Читать книгу Black Mens Studies - Serie McDougal III - Страница 10

Acknowledgments

The initial idea for this research grew out of my attendance at several conference presentations dealing with topics on or related to Black men and/or boys. Although intriguing, so many of them painted remarkably similar pictures of Black males. So much appeared to be missing; historical context, social and cultural context, variation, diversity, and the voices of Black males themselves. This experience sent me searching through library databases for books and articles related to Black males. The available body of literature on Black males was like an exciting and provocative box of puzzle pieces. But alas, it was as if half the pieces were missing. Part of my existence I owe to my father, yet there are few reflections of men like my father in the vast body of literature on Black males. He was not alone—the fullness of most Black males’ lives is seldom reflected in most literature about Black males. What emerged was an awareness of the need for a systematic approach to studying the lives of Black men and boys.

The process of developing the systemic approach laid out in this text was aided by many conversations with my family, friends, colleagues, and students. First and foremost, I must thank my father Serie McDougal Jr. and my grandfathers, Serie McDougal Sr. and Will Ellis. This book is dedicated to these men. I would like to thank my editor, Sean Dennis. I owe a great deal of gratitude to my Black male mentors Molefi Asante, James Earl Davis, Daniel Johnson, Marc McConney, Wade Nobles, and Oba T’Shaka and others who have at critical times in my life seen potentialities in me that I was unable to see in myself. I also owe a great deal of thanks for the support of my brothers who repeatedly had critical conversations with me about this project, including John Adams, Eric Durnell, Paul Easterling, Justin Gammage, Clarence George, Le’Shaunte Le’Flore, Orron Marshall, and Michael Tillotson. This work benefited greatly from critical dialog with Tanisha Burke, Ifetayo Flannery, Crystal Guillory, Sureshi Jayawardene, Natalie Lewis, Patricia Nunley, Dorothy Tsuruta and my mother and sister Anne and Shannon McDougal. Lastly, throughout this process I have benefited from the love and support of my dear Precious Zamaswazi Dlamini.

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