Black Fatherhood In Du Bois's Of The Passing Of A Father

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Common stereotypes portray black fathers as being largely absent from their families. Proceeding the emancipation, African Americans were forced to adapt to a white ruled society. Now that they were free, many sought education and jobs in order to provide for their families and achieve their full potential. This caused many African American males to leave their families in pursuit of better opportunities. Obama’s father had left his home to pursue education and study at Harvard University, but Obama only saw his father one more time, in 1971, when he came to Hawaii for a month's visit. Throughout the rest of his life, Obama faced the conflict of belonging, most in part because he didn’t have a father to help him. “There's nobody to guide through …show more content…

This illustrates the importance of black fatherhood and how it particularly plays a role in the development of the child. The significance of the African American father figure is further emphasized in “Of the Passing of the first Born” in Du Bois’s The Souls of Black …show more content…

His initial indifference to his child transforms into an absolute adoration, but he is devastated by the fact that the child will have to grow up in the veil and experience discrimination. The child eventually dies from an illness that grew too strong. Du Bois becomes devastated and heartbroken, but is partially glad that the boy does not have to live in the veil and grow up in a cruel racist American society. These are two prime examples where the absence of family, specifically the father, has played a significant impact on the African American family. In Dreams From my Father, we see that Obama had to struggle his entire life to find himself and where he belonged, as he had no guide to teach him. His father’s absence was due to his pursuit in a better socioeconomic status. In Souls of Black Folk, although Du Bois is never absent from his son, in a turn of events due to poor conditions within the veil, his son becomes absent from him, and leaves his small family distraught. Du Bois reveals the only thing remaining is “the world’s most piteous thing: a childless mother”

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