Overview

"White Parents, Black Children looks at the difficult issue of race in transracial adoptions—particularly the adoption by white parents of children from different racial and ethnic groups. Despite the long history of troubled and fragile race relations in the United States, some people believe the United States may be entering a post-racial state where race no longer matters, citing evidence like the increasing number of transracial adoptions to make this point. However, White Parents, Black Children argues that racism remains a factor for many children of transracial adoptions. Black children raised in white homes are not exempt from racism, and white parents are often naive about the experiences their children encounter. This book aims to bring to light racial issues that are often difficult for families to talk about, focusing on the racial socialization white parents provide for their transracially adopted children about what it means to be black in contemporary American society. Blending the stories of adoptees and their parents with extensive research, the authors discuss trends in transracial adoptions, challenge the concept of ""colorblind"" America, and offer suggestions to help adoptees develop a healthy sense of self."

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9781442207622

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Reviews

White Parents, Black Children is a provocative, timely, and important book that elevates the most necessary discussion about the role white parents have in raising their children of color to proudly embrace their racial and cultural heritages and identities in a still sadly racially/culturally separate and unequal world. This book calls for a spirit of humility, and a mental shift of inclusivity and equality on the part of white parents and mainstream society for the sake of its children. Clearly this cannot be done effectively without the commitment and investment of the black community toward that goal. As an adoptee navigating in different worlds simultaneously, this book gives me and hopefully all adoptees of color raised by white parents, permission to value ourselves more authentically as well as to celebrate our strength and freedom in our dual existence. --Roorda, Rhonda M.

An absolutely unique and badly-needed examination of transracial adoption in a society divided by racism, White Parents, Black Children is sure to become the leading resource for persons concerned about the well-being of children of color growing up in white homes. This volume shows clearly the dangers and inadequacies of well-intended colorblindness on the part of white adoptive parents, and demonstrates that a deliberate race (and racism) consciousness on the part of those parents is an absolute must. -- Wise, Tim Amid enthusiastic rhetoric of a post-racial America, Smith, Jacobson, and Juarez give us a fair, plain-spoken argument for why and how race still matters in American society, and by extension, why and how white adoptive parents should take race into account in their parenting of black and biracial adoptive children. -- Heath Fogg Davis This book is especially helpful to anyone who wants a deeper understanding of racism and its dynamics. Certainly, people who care about race relations but are hesitant to talk about race and racism for fear of being misunderstood will appreciate the vocabulary the authors offer to readers to encourage them to actively join in the struggle for racial equality. Sensitive and delicate discussions about race must occur if we, as loving adults, want our children's inter-racial relationships to be healthy. In our ever-changing demographics, at a minimum, adults would be naive to think their children will not need to know how to mediate the color line. In an ideal world, adults would embrace their own and their children's multi-racial relationships in the myriad places they already occur and inevitably will continue to occur-in schools, boardrooms, military camps, and, yes, even in families. Toward that end, readers will appreciate how the authors facilitate discussions about complicated and delicate racial issues that must be engaged in a democracy. -- Sharon E. Rush White Parents, Black Children is a provocative, timely, and important book that elevates the most necessary discussion about the role white parents have in raising their children of color to proudly embrace their racial and cultural heritages and identities in a still sadly racially/culturally separate and unequal world. This book calls for a spirit of humility, and a mental shift of inclusivity and equality on the part of white parents and mainstream society for the sake of its children. Clearly this cannot be done effectively without the commitment and investment of the black community toward that goal. As an adoptee navigating in different worlds simultaneously, this book gives me and hopefully all adoptees of color raised by white parents, permission to value ourselves more authentically as well as to celebrate our strength and freedom in our dual existence. -- Roorda, Rhonda M.

Author Information

Darron T. Smith is a frequent commentator on issues of race, including a New York Times post on transracial adoption and Haiti. He is assistant professor at Wichita State University and the coeditor of the book Black and Mormon. Cardell K. Jacobson is Karl G. Maeser Professor at Brigham Young University and the author or editor of several books, including Statistical Handbook on Racial Groups in the United States. Brenda G. Juárez is assistant professor at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, specializing in social justice education.

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