While the likelihood of black men to be killed at the hands of law enforcement is very real, the likelihood that these men are absentee fathers is just a myth. A study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention is regaining attention in light of the “Black Lives Matter” movement, as mass incarceration and tragic deaths continue to plague the black community. With naysayers pointing to familial structures as the culprit, the CDC has evidence that proves them wrong.
In data published by the public health institute, black fathers are marked among the most active in the lives of their children. Compared to white and Latino fathers, black fathers attest to everyday recreational and hygienic activities at higher rates. From sharing meals, to bathtime, to playing, to reading to their children the percentage of active black fathers outweigh that of their counterparts in children ages 5 to 18:
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Still, as the data gives black fathers more credit than they are usually rewarded, the fact that less black fathers live with their children continues to be pointed to.Think Progress reported that the disparities among black families who co-parent in comparison to other races “stems from structural systems of inequality and poverty.” But even despite being away, black fathers remain active.
“Pew estimates that 67 percent of black dads who don’t live with their kids see them at least once a month, compared to 59 percent of white dads and just 32 percent of Hispanic dads,” the site stated.
So while the nation is at the drawing board trying to figure out the source of its problems, perhaps it should cross the “broken black family” off the list.
Photo Credit: Los Angeles Times