News from the Black Caucus of the Society for Research in Child Development

February 2007
(download in PDF format)

Notes from the Editors

Diane Hughes and Eboni Howard

We are pleased to distribute our first newsletter since the meeting of the Black Caucus in April 2005. In this issue, there are several columns which will appear regularly, including commentaries from the chair and chair-elect. Future issues also will include a critical reflection on an emerging social or research issue (thanks to Mike Cunningham for contributing his reflections on Hurricane Katrina). In addition, you can look for member announcements, a graduate student corner, and an annual synthesis of literature on a major research problem facing Black children and families. Please let us know if you have suggestions or would like to contribute to any of these activities. Also, send your news to EHoward@Erikson.edu or diane.hughes@nyu.edu)

Chairperson’s Message

Two exciting events ushered in my tenure as the 2005-2007 Chair of the SRCD Black Caucus—organizing and convening the 2005 SRCD Black Caucus Pre-Conference in Atlanta, GA and the publication of the volume on the founding and history of the SRCD Black Caucus!
 

The 2005 Pre-Conference, “Black Children’s Socialization Contexts: Change, Challenge, and Competence” was convened in Atlanta, GA. The lead address was an outstanding presentation/ demonstration, “Using Robotics to Inspire Learning and Competence among African American Youth” by Dr. Andrew B. Williams, Assistant Professor, Department of Computer and Information Sciences, Spellman College and three of his undergraduate students on his robotics team, the Spelbots. Attendees provided provocative questions and comments as they related his presentation to their own and wider research, program, policy, and advocacy agendas related to Black children’s development. The session provided network opportunities—Dr. Williams’ invited SRCD Black Caucus members to consider collaboration with technology scholars and practitioners as a means of promoting Black children’s achievement and social competence through technology. Other Pre-Conference panels focused on research and related professional activities by Black Caucus members, affiliates, and colleagues.

The SRCD Black Caucus members truly have reason to be proud! The volume, Our Children Too: A History of the Black Caucus of the Society for Research in Child Development, 1973-1997, edited by Drs. Diana T. Slaughter-Defoe, Aline M. Garrett, and Algea O. Harrison Hale (Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, Volume, 71, No. 1) has been published. The editors and authors provide substantive historical and sociopolitical commentary as well as many lessons learned. I trust that you have read this extraordinary document that our colleagues produced, no doubt, as a labor of love and tribute to Black children and professionals who promote the status of Black youth through research, policy, practice, and advocacy activities.

We had a very substantive business meeting with a number of initiatives that we will be working on in the coming years. This included continuing to work with the SRCD leadership on its strategic plans such as promoting diversity, working with two newly launched organizations, the Latino Caucus and Asian Caucus, and enhancing our own Caucus through increasing membership, mentoring young scholars, the new website, and fine-tuning our objectives. These areas will be further discussed in our 2007 Caucus Business Meeting in Boston.

Finally, in 2005 the SRCD Black Caucus issued a call for and received donations to support youth, adults, and families impacted by Hurricane Katrina which inflicted death, disability, property destruction, and dislocation to thousands of people—disproportionately Black and low-income people. A number of professional organizations, including Black organizations, conducted similar initiatives. These initiatives are still in progress in 2007 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

To conclude, I look forward to working with the SRCD Black Caucus leadership and members as we strive to enhance our organization on behalf of Black children.

Velma LaPoint
2005-2007 Chair
Howard University

A Message from the Chair-Elect

I am honored to have been chosen the Chair-Elect of the Black Caucus.  It is hard to believe that our last meeting was my 14^th year as a member of the Caucus and my 7^th pre-conference!  The Caucus has been critical to my development as a scholar. The support I have received through the years is what drives my interest in expanding our commitment to mentoring graduate students, postdocs, and new assistant professors.  I was excited to see so many young scholars at our last meeting, asking where they fit in.  In response, we have added a “Lunch with the Leaders” luncheon on Wednesday March 28^th, where junior scholars can network with senior Caucus members and receive professional advice. In addition, we will join the Millennium Scholars on Thursday morning in hopes that these undergraduates will get involved with the Caucus as they transition into doctoral programs.   I am looking forward to seeing you all at the upcoming pre-conference. In the meantime, feel free to contact me at srowley@umich.edu with thoughts about the 2007 pre-conference or the direction of our group.

