The Black community in America has long held a unique strength in its extended family support systems, a cultural inheritance from our ancestors that was crucial to our survival during and after slavery. When we were ripped from our homelands, separated from our families, and forcibly stripped of our names, languages, and gods, we turned to each other for survival. Despite unimaginable suffering, the community developed a “village mentality,” a collective approach to life that saw every child as everyone’s child, and every person as a vital part of the whole. This village mentality was an unspoken pact of unity that carried Black families through the darkest days of slavery, Jim Crow, and segregation.
Today, however, we find ourselves in a vastly different reality. The once-solid extended family networks that protected us are crumbling. Our children are no longer seen as the collective responsibility of the community, and many of us no longer identify with one another in the ways we once did. Instead of unity, we often see competition, distrust, and division within the Black community. This disintegration is not by accident, but rather by design, orchestrated by societal forces that have sought to dismantle our communities. These include media portrayal, government policies, and the destructive influences of assimilation into a dominant culture that has little regard for our well-being. As we turn our backs on the practices that once sustained us, we edge closer to a collective extinction that could forever sever us from our true potential as a people.
How the Breakdown of the Black Family Was Engineered
The breakdown of the Black family in America was not a spontaneous or natural occurrence; it was an engineered process that took place over generations, carefully crafted by forces that sought to destroy the core of our community—our unity. Below are 15 ways in which the extended Black family and village mentality have been systematically eroded, along with historical references and government actions that contributed to this disintegration:
- Slavery’s Legacy of Separation*
The foundation for the destruction of the Black family was laid during slavery when families were deliberately torn apart. Husbands, wives, and children were sold to different plantations, erasing familial bonds and fostering a culture where survival required focusing on the individual rather than the collective. The effects of this trauma have reverberated through generations, and we have yet to fully heal. -
Post-Slavery Economic Exploitation*
After slavery, sharecropping and other exploitative economic systems continued to place Black families in positions of vulnerability. Families were still struggling for survival, with no generational wealth or resources to build on. This left little room for the traditional village support system as economic pressures pushed individuals into isolated survival modes. -
The Great Migration and Urbanization*
During the Great Migration, millions of Black families moved from the rural South to northern cities. This shift disrupted extended family networks and replaced close-knit rural communities with urban anonymity. The village mentality was weakened as families became more isolated in the pursuit of economic opportunities. -
Government-Sponsored Housing Segregation*
The government’s role in the erosion of the Black family cannot be ignored. Policies such as redlining and the creation of segregated housing projects concentrated poverty in Black communities while denying access to homeownership and wealth-building opportunities. These policies fractured neighborhoods and created environments of desperation and crime, further weakening communal bonds. -
Welfare Programs and the Destruction of the Black Male Role*
Welfare programs in the mid-20th century, while necessary for survival, had the unintended effect of pushing Black men out of the household. Many welfare policies penalized families with an able-bodied man in the home, leading to the dismantling of traditional family structures and a growing sense of disconnection within families. -
Mass Incarceration
The mass incarceration of Black men, fueled by the War on Drugs and harsh sentencing policies, has devastated families across generations. Children growing up without fathers, mothers raising children alone, and the community losing role models and protectors all contributed to the unraveling of the village mentality. -
Media Representation of Black Families
The media plays a significant role in how Black families are perceived, both within the community and by society at large. Over time, portrayals of the Black family as dysfunctional, violent, and broken have reinforced negative stereotypes and led to internalized disdain for the family unit, contributing to the erosion of collective responsibility. -
Economic Inequality and Job Discrimination
Persistent economic inequality has left many Black families in a state of perpetual financial instability. This has diminished the ability of extended family members to support each other, as everyone is fighting to survive on their own. Job discrimination has further exacerbated this, with fewer economic opportunities available, leaving families fragmented and struggling. -
Educational Inequality
The failure of the American educational system to properly educate Black children has driven a wedge between the community and the institutions that are supposed to empower it. This has created a sense of alienation among Black youth, further fracturing the bonds that once held families and communities together. -
The Rise of Individualism
As American culture emphasizes individual success and self-sufficiency, the collective mentality of the Black community has been overshadowed. The pursuit of the “American Dream” has led many to abandon the village approach in favor of self-interest, further deteriorating community bonds. -
Drug Epidemics
The crack cocaine epidemic of the 1980s and the opioid crisis that followed have wreaked havoc on Black families. Addiction destroyed households, leading to further disintegration of the extended family structure as family members became consumed with their own struggles. -
The Decline of Community Institutions
Once pillars of the Black community, institutions such as churches, community centers, and local organizations have weakened. As these communal spaces decline, so too does the sense of belonging and responsibility toward one another. -
Lack of Cultural Connection
Many Black Americans have lost touch with their African roots and traditions. This disconnection from cultural practices that emphasize community over the individual has allowed the village mentality to deteriorate, leaving many to adopt Western ideals of independence. -
Government Policies on Policing
The over-policing of Black neighborhoods and police brutality have instilled fear and distrust within communities, making it difficult for families to unite and stand together. The constant surveillance and criminalization of Black people have fractured community cohesion. -
Consumerism and Materialism
The rise of consumer culture has led many Black families to prioritize material wealth over familial wealth. The focus on accumulating individual status symbols rather than building communal wealth has driven a wedge between family members and diminished the collective spirit.
