Black families in America face special and grave problems. Widespread unemployment, single parent circumstances, adolescent pregnancies, substance abuse, and violence are only some of the problems posing challenges. The authors, convinced that the conventional perspective used in the past to analyze black families is deficient, propose a holistic approach. That perspective takes into account the totality of black family life rather than measuring isolated factors. Using black families as the central unit of analysis, the authors identify fundamental issues requiring concentrated attention and policy changes. Both factors external to the black family and consideration internal to it are studied. The former include economic factors---racism, demographics, and governmental policies. The latter involve such aspects as black family structure, changes in the community, and widespread changes in values at the individual level. The authors provide practical recommendations for improving the conditions of black families through policy changes and revised priorities.

As part of a project on the status of African-Americans that was initiated by the William Monroe Institute for the Study of Black Culture at the University of Massachusetts at Boston, this volume takes a comprehensive look at the education of African-Americans, specifically early childhood through postsecondary education, and relevant public policy issues since 1940. The list of contributors to the study includes both white and black scholars who are affiliated with primarily urban institutions located in the Northwest, the South, and on the East Coast who are deeply committed to educational research. By focusing on the known status of the education of African-Americans to date and the additional factors which need to be considered in order to develop appropriate educational strategies, these essays evaluate current programs and provide recommendations for public policy improvements.

Each essay addresses some aspect of the history of the education of African-Americans or the effectiveness of pertinent laws and policies enacted within the past fifty years. Trends in the educational advancement of Blacks are clearly defined with particular focus on the forecasting of circumstances that could affect future progress. Topics ranging from counseling and guidance of minority children to the need for more Black teachers and the continuing struggle with racial violence on campus, demonstrate the broad scope of this volume. Suggestions for further reading on a specific topic appear in the list of references at the end of each chapter.

The status and prospects of African-Americans in contemporary society are of immense significance. They speak both to the conscience of the society and to ominous social and political portends. Involving issues of essential fairness and social justice are the practical problems of widespread poverty, unemployment, and the pervasive lack of opportunity stemming from stinted education. The stage is set for a national program of basic institutional reforms addressing the root causes of the African-American community's often analyzed but uncorrected economic, political, and social problems.

The authors make a convincing argument that the emphases for solutions to the widespread social conditions gripping the African-American population need to be on the social processes that so victimize this segment of the nation's citizenry. They see societal institutions as capable of furthering or retarding progress not only in the economic order but also in its interactions with the political and criminal justice systems. Income disparities, lack of access to higher education, political exclusion, and unequal treatment in criminal justice administration are all seen as contributing to the characteristic institutional neglect or flawed program application. The authors make a compelling case for reform not only in the interest of social justice but for the assurance of a more productive and cohesive society.

African-Americans suffer disproportionately to their percentage of the population from ill health and poor or non-existent medical care. Because health and illness are related to social status, only a change in economic and social policies will remedy the sorrowful health and care situation carefully detailed and substantiated in this book. Reed and his colleagues identify and show the enormity of the several health problems of particular concern to the black population. These include adverse birth outcomes, increasing cancer rates, lead poisoning, and the high rate of homicide among African-Americans. Sickle Cell Anemia with its special problems for the black community is addressed, as is the widespread use of alcohol and other substances. Finally, the AIDS epidemic's impact on the African-American population is described and the implications stated. The authors leave no doubt that decisive action is warranted on a large scale.

Black families in America face special and grave problems. Widespread unemployment, single parent circumstances, adolescent pregnancies, substance abuse, and violence are only some of the problems posing challenges to black families. The authors, convinced that the "conventional" perspective used in the past to analyze black families is deficient, propose a holistic approach. That perspective takes into account the totality of black family life rather than measuring isolated factors independent. Using black families as the central unit of analysis, the authors identify fundamental issues requiring concentrated attention and policy changes. Both factors external to the black family and consideration internal to it are studied. The former include economic factors, racism, demographics, and governmental policies. The latter involve such aspects as black family structure, changes in the community, and widespread changes in values at the individual level. The authors provide practical recommendations for improving the conditions of black families through policy changes and revised priorities.