ABSTRACT
One could say that a major strength of African Americans is the importance of the extended family, multigenerational units, and intergenerational relationships and transmissions. Without strong kinship bonds African-American families could not have survived the physical and psychic atrocities of slavery as well as the hardship of reconstruction, Jim Crow, and Depression eras. They would not have been able to come together and push the civil rights agenda forward and would not be advocating for a renewed commitment to the contemporary issues of drug, poverty, and the blatant economic and health disparities. Because of this legacy it’s important to connect the past and present to move forward. This chapter describes an intergenerational model that can be used to understand and provide services to AfricanAmerican families and communities. Using an approach that affords a look at family through family life cycle, life course, and generational lenses highlights the interconnectedness of African-American families, communities, and history. It allows us to look back and forward across time and generations.
