The Lost Generation: The Lack of Fathers in the African American Household.

Sexually active teenagers, drug use, gang violence, pregnant young girls, and the growth of young black men incarcerated are themes used to describe this generation. This generation is considered to the "lost generation". The percentage of young people graduating and actually attending an accredited college or university has declined. We are more concerned about "getting rich or die trying", cars, and our sneakers than maximizing our God-given potential. However, are the images we see this generation's fault, or is there another factor to be held responsible for what is happening to young black people? What society sees happening to this generation are the results of the lack of fathers in the black household.
The percentage of single mothers in the African American community is higher than any other ethnicity. Single mothers are forced to send their children through school and teach them valuable principles necessary to life all by theirselves. However, a woman cannot teach a boy how to evolve into a man and a girl needs her father to show her how she is expected to be treated when the opposite sex is pursuing her. It is evident that my generation follows the words and actions of famous rappers and hip-hop artists. Not all of these artists are good and positive images. However, these "superstars" of the urban music industy have become the "fathers" of this generation to replace the not-present and univolved father at home. They teach young boys that if you have sex with a girl then ultimately you are a man. On the other hand, girls are being taught that they are nothing more than a hoe (whore) and a bitch. Who is to blame is not the rappers because these rappers are actually fatherless children themselves, not even the young people are to be blamed. The responsibility is too the fathers who are not involved in their child's life. Though, this is not an excuse to do well and become a great person in society because I am a living testimony of a determined individual who is a young, black, fatherless boy. There are still some things that a child needs from their father.