This topic is appropriate these days when most of the prisons are overflowing with African American males. Concerns have been shown by Governor Schaefer of Maryland, U.S. Attorney General Reno and by therapists, social workers and other human service officials. It is very commendable that we are all concerned. But it will go a step further if we all start focusing on the solutions to the problems that started before the advent of civil rights.

As a therapist who has some years of experience working with youths, children, families and males “at risk.” I have  come to the conclusion that the best vaccination, antidote and medicine needed to make a turn-around for African American males whom I classify as “endangered species” are unconditional love, education, empathy, unconditional respect and concern for their progress coupled with confrontation. I have seen this group of individuals turn around for the better by using the above skills.

These males “at risk” stemmed from yesterday’s children and adolescents “at risk” who were reared within families “at risk.” Charity begins at home, but does not end there. We need to allow “charity” to begin in the homes of our African American males. This have been an elusive necessity given the fact that there are many problems be-riding the homes of African Americans as a whole in the country.

Premises

I am advocating that we work with African American males from these premises:

Therapists should be chosen to work, with this group from cradle to the time they are 16 years old. This will be helpful in allowing them to develop positive behavior patterns. These assigned therapists should closely monitor all areas of their development and pay attention to their social, psychological, spiritual, political, cultural and ethnic awareness and development. The should help them enhance their holistic health patterns. All avenues should be explored for preservation of their lives to prevent possibility, through continual homicide, suicide, contraction of the HIV virus, indiscriminate abuse of drugs and alcohol, poverty, death in prisons, unique hazardous health issues, and long prison sentences that continue to erode African American males’ self-esteem.

Early drug education on the adverse effects of drugs and alcohol use should be inculcated into the curriculum from kindergarten through 12th grade. Adverse effects of drugs and alcohol psychologically, socially, economically, emotionally, spiritually, physiologically and educationally should be taught in all areas of the school curriculum.

Home and school visits, follow-ups, empowering, choosing role models and peer mentors should all be part of the school curriculum for this population from elementary through high school to graduation from college.

Inculcating teaching of African history from elementary through college will go a long way to raise their self-esteem. Knowledge about your roots enhances and help increase your self-esteem. A good example of the above is with other ethnic groups in Maryland who organize different cultural and educational activities for their young ones. Africans and older African Americans should be invited into schools to speak to African American students about their heritage and roots. Enlightening these youths about their heritage will help bring out their awareness of the richness in their uniqueness and differences as individuals.

African American families should be given the necessary assistance that will make them become independent. Parents who do no hold high school diplomas should be encouraged by all those who work with them to get a GED.

Teachers, administrators, bus drivers, attendants and all school personnel should be taught the values of respecting all students regardless of their differences, cultural background and uniqueness. Education and instilling public awareness on human dignity should be prioritized in all areas of the country to prevent bias, prejudice, bigotry, and racism.

Creating an Office of Minority Health as Governor Schaefer suggested (The Sentinel, Montgomery County, Maryland, August 11, 1993) will go a long way to help preserve African American holistic health. This office should operate with issues related to prevention, education and curing diseases that are common to African Americans.

Targeting African American males who have made it and encouraging them to be peer mentors and role models as their age allows will help raise the hope of incarcerated African American males, and will also help keep those who are struggling on the right track. These role models and mentors should be given permission to go into prisons and give talks on positive living styles. This will allow those who have been in and out of prison to start on a good footing when they come back into the community. Ostracizing these endangered species will do the nation or the world no good.

Following up on employment with African American males when they are searching and after they get hired, to prevent discrimination, will go a long way to keeping them employed. Tightening all ropes in all areas to prevent subtle discrimination that is visible against African American males in most places of employment now will be a worth-while project.

Rewarding those males who make it through high school, to vocational, technical schools and college with scholarships and constant work while in school and when they graduate will help inculcate smooth transition to the world of work. It will also help preserve their lives and prevent the mass turnover that is presently common.

Creating an office that will cater to the development of talents, skills, unique traits and naturally endowed gifts prevalent among African Americans will help boost their morale. The latter will also help the nation maximize the utilization of its citizens.

Lastly, creating an atmosphere of unconditional love, empathy, unconditional respect, accommodation and encouragement will help foster “positive growth” in African American males in the United States.

If all of use in the nation, especially those of us who work with youth, can work on the above issues, the struggle and fight for human worth and respect and positive turn-around for our African American sons and daughters may be won. We can all do it with our rich and diverse human and financial resources.

The cost of the current absence of African American males from their homes, their wives and children, should not only be food for thought, but it should have some implications for counselors as we move into the 21st century.