Positive Male Role Models
Positive Male Role Models:
The Key to the Success of the African American Male
March 11, 2007
For the majority of African American males, the path to success is a challenging one. Young African American males in today’s society face major challenges to their growth and security. The lack of opportunity and motivation stems from preceding obstacles set before the pathways of their ancestors. Therefore, the crisis faced by present day African American males is nothing new. Having unchanged outcomes in the social aspect of present-day African American males, Black youth should take the unsuccessful paths of their predecessors as lessons learned. Nevertheless, there can not be any type of change expected without adequate opportunities as well as appropriate motivation. From an early age, it has become increasingly apparent that Black males are confronted with a series of obstacles in their attempts to attain academic, career, and personal-social success (Lee, 1992). Being that children are very impressionable, young black males need to be inspired with confidence by a positive example or influence in the beginning stages. The prior stages of adolescence are the most important to the development of successful African American males. This is where the need for positive male role models becomes affective. Most would agree that the key factor of role models is greatly needed. Within the article, Wanted: A few good men, the importance of role models to increase opportunities for African American males were emphasized. Pointed out was a specific period in which a defining moment takes place in the young black male’s life. This was noted as the second of several defining moments, “When individuals assert their independence and often engage in high-risk behavior” (Simms, 1991). This was seen in many black males, but particularly in those whose lives lacked a successful role model. In many cases, this is the key setback in the
The Key to the Success of the African American Male
March 11, 2007
For the majority of African American males, the path to success is a challenging one. Young African American males in today’s society face major challenges to their growth and security. The lack of opportunity and motivation stems from preceding obstacles set before the pathways of their ancestors. Therefore, the crisis faced by present day African American males is nothing new. Having unchanged outcomes in the social aspect of present-day African American males, Black youth should take the unsuccessful paths of their predecessors as lessons learned. Nevertheless, there can not be any type of change expected without adequate opportunities as well as appropriate motivation. From an early age, it has become increasingly apparent that Black males are confronted with a series of obstacles in their attempts to attain academic, career, and personal-social success (Lee, 1992). Being that children are very impressionable, young black males need to be inspired with confidence by a positive example or influence in the beginning stages. The prior stages of adolescence are the most important to the development of successful African American males. This is where the need for positive male role models becomes affective. Most would agree that the key factor of role models is greatly needed. Within the article, Wanted: A few good men, the importance of role models to increase opportunities for African American males were emphasized. Pointed out was a specific period in which a defining moment takes place in the young black male’s life. This was noted as the second of several defining moments, “When individuals assert their independence and often engage in high-risk behavior” (Simms, 1991). This was seen in many black males, but particularly in those whose lives lacked a successful role model. In many cases, this is the key setback in the
References: Lee, C. Empowering young black males. (1992). Retrieved March 9, 2007, from ERICDigest website: http://www.ericdigests.org/1992-4/black.htm Simms, M.C. (1991, Feb). Wanted: A few good men. Black Enterprise, Vol. 21 Issue 7, p. 41. Retrieved March 9, 2007, from EBSCOhost database. Tifft, S. (1990 May 21). Fighting the failure syndrome. Time, Vol. 135 Issue 21, p. 83. Retrieved March 9, 2007, from EBSCOhost database.