynihan, bad conclusions and solutions:
1 Great tabulation of facts. Really original, quality work.
2 Moynihan is focused on inequality as if much of it is somehow due to racism.
3 He is apologetic for slavery, even though slavery was long gone.
4 Anyone with open eyes could see the bad effects of the destruction of the Black family - he put it front and center. Again, great analysis of facts.
5 Moynihan missed the boat on solutions - his desire to bring “full and equal sharing” is somewhat Marxist in its tone, and you know the effect of his desire to have the Federal government enhance the stability of the Black Family.
Certainly not perfect, but way ahead of its time. And that his own people not only ignored but supressed this great work - unforgiveable.
PS - Being trashed by Leftists here, and elsewhere, is a badge of honor for great works on social policy.
Comment by Frank Zavisca — 08.26.05 @ 1:39 pm
Frank, did you not read his historical critique? Specifically his statements of -
“First, the racist virus in the American blood stream still afflicts us: Negroes will encounter serious personal prejudice for at least another generation. Second, three centuries of sometimes unimaginable mistreatment have taken their toll on the Negro people.”
Remember this was written in 1965, civil rights era. He should be apologetic for slavery, as he is representative of the US government, which sanctioned and condoned it, and then allowed the subsequent disregard of blacks and full and equal citizens in this nation UNTIL 1964.
AND Frank, if inequality pre-1964 wasn’t due to RACISM then in fact what was it due to? The inherent genetic defects amongst black Americans?
In addition, the federal government has NEVER created any broad based policy aimed at stabilizing the black family.
I think this article was and is relevent for the simple fact that it correctly points to the reasons for the instability from its inception. Now the question is what SHOULD be done now.
Comment by Dell Gines — 08.26.05 @ 2:39 pm
So Dell…
As a “Christian”…
how does racism justify fornication and single parent families? What is your solution for that?
Comment by Renee — 08.26.05 @ 3:32 pm
08 26 05
Hello. I read the report for a Black Studies Class years ago. I took it at San Francisco State University, so you can imagine the discussions that ensued. Quite frankly, he had a MAJOR point in terms of the consequences of the family institution diminishing in the Black community. I do, however disagree with some of his analysis. But let’s face it; he was a product of his times. It is so sad when someone thinks outside the box and brings things to our attention, but we castigate them instead. The chickens have certainly come home to roost forty years after the fact. One thing that should be mentioned is that the institution of slavery destroyed many black familial institutions, so The Black family in America has always been a unique thing. We really focused on community and extended family. A couple of my grandmothers grew up in the early 1900’s without a father around, BUT their neighbors and relatives were there to spank their behinds if necessary etc. We don’t have that level of community now. In fact, if you see a kid acting up and mention it to him, nine times out of ten the parent will say: “DON’T YOU BE TALKING TO MY KID LIKE THAT…. I WILL SUE YO’ ASS”. Trust me, this has happened to me (when I tutored) and my parents (who are teachers). What can we do to get our stuff together and once again build our communities and look out for one another?
You are right LaShawn, we need to look at Moynihan again and take some lessons from him….
Comment by Mahndisa S. Rigmaiden — 08.26.05 @ 4:35 pm
Renee, If I may I would like to respond to the question; “how does racism justify fornication and single parent families?”
There is no “justification” for the act of racism, let alone fornication or single parent families.
The causes of single parent families and fornication are to numerous to get into here, the solution is simple.-JUST DON’T DO IT-
True, you can chastise bad social behavior until you’re blue in the face, yet it is entirely up to the individual when or if he or she will do the right thing.
P.S. Go to Dells’ web site and read his proposal for reparations. Even if you don’t agree, just take a look. I think he has some rather good ideas.
Comment by Hipstreet — 08.26.05 @ 4:59 pm
Renee…Thanks! I love it when people actually care about God instead of simple social theory. Like hip said, there is no justification for fornication. However, if you analyze scripture particularly the development of Israel when the Hebrews were freed from Egypt, you will find a duality of individual responsibility and also social responsibility which shapes individual responsibility. IE they are inter-related and not independent. God recognized that ’social structure’ influenced ‘individual behavior’.
Read through the Kings & the books of the Prophets in the Old Testament, which shows a direct correlation between the mentality of the King (IE Government) towards God and His Laws, and the behavior of the people. Were those people still accountability for the violation of the laws, yes, but God’s harshest criticism was for those responsibility for maintaining just and the worship of God through obedience ot the Old Covenant laws. Apply this theory to America where historically one group has had the ‘governing power’ and one group was ‘affected by the governing power’ and well you catch the correlation.
I could get more exegetical for you, but I think it is evident…Social influences encourage or discourage individual behavior in light of the scripture.
In terms of racism and the historic polarization of race where one dominant race marginalized and destroyed the ‘healthy’ environment of another, I think it is obvious where disparities came about. And if these disparities were never corrected, the fruit will not fall far from the tree. Again, you reap what you sow, individually and collectively.
Comment by Dell Gines — 08.26.05 @ 5:12 pm
08 26 05
Hello Renee:
I think you bring up some valid points when you infer that racism can be used as an excuse for poor social choices and a lack of personal responsibility. However, I would urge you to anlyze what I posted a few moments ago, which is that the institution of slavery annihilated the structure of the Black family in America. And in Africa, there were many types of familial structures (not necessarily the man woman and child, some societies were polygamous, but yet and still these institutions were destroyed on the auction block). Persons were sold and separated from their familes and blah blah etc. But the point is that we are here over 140 years after the abolition of slavery and instead of slave masters breaking up families on the auction block, we are doing it to ourselves. So there is a historical precedent for the unique family structures that exist within the Black community. As I said before, extended family and community were always important to us, but things have changed and I do agree that one can’t use racism to justify fornicating and acting up otherwise. I think the only way that the Black family will get restored and healed is if we ACCEPT PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR ACTIONS, DON’T RELY ON HANDOUTS TO JUSTIFY OUR POOR CHOICES AND MOVE ON FROM THERE:)
PS HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND EVERYONE!
