Crisis in the Village: Restoring Hope in African American Communities » (1st Edition)

About the Author:
Robert M. Franklin is Distinguished Professor of Social Ethics at Emory University

Acknowledgements     vii
Introduction     1
Villages and Anchor Institutions     3
The Autobiography of a Village     5
Naming Our Pain     9
Enduring Institutions     12
Shock Docs Don't Work     16
Responses to the Emerging Crisis     17
The Improvement Industry     26
Cross-Referencing as a Clue to Collaboration     38
How This Book Is Different     39
Families: A Crisis of Commitment     41
What Everyone Should Know about Black Families     42
What's Wrong?     46
Cosby's Call and Our Response     47
Healthy Relationships and Commitments     53
Healthy Dating     67
Healthy Marriages     68
Healthy Parenting     82
Healthy Same-Gender Relationships     89
What's Right?
A Complex Message on Family Values     93
Resources for Renewing a Culture of Healthy Dating, Relationships, and Marriages     94
Recommendations from Clergy     96
Supporting Healthy Fathers     97
A Final Note on Love and Commitment     100
Conclusion     101
Questions for Discussion     102
Churches: A Crisis of Mission     105
What Everyone Should Know about Black Churches     106
What's Wrong?     112
The Prosperity Movement     112
Large Men, Little Dreams     127
Leading Village Renewal     143
Restoring the Collective Power of Black Churches     158
What's Right?     160
Franklin Framework     160
A Framework for the Spiritual Renewal of the Village     164
Questions for Discussion     169
Colleges: A Crisis of Moral Purpose     171
What Everyone Should Know about Community Education and Black Colleges     173
What's Wrong?     177
The Crisis of Moral Purpose in Public and Private Education     185
The Educational Gap between Males and Females     186
The Danger of Detachment and Anonymity     189
Acknowledging Crisis Requires Moral Courage     190
Village and Public Neglect of Schools     195
Addressing the Crisis     198
The College President as Chief Ethical Officer     202
What's Right?     203
The Home as an Ethical Learning Center     203
Smart and Good Schools     205
Black Colleges and Character Development     205
Internal Renewal and Moral Purpose     211
Village Accreditation of Schools and Colleges     212
Conclusion     215
Questions for Discussion     215
Strategies: Renewing the Village     217
What Is to Be Done?     218
Ground Zero     221
Focused Conversation     228
Collaborative Leadership     230
Vision and Plan     232
Accountability and Action     234
Sustaining and Fundraising     236
Documenting and Celebrating Progress     237
A Sermon on Village Renewal     238
Notes     245
Index     267