Stephanie Rowley
2005-2007 Chair-Elect
University of Michigan

A Tale of Two Cities: A Katrina Evacuee’s Personal Story

Michael Cunningham
Tulane University
New Orleans, LA

Hurricane Katrina showed the nation and the world that New Orleans was a tale of two cities: rich and poor, Black and White. However, were the events that occurred in New Orleans specific to the city, or were they microcosms of the United States? Race in America is one of the most sensitive topics. As our country becomes more diverse we speak more of cultural traditions and ethnic patterns to describe behaviors. Rarely do we speak of phenotypic characteristics that distinguish our individuality and commonalities at the same time. Media reports of Hurricane Katrina reminded all of us that New Orleans and the United States are full of tales of two cities: rich and poor, Black and White.

As I watched broadcasts of the waters continuing to rise in New Orleans I was full of horror, sympathy, and sometimes guilt. I was horrified at how inaccurate the reports were. Reporters could not pronounce names of streets; they misreported areas that were flooded; and they only showed the worst case scenarios. I was horrified that I could not get accurate information about specific neighborhoods. I had sympathy for the people working in the city without an infrastructure or safe, dry places to sleep. I had sympathy for many of the people who hit their breaking points from over-exhaustion; and even for the people who were struggling with addiction problems and, as a result, demonstrated psychotic behaviors. I had feelings of guilt that I was able and had the financial resources to evacuate early.

I left on the Saturday (August 27^th) before the storm hit (August 29^th). Mayor Ray Nagin issued a voluntary evacuation on Saturday morning. At first I was not going to leave. I live in an old home in an area that is well above sea level. In fact, this was the first time I evacuated in the 10 years that I lived in the city. I did so reluctantly because I had syllabi to complete for the beginning of the semester; I had reviews to complete for a journal; and I was trying to finish an article before the semester got too busy. However, after my phone rang from friends in the city and family members elsewhere all urging me to leave, I did so. Before I started the drive to Atlanta, I packed some shorts, went to the dry cleaners to get some clothes, and went to my office to get my laptop and materials to complete my syllabi. I did not call old Atlanta friends to say that I would be in town. Instead, I made reservations at a cheap hotel and thought I would have a day or two to complete the syllabi. I was sure that I would be back at home in a day or two. Wow, was I wrong!

I sat in my hotel room watching CNN and other news channels. My eyes were glued to the TV. I called family members in other areas to let them know that I was okay. I also naively told them that I could be reached on my cell phone. After calling other New Orleans’ friends to see if they were okay as well as to see where they were, I realized that our “504” area code was not working. I could call out, but others and I could not receive calls. This communication glitch added to the frustration of not knowing what would become of my “post-Katrina” life.

After a week in Atlanta, I decided to go to North Carolina where my mother moved after retiring from the D.C. area a few years ago. While there I was reminded that I am the youngest of three children. My mother and grandmother spoiled me and provided me with all the comforts of home. While the love and support were extremely appreciated, I also had to get used to living in mother’s home, which is something that I had not done since high school a few decades ago. Additionally, I had to get used to living in an extremely rural part of the country. My mother lives in a small town named Yanceyville. The next major city is Greensboro, which is a 45-minute drive away. When I tell people about Yanceyville, I jokingly state that all the Black people are my cousins or married to one of my cousins. It is a great place to retire; however, I am no where near that point in my life. The small town used to be a tobacco farming community; so land is plentiful, but jobs are few and far between as few tobacco farmers exist there anymore.