How Integration Further Weakened Black Families
While the Civil Rights Movement was a pivotal moment in the fight for equality, integration into American society came with unintended consequences. The assimilation into mainstream culture came at the cost of our traditional values and ways of life. Below are 10 ways in which integration and assimilation into the American way of life have contributed to the breakdown of the village mentality:
- Adopting Western Individualism
Integration into American society brought with it the adoption of Western values, including individualism over collectivism. The “every man for himself” mindset replaced the village mentality, and the community began to drift apart. -
Loss of Collective Identity
As Black families integrated into mainstream American culture, many lost touch with their collective identity and the importance of community support. The emphasis shifted from “we” to “I,” creating isolation. -
Cultural Assimilation
Black families were encouraged to assimilate into a culture that often rejected their values and practices. This assimilation led to a loss of cultural practices that emphasized family and community unity. -
Erosion of Traditional Family Values
The American model of the nuclear family began to replace the extended family structure that had been central to the Black community. This shift weakened the bonds between extended family members. -
Economic Integration Without Equity
While integration opened up economic opportunities for some, it did not bring equity for the majority. The focus on individual economic advancement often came at the cost of communal economic growth, leaving many families behind. -
Educational Integration
The integration of schools often led to Black students being taught by teachers who had little understanding or regard for their cultural background, further alienating Black children from their roots and community. -
Suburbanization
As some Black families gained access to suburban neighborhoods, they left behind the urban communities that had been the bedrock of Black culture and the village mentality. This physical separation weakened the sense of community. -
Internalized Racism
Integration exposed Black families to greater levels of racism, both externally and internally. Internalized racism has led some within the community to adopt the negative stereotypes placed upon them, creating division within the community. -
The Rise of Black Capitalism
The pursuit of economic success within the capitalist framework led some Black individuals to prioritize their personal advancement over the well-being of the community. This focus on wealth accumulation often came at the expense of collective growth. -
Rejection of African Spirituality
Many Black families have embraced Western religious practices while abandoning traditional African spiritual systems that emphasized communal responsibility and healing. This spiritual disconnection has contributed to the erosion of the village mentality.
Solutions for Restoring the Village Mentality
To restore the village mentality that once sustained us, we must take intentional steps to rebuild our communities, strengthen our families, and reconnect with our roots. Below are 10 solutions that can help us restore what was lost:
- Re-embrace Collective Responsibility
We must return to the understanding that each person in the community is responsible for the well-being of others. This means viewing children, elders, and even distant relatives as extensions of our immediate family, and fostering environments where everyone has a role to play in the community’s success. -
Rebuild Community Institutions
Reinvesting in community institutions such as churches, cultural centers, and grassroots organizations can help bring people together. These institutions must serve as safe spaces where Black families can connect, support one another, and address issues as a collective. -
Prioritize Family Over Material Wealth
Shifting our focus from material wealth to familial wealth is crucial. This means investing time, energy, and resources into building strong families and ensuring that the bonds between relatives remain intact, rather than prioritizing the pursuit of individual status symbols. -
Reclaim African Spiritual Practices
Reconnecting with African spiritual traditions can help restore a sense of unity and collective healing within the Black community. These practices emphasize the interconnectedness of all life and can help revive the village mentality that once sustained us. -
Mentorship and Intergenerational Support
Encouraging mentorship between generations is key to rebuilding the village mentality. Elders must pass down wisdom to younger generations, and the youth must learn to value the experiences and lessons of their elders. This mutual respect fosters stronger familial bonds. -
Support Black-Owned Businesses
Economic empowerment within the Black community can help rebuild the village mentality by circulating wealth within the community. Supporting Black-owned businesses and encouraging entrepreneurship fosters a sense of collective responsibility for the community’s economic health. -
Reject Hyper-Individualism
We must consciously reject the hyper-individualism that has been ingrained in us through Western culture. Instead, we should focus on collective success, understanding that when one person in the community thrives, we all thrive. -
Foster Cooperative Living
Cooperative living models, where extended family members or community members share resources and responsibilities, can help rebuild the village mentality. This can include multi-generational households, community farming, or shared childcare responsibilities. -
Emphasize Cultural Education
Teaching Black children about their history, culture, and African roots can help instill a sense of pride and collective identity. Schools, families, and community organizations must prioritize cultural education to ensure that future generations do not lose touch with their heritage. -
Build Stronger Emotional Bonds
Healing the emotional wounds caused by systemic racism and historical trauma is essential to restoring the village mentality. This involves creating spaces for emotional support, open dialogue, and collective healing within the community to strengthen relationships.
Conclusion
The disintegration of the village mentality within the Black community is not just a loss of tradition, but a fundamental erosion of the values and systems that have sustained us through centuries of oppression. By understanding the historical context and engineered forces that have driven us to this point, we can begin the work of restoring what was lost. This is not just a matter of survival but of thriving as a people with a unique and powerful history.
Rebuilding the extended family networks that once bound us together will require a collective effort to reject the values that have driven us apart—values of hyper-individualism, materialism, and division. Instead, we must return to practices that emphasize unity, cultural pride, and collective success. This is not a call to isolate ourselves from the world, but rather a call to reconnect with ourselves, our families, and our communities in ways that allow us to thrive in a balanced and harmonious manner.
By reviving the village mentality, we can not only heal from the damage that has been done but also create a future where Black families and communities are stronger than ever. This restoration is not only cultural but also spiritual, mental, and physical. It is about creating a future where we stand together, support each other, and build a world where we are no longer strangers in a strange land, but a people united by love, self-respect, and a deep connection to our roots.
