Life in Isolation: Black Families Living in a Predominantly White Community.

Abstract

This is a descriptive study of ten intact Black middle-class families with school-age children living in a predominantly white community in California. Because of the lack of existing literature about this particular segment of the Black population, this study is exploratory in nature. Geographically removed from traditional Black support systems such as extended family and informal community support networks, such issues as how the families perceive and respond to their social environment and whether they are able to maintain a sense of family and racial identity for their children are considered. Using a non-r and om sample, the method combined the use of a questionnaire and open-ended individual interviews with all household members at least six years of age. Interview data was analyzed thematically. Results show the parents, most of whom grew up in the South, share traditional Afro-American values in their emphasis on the importance of children, respect for elders, family unity and mutual support, egalitarian sex-role relationships, and the need for education. But, most have not maintained their ties to Black churches. Extended family ties have been maintained long-distance, but typically children have limited contact with extended family members, and may have limited knowledge of oral family history. The impact of exposure to racism without the buffer of extended family or a Black community on developing racial identity is unclear, and is an area for further investigation. Parents differed in the degree of their concern for their children's developing "Blackness", perhaps reflecting "race-conscious" vs. "class-conscious" family frames. Families had little involvement with civic organizations and made little or no use of formal community support systems, relying heavily on family members for support. This study demonstrates the need for longitudinal studies of the psychological adjustment of Black children in this social context, particularly in terms of their ethnic group identification. It also indicates the need for clinicians to recognize the environmental stress of racism even for "successful" Black families.