While I was there, the big news at my mother’s house was that the road in front of the house was being paved. My mother and grandmother were excited about this progress. Pictures were taken to document; conversations were had with the construction crews; and that Yanceyville welcome was in full force. While this was a great distraction to my lack of knowledge of if I had a home anymore in New Orleans, I needed to go to a larger city where I could have regular internet access and cell phone service (my cell phone did not work in Yanceyville even before Katrina damaged New Orleans’ area towers). So I spent a weekend in Durham and then a week in the D.C. area. I was able to get internet information about New Orleans and my neighborhood specifically.

The initial news projected that New Orleans’ residents would not be able to return to the city until December. Luckily, parts of the city dried out faster than anticipated and certain zip codes were allowed to re-enter. My zip code was one of the first. I made plans to drive back to Yanceyville and then make my way back to the “new” New Orleans. However, the return trip was postponed because Hurricane Rita threatened to hit New Orleans. Instead, it devastated the southwestern parts of Louisiana and only re-flooded parts of New Orleans. Some have argued that this second flooding was actually useful to New Orleans, as it washed away some of the diseased water debris left by Katrina. Others argue that it devastated the weakest part of the city even more. Like recounts of the storm and New Orleans before Katrina, the stories are tales of two cities: Black or White, rich or poor. Will life in post-Katrina New Orleans continue to be a tale of two cities? Time will tell.

I returned home to a house that was not flooded. I had significant roof damage, which caused some water spots in a few areas. However, the house was livable and I now have a new roof! The initial days after returning home were spent cleaning and adjusting to a city with only a few neighborhoods that were livable. Conveniences of life, such as grocery stores, pharmacies, and restaurants were few. The ones that were open had limited hours, and there was a curfew. The latter was strange for New Orleans, as it is known as the “Big Easy.” Life used to be relaxed, but open 24 hours a day. Slowly, but surely the city is coming back. More than a year later, major areas where tourist visit resemble the days of “Pre-Katrina.” Each week brings more people back to the city; each week also brings new challenges. Will the city be the same? I argue that Hurricane Katrina changed New Orleans forever.

Things at Tulane have definitely changed. Our president is openly talking about race in America. The Liberal Arts and Sciences were reconfigured. Programs were and still are being planned to address issues of poverty and race in New Orleans and America. Service Learning has been expanded so that Tulane will be a leader in bringing New Orleans back. However, some things remain the same. The numbers of faculty of color, African American faculty specifically, remain extremely low. In fact, I am able to give information about each of their families because the numbers are so low. The psychology department has had explicit conversations about how we can restructure our programs to address issues of race in New Orleans and the surrounding region. This is truly a “new” New Orleans and Tulane. I still ponder why it takes a disaster to make us examine issues of race in America?

New Orleans has long been a tale of two cities. My personal experiences in the city serve as an example. I was hired at Tulane University in 1996. As an Assistant Professor with a joint appointment in the university’s African & African Diaspora Studies program, I was the first person of African descent to be hired and eventually promoted and tenured in the Psychology Department. New Orleans’ population was approximately 80% African American before the storm. An African American colleague from another Tulane Department jokingly said to me that Tulane has survived in spite of New Orleans. The relationship that the university had with the city is similar to many of other universities in urban areas. The aftermath of the storm is changing Tulane; time will tell how the university’s changes will impact the city. Tulane and New Orleans are intimately tied to each. Tulane is the largest private employer in the city and the university cannot survive without the city.

One positive sign of change has already occurred. Tulane has entered into a consortium with Xavier University of Louisiana and Dillard University, both historically Black private institutions (Loyola University of New Orleans, a Jesuit college, is also a part of this consortium). Many of our student programming efforts are combined so that we can maximize resources and provide students with a plethora of activities to encourage them to continue studying at their respective institutions. How far will this consortium go? Will Tulane truly be a leader in bringing back New Orleans? Will the vibrant culture associated with the city return? Time will tell. I am cautiously optimistic and ready to be engaged in how a tale of two cities can rebuild, with preservation of cultural traditions and enhanced economic, social, and political relationships.

