Black Women and Motherhood
             Essey#1 summary and focused responce
             The reading Black Women and Motherhood, by Patricia hill Collins was like hearing about a different culture. The way black communities raise their families and work with each other is very different and unique than what I'm used to, and is no where near that of a traditional family. In reading this essay I found that their were two basic points brought up by Collins. Those were the way the community (family, friends, and people in general) took part in child raising, and the mothers style in parenting.
             Raising children in African-American communities is quite different than it is in ours. In African-American communities it was seen as unwise, or even impossible to rise children alone. As a result of this, parenting comes from the biological mother, friends, family, and the community. The biological mother is known as the "bloodmother". She, of course, has primary responsibilities. Women who help bloodmothers in child care responsibilities are known as "othermothers". An example of one would be a friend, family member, or a neighbor in the community. There are also women-centered networks of child care. These child care facilities often extend beyond the boundaries of biologically related individuals and include "fictive kin".1
             The purpose of othermothers and women-centered networks was to make sure the children were cared for. To them, it didn't matter what the situation was. Whether it was supporting a child, or helping a bloodmother who "lacked the preparation or desire for motherhood", they were there. They would even take children in as their own if it was needed. An example of this would be an orphaned child, or a mother who has too many of her own.
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