The Strengths of Black Families, by Robert A. Hill : A Review. Equal Opportunity Review, May 1973 / William A. Katz.

Dr. Robert B. Hill's "The Strengths of Black Families" (New York: Emerson Hall Publishers, 1972, 76pp.), which includes a preface by Vernon E. Jordan, Jr., Executive Director of the Urban League, and a foreword by Andrew Billingsley, is reviewed. Dr. Hill begins by identifying five family strengths, which for blacks constitute "adaptations necessary for survival and advancement in a hostile environment." The strengths are not different from those cultivated by some white families. The first major strength of poor black families is strong kinship bonds. The second strength is a strong work orientation. The third strength is adaptability of family roles, a response to economic necessities on the part of black, low-income families. A fourth strength of the black poor is their high achievement orientation. The fifth major source of black family strength is religious orientation. In his conclusions, Dr. Hill asserts that an examination of black family strengths couldassist in understanding their weaknesses, and could thereby lead to a proper program for aiding blacks in America today. (Author/JM)

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