SUNY Old Westbury African Descent Families Discussion

On the 25th anniversary of the publication of his classic work “The Strengths of Black Families” (Hill, 1972), Robert Hill published a revised edition of his work (Hill, 1997). This discussion builds on the work you began yesterday looking for statistical data on African descent families.

The strengths Hill identified are:

1. Strong Achievement Orientation
2. Strong Work Orientation
3. Flexible Family Roles
4. Strong Kinship Bonds
5. Strong Religious Orientation

   Then, as a group, you’ll construct a statistical profile of African Descent Families using data from the Census, The Pew Research Center, and other reputable sites we discussed on Wednesday like well-known newspaper websites and educational (ending in .edu) websites. Your data will be structured around the strengths identified by Hill.
   Select two of the 5 categories Hill discussed and find at least one piece of data (a statistic about one aspect of that strength) that supports the notion that that particular strength still exists. You’ll have to give some thought to how to document that. For example, one of the strengths is related to education, so you could find data on an increase in college graduation rates among a segment of the African descent community. Remember, there are 5 strengths, and you should only use two of the categories.
   You can use data on Afro-Latinos, African-Americans, Afro-Caribbeans, and Africans born on the continent. Remember, you don’t have to compare African descent families to anyone but other African descent families.
   Discuss the data you found:
   How does the data support the idea that this is still a strength of African descent families?
   How has that strength made it possible for African descent families to endure the experiences discussed in the Coates article on reparations? Be specific.

   “Cite sources and use APA format”