Absent-fathers Quote by Michelle Alexander
““Although a million black men can be found in prisons and jails, public acknowledgment of the role of the criminal justice system in "disappearing" black men is surprisingly rare. ... Hundreds of thousands of black men are unable to be good fathers for their children, not because of a lack of commitment or desire but because they are warehoused in prisons, locked in cages. They did not walk out on their families voluntarily; they were taken away in handcuffs, often due to a massive federal program known as the War on Drugs.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The New Jim Crow, Michelle Alexander, 2010
Mass incarceration disproportionately removes Black men from families, undermining fatherhood and community stability.
In simple terms: Prisons separate Black men from families.
Key Takeaway
Advocate for criminal justice reform.
Themes
justice
racial inequality
family
policy
Mood
urgent
determined
Type
activist
analytical
When to use this quote
- legislative advocacy
- community mentorship
- reentry programs
- public awareness campaigns
Key Concepts
systemic racism
war on drugs
mass incarceration
Questions to Reflect On
- What policies could reduce incarceration rates?
- How can communities support families affected?
A Different Perspective
Reform may be slow and face political resistance.
![“[T]he slave went free; stood a brief moment in the sun; then moved back again toward slavery. —W.E.B Du Bois, Black Reconstruction in America For” quote by Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fdb/michelle-alexander-750_slavery_t-he-slave-went-free-stood-a-brief-momen_96485.jpg)