African American Family Life Bibliography

Compiled by MaryJane Pierce Norton

Resolution 57, found in The Book of Resolutions of the United Methodist Church 2004, charges the General Board of Discipleship with providing a listing of resources and programs developed to strengthen African American family life.

While there are a wide variety of resources available that have been published and produced to strengthen family life regardless of ethnicity or culture, the following resources specifically address African American families. This is a representative listing rather than a comprehensive one.

Congregational Ministry

• Church and Family Together: A Congregational Manual for Black Family Ministry edited by Karen Jones Bernstine. Judson Press, Valley Forge: 1996. ISBN 0817012435.
  This book addresses establishing a biblical and theological foundation for creating a climate for family ministry; a step-by-step approach to family ministry; advocacy techniques; suggestions for rituals, traditions, and celebrations that strengthen family life; and an appendix of practical tools for the congregation. Produced in collaboration with ecumenical staff, this book will be revised in the near future, but the 1996 edition is still available.


• Reclaiming the Urban Family: How to Mobilize the Church as a Family Training Center by Willie Richardson. Zondervan: 1996. ISBN 0310200083.
  Dr. Richardson has, in this book, recorded what he and the congregation at Christian Stronghold Baptist Church in Philadelphia have done to strengthen families in urban areas. He gives pastors and leaders methods for restoring, training, and strengthening families. Included also is a section of resources for African American family ministries.


• How to Equip the African American Family by Dr. George & Yvonne Abatso, edited with Bible study applications by Dr. Colleen Birchett, Urban Ministries, Inc.: 1991. Student Guide, ISBN 0940955172; Leader's Guide, ISBN 0940955180.
  This book contains guidelines for strengthening single-parent, dual-parent, and extended African American families. Each chapter contains case studies and Bible study applications. There is a separate leader's guide that gives instructions for using the book as a text for group Bible study.

• Fighting for Your African American Marriage by Keith E. Whitfield, Howard J. Markman, Scott M. Stanley & Susan L. Blumberg, Pfeiffer & Co: 2001. ISBN 0787955515.
  Included in this book are solid solutions to challenges faced in marriage. The book addresses the stress of everyday pressures of racism and its affect on marriage; special issues faced in raising, nurturing, and disciplining children in a society that discriminates against them; and other topics pertinent to black couples.

• Effective Black Parenting Program
  This is an instructor-based program administered by the Center for Improvement of Child Caring, 11331 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 103, Studio City, CA 91604-3147; www.ciccparenting.org In addition, CICC carries a full range of print and video resources to address issues in black families and black parenting.


• African American FaithHome for Parents.
  This is a series of booklets written specifically for African American parents. The twelve booklets in the series are:
  
  • "Blended Families"
  • "Helping Your Child Cope with Grief"
  • "Surviving Miscarriage"
  • "Helping Your Child Cope with Divorce"
  • "The Family Dinner"
  • "Teaching Your Child to Pray"
  • "Your Child and Discipline"
  • "Your Child and Respect"
  • "Now That You're a Parent"
  • "Communicating with Your Preschooler"
  • "Communicating with Your Child, Ages 6-12"
  • "Communicating with Your Teenager"
  
  These are sold in a sampler package containing one of each of the twelve booklets or in packages of 12 of a single title. Available from www.cokesbury.com.

• The Strengths of African American Families: Twenty-Five Years Later by Robert Bernard Hill, R&B Publishing, 2nd edition: 1998. ISBN096581470X.
  Robert Hill returns to his innovating work of 25 years ago and gives an analysis of the five key cultural strengths of African American families.


• Climbing Jacob's Ladder: The Enduring Legacies of African American Families by Andrew Billingsley, Touchstone, Reprint edition: 1994. ISBN 0671677098.
  This is a comprehensive book that discusses African American family structure, looks at the legacy of slavery, examines the influence and strength of the extended family, and examines the influence of the black church.

This bibliography was prepared by MaryJane Pierce Norton, Associate General Secretary, General Board of Discipleship, United Methodist Church. For further information, please contact the Rev. Norton at mnorton@gbod.org.

Posted 1-5-06

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