Family
Family is cherished within the African American community in this country. Due to turbulent historical events from slavery to racial segregation, family bonds in this culture are very strong. These events have tested family bonds throughout African American history, changing the family make-up by causing these families to become more Americanized and less Africanized following slavery abolishment.
Given the history of African Americans in this country, family reunions and events are highly cherished to help maintain the African American culture. Elders of African American families are celebrated, as they are seen as passing on the African American legacy in this country. Elders provide great insight and wisdom into family and cultural history, giving guidance to younger family members.
The popularity of family reunions has grown over the past several years. After the civil rights movement, different aspects of society started to become more accessible to African Americans, allowing for better education, jobs, and economic advancements. This made it so it was no longer necessary for African Americans to stay in the same community as their family and elders, and allowed those in this culture to branch out to make a living.
Rapid adjustments to the changing society required the African American community to adapt and make continuing efforts to maintain family culture, which lead to more family reunions within the community. As time goes on, new generations of Elders in African American families are looked at to carry on tradition. More recent family reunions are seen as tribute to the old and new members of a family. Elders of African American families are presented with the challenge of guiding current African American youth. Elders value racial pride and dignity, whereas youth struggle with issues of identity and entitlement. Given today’s modern technology, family reunions are not as common as they originally were but continue to be a staple in the African American community.
