The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) has announced that the theme for Black History Month 2021 is “The Black Family: Representation, Identity and Diversity” focusing on the historical impact and study of African American kinship.
The theme highlights history, literature, the visual arts and film studies, sociology, anthropology, and social policy of the Black family. The theme also takes a look at the representation and identity of Black families, which have been subject to vilification and stereotyping, from slavery to present time.
ASALH officials stated, “The Black family knows no single location, since family reunions and genetic-ancestry searches testify to the spread of family members across states, nations and continents. Not only are individual Black families diasporic, but Africa and the diaspora itself have been long portrayed as the Black family at large.”
This Black History Month will examine the role of all types of Black families including, patriarchal or matriarchal/matrifocal, as single-headed or dual-headed household, extended or nuclear, fictive kin or blood lineage, legal or common law and interracial. There will also be discussions about the impact of parenting, childhood, marriage, gender norms and incarceration.
A number of societal factors have had an impact on Black families throughout American history. From families being separated during slavery to the modern unequal criminal justice system taking Black fathers out of the home.
According to the Statista Research Department, in 2019 there were about 4.15 million Black families in the U.S. with a single mother. This is an increase from 1990 levels, when there were about 3.4 million Black families with a single mother. An analysis by the Center for American Progress reveals that African American children across generations have had more than twice the odds of having an incarcerated household member as white children.
“The family offers a rich tapestry of images for exploring the African American past and present,” ASALH officials said.
ASALH was founded in 1915 by Dr. Carter G. Woodson. Under his leadership, the organization presented the first African American History Celebration in 1926. The organization focuses on a specific theme each year. ASALH is hosting its inaugural virtual Black History Month Festival throughout February. Speakers include Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham Go to asalh.org/festival/ for a full schedule of events.