To Black Fathers Who Take Fatherhood Seriously

Each year, the third Sunday of June is set aside to pay tribute to the many fathers who are devoted to their families and who have embraced fatherhood as an honorable and sacred role unlike any other. And, while it may appear necessary to set aside at least one day a year to celebrate the crucial role fathers perform in their families and in the lives of their children, I would like to suggest that those of us who are fathers - especially black fathers- begin this year by taking the celebratory activities several steps further.

1. Call/write/email at least 5 other black men who are fathers every month and encourage them to continue to do what they are suppose to do - provide, protect, plan, prepare and pray. Being a caring and committed father is one of the most difficult task facing African American men, and this task will not get any easier in years to come.

2. Suggest to those family members and friends who would like to buy gifts or dinner - to first and foremost - support black businesses/restaurants. One can only imagined and feel saddened by the enormous amount of money we bestow to others who live outside our communities on Mother's Day.

3. Reach out and back to the myriad African American families headed by sisters and offer our assistance and support whenever possible. Young boys can never be what they never see, and we must give our young girls positive and healthy images of manhood/fatherhood.

4. Do something on Father's Day to restore hope, happiness and health to the Black community. For example, extend special greetings to the children on your block; clean up the space around your home/apartment and the space next door; refrain from drinking alcohol or using drugs and send some of your money to those institutions in the community that support the black family.

5. Thank the Creator and each member of your family for allowing you to serve them and to be a presence in their lives. Remember, God and family first.

Finally, I would like to recommend that those of us who take fatherhood seriously use Father's Day to hold every father in our community accountable and begin cultivating a climate in our community that promotes optimal fatherhood functioning. We need to begin asking each father we come in contact with the following four questions.

First, what is your definition of Black fatherhood? If he does not have one, refer him to Brother Haki Madhubuti's book, Black Men: Obsolete, Single and Dangerous, and the chapter, "What's A Daddy?: Fathering and Marriage."

Second, are you actively involved in the raising of your children? And, if not, why not? We must challenge every excuse Black men offer - even incarceration and unemployment - as reasons for not being involved with their children.

The third question, are you teaching your son(s) / daughter(s) why it is so important to love and support black women / men? And the final question we must asked is, are you teaching your son(s) / daughter(s) how to survive and thrive in a society that is preoccupied with racial profiling, police brutality, sexual exploitation, uni-sexualization, materialism, and building more prisons and throwing away the keys?

These questions, I believe, will begin to speak to issues of accountability, which must become non-negotiable. If they are properly discussed and addressed, more fathers in the community will, out of a sense of duty and urgency, join the ranks of Black fathers who are determined to move beyond rhetoric, marches and one day celebrations to do whatever it takes to rescue their sons and daughters and become examples of Black manhood and fatherhood needed to guide their children into responsible adolescence and adulthood.

Let's never forget that fatherhood is an honorable and sacred role that should be cherished and taken very, very seriously. HAPPY FATHERS DAY!

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