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Abstract:
African American families typically have strong familial structures. These structures have evolved from their roots of the family's African heritage. Children are the central theme of the African family and are served by individuals and the community at large. The central composition of the U.S. African American family has changed from a two-generation format to a multi-generational one due to social and economic factors. It is important for the nurse to view care from a cultural context and use of the Leininger Theory of Culture Care: Diversity and Universality can promote identification of solutions to problems that address patterns of behavior. These patterns of behavior are the lifeways (life processes) that are influenced by values, beliefs, and norms.
Keywords: Evolution, African American, Family
The African Family Foundation
The structure of the African family typically has strong foundations that introduce several generations into the life of children. Children serve as a central theme for this unit and a child has many 'mothers' who influence and teach the child essential functions of life. Having multiple influences serves to develop a stable community where all members work to further add security to life for families and children. A shared community responsibility develops a strong sense of social responsibility. In Africa, marriages are not only a union between two people but are seen as an extension of family and community. Marriage is a union between two families and serves to develop further 'kinship' relationships (Georgas, 2003). Family structures are supported by elders and other community resource people to ensure its success.
The African family structure was changed during U.S. slavery years with initial disruption of foundational families within their community and country. This trend continued among African American families when members were moved at will by plantation owners through sale or bartering. Children were moved from one plantation family to another plantation family and might have never known their blood kin (Bibb, 2009). African mothers and fathers were also sold or traded without regard for maintaining family structures by their owners. Despite these tragic events, marriages and structure among African American families were maintained as much as possible in slave quarters and in free states. Modernization and industrialization further strained family structures as African Americans emerged from...