Black Men

Jesmyn,

Your early introduction of your father presented him as a powerful man, faced with much responsibility from an incredibly early age. From your vivid descriptions of various experiences with him and your brother, I was reminded of one of the struggles many daughters of Black men face; the struggle to see them as individuals distant from the pressures of the world. Men are often seen by what they offer rather than who they are. Furthermore, while the book focuses on the loss of Black males due to premature deaths, I considered that the inability for people to see and fully understand them leads to their slow deaths while they live. I would argue that this struggle too exists for Black women.