This essay was originally written in December of 2005. Since then, many things have happened. The Central Business District, the French Quarter, and several neighborhoods are stronger than ever. More people are (re) populating the city daily. However, some neighborhoods look as if the storm hit last week. Federal, state, and local government assistance has been extremely slow and arduous. The strength of the city seems to be its people. New Orleans will come back to be a stronger city than it was before Hurricane Katrina, but it will happen because of people who are committed to the city’s survival.

Tulane envisions that faculty, staff, and students will be heavily involved in the rebuilding process. In fact, undergraduate students who began in the Fall semester are required to complete a Public Service requirement, which includes at least one Service Learning course. More faculty members are adapting their course materials to include Service Learning or some other type of Public Service activity. Several centers have been developed that focus on New Orleans as well as race in America. Most notable of the changes is the fact that significant involvement with faculty of color or with other institutions such as Xavier and Dillard has been the biggest challenge. The legacy of race relations in the city and between the institutions continues to be undervalued. Thus, the tale of two cities continues, but I still have hope. Time will be the judge of how the city will survive.

I am also incredibly blessed to have family and friends who reached out to me. Thank you for your emails, calls, and offers of support. Your kind thoughts and deeds are deeply appreciated.

2007 Meeting of the SRCD

In about a month, we will meet in Boston at the 2007 Biennial Meeting of SRCD and SRCD Black Caucus Pre-conference. The theme of this year’s conference is Gender and Black Child Development: Diversity, Vulnerability, and Strengths. As we approach the 2007 meeting, we look forward to the participation of

all of our members. Within the next few weeks, you will receive information about the Pre-conference--i.e., program, membership, and conference registration and it will be posted on our website.

For 2007, the Black Caucus will continue to hold its longstanding events, with a few changes, and will initiate new ones. For example, the opening luncheon on Wednesday will be a mentor luncheon in which new and emerging scholars will have an opportunity to talk with senior scholars in the field. The luncheon is chaired by Jolena James-Szanton and Tachelle Banks. We hope to make this intergenerational event one of the hallmarks of the Pre-conference, promoting conversation and interchanges between and among emerging and senior scholars and remaining steadfast to our history and commitment to the study of Black children and families.

Second, the poster session, will be held Wednesday evening (5:30 – 7:30) preceding the reception. Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows are urged to submit posters to the poster session. At the reception, we will honor the editors and contributors to the SRCD Monograph, Our Children Too: A History of the Black Caucus of the Society for Research in Child Development, 1973 – 1997.

In addition, we are co-sponsoring a joint session on Thursday morning at 10 AM with the Millennium Scholars, chaired by Michael Cunningham, who hopes to involve the Asian and Latino Caucuses as well.

The Black Caucus Business Meeting will be held on Friday March 30^th at 7 pm. Attendance at this meeting is very important for discussing events and business matters within the caucus and within SRCD, so please make it a priority to attend.

Please share information about and from the Black Caucus with colleagues who are interested in the issues that are at the center of our mission and work. The Black Caucus makes a critical contribution to the field. We look forward to your participation in the Pre-conference as well as the Biennial Meeting!

Vivian L. Gadsden
Co-Executive Officer
University of Pennsylvania

The 2005-2007 Executive Committee of the SRCD Black Caucus

Velma LaPoint,
2005-2007 Chair
Professor of Human Development and Psychoeducational Studies
Howard University

Stephanie Rowley, 2007-2009 Chair-Elect
Associate Professor of Psychology
University of Michigan

Vivian Gadsden, Co-Executive Officer
Carter Professor of Child Development &
Professor of Education
University of Pennsylvania

Michael Cunningham, Co-Executive Officer
Associate Professor of Psychology
Tulane University

Diane L. Hughes, Newsletter Co-Editor
Associate Professor of Psychology
New York University

Eboni Howard, Newsletter Co-Editor
Director, Herr Research Center for Children and Social Policy
Frances Stott Chair in Early Childhood Policy Research
Erikson Institute