Comment by Mahndisa S. Rigmaiden — 08.26.05 @ 5:27 pm
Supper: 8/26/2005
Try one of these specials with your supper: Seawitch finds a cleric opposed to suicide bombers. The Jawa Report goes Robertson on al Sadr. The Jump Blog explains what support means. [via Maggie] La Shawn Barber looks at the collapse
Trackback by basil's blog — 08.26.05 @ 5:45 pm
Slavery did not destroy the family culture in the black or African-American community. It is an insult to generations of black Americans and the strength of African American families. For example, in 1960, only 28 percent of black females between the ages of 15 and 44 were never married vs 56 percent today. In 1940, black “illegitimacy” rate was 19 percent and in 1960, 22 percent. Today, 70 percent. If slavery had destroyed black families, we would not see the numbers increasing since 1960, as we have. Indeed, there are studies showing that in the late 1800s and early 1900s, over 75 percent of black families were two parent households. Other data are similar. Slaves and descendants of American slaves worked desperately hard to preserve their families. It is only during the last forty years that we have seen the black family unravel — a time far more removed from slavery than others. The strong culture of the black church in America also supported strong families in times of far greater discrimination and poverty than exist today — at times when slavery and its effects were far more in evidence.
There is a fair case to be made that the black family was destroyed by the cultural nihilism of the 60s and 70s and the current culture of non-judgmentalism.
Comment by Mark — 08.26.05 @ 5:53 pm
08 26 05
Hello. I still respectfully disagree with you on the issue on the destruction of the Black family. This is not to say that the countercultural movements of the 60s and 70s were not with ill effects, of course they were. But please note that slavery was the first major assault on Black families when the slaves were brought over. I am not insulting anyone when I say this. I come from a long line of proud people, but the truth can hurt sometimes. From about 1680 on, the early colonies began to implement laws aimed at destroying the population of blacks, mulattos, mestizos and Indians. when you analyze these laws you see that there was a major effort to undermine the culture as well as the family structure of people of color. Now in terms of statistics on out of wedlock births in the black community, I can’t disagree with you on that. But I would also contend that this destruction does not only have to do with out of wedlock births; it also has to do with a lack of veneration for the family structure as a whole. I don’t wish to offend you or anyone else, but I would challenge you to read about the auction blocks during slavery and just how bad our families were desecrated. Also, there are letters written by ex slaves after Reconstruction where people were actively seeking out their long lost relatives. If we look critically at history we will see that the effects of slavery were quite devastating. Also, in terms of your statistics, consider that the census counting of Blacks was scanty at best during the earlier part of the last century. My grandfather was born in Louisiana in 1924 and his parents did not report his birth. Why? Because they were terribly afraid of the local authorities killing the little black babies. He does not have a birth certificate for that reason. So again, we can not deny the ill effects of the counter cultural movements of the 60s and 70s, but we should also look at the history before that time and see that there were issues with our family structures about two hundred years before then!
Comment by Mahndisa S. Rigmaiden — 08.26.05 @ 7:12 pm
Links and Minifeatures 08 26 Friday
From my recent adventure in hospital, I cannot pass up the opportunity to say this: Just because you’ve got a MD degree or have been hired by some hospital somewhere doesn’t mean you are some sort of omniscient, omnipotent deity. If you have a prob…
Trackback by Searchlight Crusade — 08.27.05 @ 2:19 am
The devastating effects of the slavery auction block 200 years ago, notwithstanding, I don’t see how in the heck that has anything to do with Tyronne getting Tanika, Shamika and Cherry-Lynn (equal opportunity seed planter) pregnant in 2005. Oh, and Tyronne already had two kids apiece with Tanika and Shamika.
Comment by Just Another Voice — 08.27.05 @ 12:32 pm
Something has always troubled me about reaching back to the days of slavery to explain current short comings. Some folks seem to suggest slavery had a permantent effect on the future generations which could only be genetic. That is very troublesome to me.
If the effects of slavery are not nature (genetic) then they must be propagated by nurture. If it is nurture, then the best solution to the problem is to quit obsessing about it and try a positive attitude instead.
I also worry about people who want to sell a part of their heritage, in this case by reparations. I can not image the Jews agreeing to give up the holocaust for a few German Euros.
Comment by heliotrope — 08.27.05 @ 6:26 pm
Mark is correrct.
Black families were intact before the sixties.
Slavery has nothing to do with it, and the kind of denial that we can see even here on this board is the kind of inability to place blame where it needs to be placed that is causing the problem.
Even after Mark posts statistics about how black families began to mutate after the “cultural revolution” of the sixties and seventies, individuals on this message board and out in the community still cling to their mythology about racism and slavery destroying the black family.
Let’s bring the discussion back to reality, people, Moynihan was spot on - except racism and slavery cannot logically have caused the disintegration of the black American family.
Comment by Justin — 08.27.05 @ 7:19 pm
LA SHAWN BARBER OP-ED: Collapse Of The Black Family
The conservative blogger writes: “Oh yes, the Moynihan Report. The late Moynihan, a Democrat, presented a thesis for which he was maligned and branded a racist. His crime? He warned that the collapse of the black family, already at a critical point 40…
Trackback by Booker Rising — 08.27.05 @ 9:36 pm