Parenting in the Shadow of Ferguson: Racial Socialization Practices in Context

Threlfall, Jennifer

doi:10.1177/0044118x16670280

Cited by 34 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…A common theme across the literature documenting the racial socialization practices of Black mothers (which this study reinforces) is a general concern for their children’s safety (e.g., Dow 2016; Edwards and Few-Demo 2016; Lewis-McCoy 2016). In this study, as in previous research, this fear often appeared to be exacerbated by recent incidents of racialized violence, such as the killings of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown (e.g., Thomas and Blackmon 2015; Threlfall 2018). The mothers in this study expressed similar concerns to those expressed by Black mothers in previous research, implying that race may trump class (at least in some cases) when it comes to the experiences of Black mothers.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 69%

Black Mothering in Action: The Racial-Class Socialization Practices of Low-Income Black Single Mothers

Turner

2020

Sociology of Race and Ethnicity

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African Americans have long dealt with racism, discrimination, and racialized state and vigilante violence. As such, African American parents must educate their children about the realities of racism in the United States and how to cope with racism and discrimination. This practice, known as racial socialization, is a key aspect of Black parents’ parenting practices. Much of this labor tends to fall on the shoulders of Black mothers. To date, most of the scholarship on Black mothers’ racial socialization practices focuses on Black middle-class mothers. In this study, the author uses in-depth interviews with low-income African American single mothers in Virginia to examine how low-income Black single mothers racially socialize their children, what major concerns they express regarding raising Black children, and how their racial socialization practices and the concerns they express compare with those of Black middle-class mothers. Paralleling previous studies, the findings show that low-income Black single mothers generally fear for their children’s, especially their sons’, safety. They also invoke respectability politics when racially socializing their children, encouraging them not to dress or behave in ways that will reinforce stereotypes of Black boys as thugs or criminals. Diverging from previous research, however, the author argues that low-income Black single mothers’ employment of respectability politics is largely aspirational, as, unlike middle-class mothers, they are not able to assert their class status in an effort to prevent their children from experiencing discrimination.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 69%

Black Mothering in Action: The Racial-Class Socialization Practices of Low-Income Black Single Mothers

Turner

2020

Sociology of Race and Ethnicity

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“…Additional studies indicate that Black mothers make concerted efforts to educate their children on the racialized nature of their identities and how that will influence the behavior they may receive from police and other social control agents (Gonzalez, 2019;Threlfall, 2018). The learning curve for navigating police encounters is steep, and the consequences of ill preparation are dire.…”

Section: Parental Strategizing and Policementioning

confidence: 99%

Under the Radar: Strategies Used by Black Mothers to Prepare Their Sons for Potential Police Interactions

Harris

Amutah‐Onukagha

2019

Journal of Black Psychology

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The current qualitative study explores the experiences of Black mothers who prepare their sons for potential police encounters. Police presence in the Black community has historically elicited feelings of mistrust and fear among Black Americans, and those sentiments resonate today. The discrete incidents of police violence in the United States have been exposed due to an increase in media documentation of the phenomenon. Increased awareness of police violence has also provided insight into the impact that police encounters can have on Black families. A focus group was conducted with six Black mothers with sons ranging in ages from 11 to 33 years. Results highlighted strategies that participants shared with their sons to prepare for a potential police encounter, which included knowing the harsh realities of being Black, regulating their behavior, reframing negative schemas about police, and utilizing family and community supports. Participants believed that sharing strategies and instructions with their sons could enhance safety during a potential police encounter.

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“…The increased visibility of anti-Black racial violence in the news and social media influences how Black mothers talk to their children (Miller & Vittrup, 2020; Threlfall, 2018). For example, in response to George Zimmerman murdering 17-year-old Trayvon Martin due to “suspicious behavior,” A.…”

Section: Racial Discrimination and Racialized Violence Against Black Communities In The United Statesmentioning

confidence: 99%

What Happens If They Come for You? An Exploration of Mothers’ Racial Socialization on Discrimination With Black College Women

Leath

Butler‐Barnes

Ross

et al. 2020

Psychology of Women Quarterly

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Few scholars have considered the racial socialization that Black mothers offer to their daughters on racial discrimination and violence or how mothers’ other social identities (social class and ethnicity) may influence their discourse on these topics. To address this gap, we used consensual qualitative research methods to explore the racial socialization that 47 Black college women recalled from their mothers on racial discrimination and violence during their formative years. The following themes emerged: (a) the nature of Black mothers’ socialization on racial discrimination (consistent messaging, messaging focused on sons, more socialization in response to police shootings, anti-Black messaging from immigrant mothers, and absence of messages) and (b) the ways that mothers socialized their daughters to respond to racial discrimination (self-advocacy, get home safe, code switching, and take the high road). Participants described how their mothers’ socialization messages reflected their personal race-related beliefs and experiences including perceptions of the United States racial climate. Our findings highlight the need for socialization in Black family contexts that addresses the unique and intersectional experiences of Black girls. In particular, scholars and practitioners must draw attention to how racism and sexism contribute to the state-sanctioned violence that Black women and girls experience.

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Parenting in the Shadow of Ferguson: Racial Socialization Practices in Context

Cited by 34 publications

References 28 publications

Black Mothering in Action: The Racial-Class Socialization Practices of Low-Income Black Single Mothers

Black Mothering in Action: The Racial-Class Socialization Practices of Low-Income Black Single Mothers

Under the Radar: Strategies Used by Black Mothers to Prepare Their Sons for Potential Police Interactions

What Happens If They Come for You? An Exploration of Mothers’ Racial Socialization on Discrimination With Black College Women

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