The Interracial Adoption of Black Children in the United States
One morning during the winter of 1994, Jan and Wayne Coombs excitedly drove to their court hearing that would determine the future of a young foster child named Adam. Jan and Wayne, a white, Christian couple were hoping to become legal and permanent guardians of Adam that day. The Coombses did not expect there to be any complications or problems. They had raised Adam, a half black child, since he was six months old, and cared for him like he was their true biological son. The hearing was supposed to be an easy win. Adam had been born with an addiction to cocaine due to his mother’s unhealthy drug habits. His mother, Krista, had been arrested multiple times for possession of illegal …show more content…
However, by the late 1950s, interracial adoption was becoming more popular. One of the first agencies to openly disregard the process of matching was the Indian Adoption Project (Interracial Adoption). There were barely any Native American families left by the 1950s, so matching for Native American children would have offered them a great disadvantage. Slowly, but surely, interracial adoption of all types of races, especially African Americans, began to gain popularity and expand in the United States (Interracial Adoption). Many African Americans were strictly against the adoption of black children by white families, and their painful past explains why. Years ago, minority races were only given menial jobs, and for strength, they joined together in ethnic neighborhoods. Blacks specifically were also kept from moving into prosperous, predominantly white, suburban neighborhoods through the unfair process of redlining. Unfortunately, without the opportunities to rise in status, blacks were perpetually forced down into poorer neighborhoods, generation after generation. Without a fair access to education and opportunities to better themselves in the past, and with the constant belittlement and discrimination they faced, there are still many predominantly black communities that have been left poor and faced with bad influences such …show more content…
In Adam’s case, Krista’s social workers considered making a white couple the permanent guardians of Adam would result in a “racial and cultural genocide” (Goldsmith). The National Association of Black Social Workers (NABSW) was created to keep black children from being integrated into white families. The NABSW wants black children to learn about the true hardships of their ancestors and about their black heritage (Neal). They insist that black children should be adopted by other black families, but not enough black families are applying for adoption. According to Hawley Grace Fogg-Davis, a prestigious writer who has critically examined transracial adoption, “...There are not enough black adopters to adopt all the black children in need of adoption” (Fogg-Davis 75). While many black parents may want to adopt children, their background from generations of discrimination has unfortunately made them unable to leave poor conditions and unsafe neighborhoods. Adoption agencies may not consider applications just based on the area the applicants live in. Another common argument is highlighted in an interview of black children who adopted by white parents, conducted by the Good Morning America news anchor, Ron Claiborne. The
One morning during the winter of 1994, Jan and Wayne Coombs excitedly drove to their court hearing that would determine the future of a young foster child named Adam. Jan and Wayne, a white, Christian couple were hoping to become legal and permanent guardians of Adam that day. The Coombses did not expect there to be any complications or problems. They had raised Adam, a half black child, since he was six months old, and cared for him like he was their true biological son. The hearing was supposed to be an easy win. Adam had been born with an addiction to cocaine due to his mother’s unhealthy drug habits. His mother, Krista, had been arrested multiple times for possession of illegal …show more content…
However, by the late 1950s, interracial adoption was becoming more popular. One of the first agencies to openly disregard the process of matching was the Indian Adoption Project (Interracial Adoption). There were barely any Native American families left by the 1950s, so matching for Native American children would have offered them a great disadvantage. Slowly, but surely, interracial adoption of all types of races, especially African Americans, began to gain popularity and expand in the United States (Interracial Adoption). Many African Americans were strictly against the adoption of black children by white families, and their painful past explains why. Years ago, minority races were only given menial jobs, and for strength, they joined together in ethnic neighborhoods. Blacks specifically were also kept from moving into prosperous, predominantly white, suburban neighborhoods through the unfair process of redlining. Unfortunately, without the opportunities to rise in status, blacks were perpetually forced down into poorer neighborhoods, generation after generation. Without a fair access to education and opportunities to better themselves in the past, and with the constant belittlement and discrimination they faced, there are still many predominantly black communities that have been left poor and faced with bad influences such …show more content…
In Adam’s case, Krista’s social workers considered making a white couple the permanent guardians of Adam would result in a “racial and cultural genocide” (Goldsmith). The National Association of Black Social Workers (NABSW) was created to keep black children from being integrated into white families. The NABSW wants black children to learn about the true hardships of their ancestors and about their black heritage (Neal). They insist that black children should be adopted by other black families, but not enough black families are applying for adoption. According to Hawley Grace Fogg-Davis, a prestigious writer who has critically examined transracial adoption, “...There are not enough black adopters to adopt all the black children in need of adoption” (Fogg-Davis 75). While many black parents may want to adopt children, their background from generations of discrimination has unfortunately made them unable to leave poor conditions and unsafe neighborhoods. Adoption agencies may not consider applications just based on the area the applicants live in. Another common argument is highlighted in an interview of black children who adopted by white parents, conducted by the Good Morning America news anchor, Ron Claiborne. The