The history of child protection in the African American community: Implications for current child welfare policies

Abstract

This paper presents primary historical research describing the informal practices that emerged in the African American communities to protect and care for African American children. These culturally embedded practices are analyzed in the light of the legal principles and assumptions of the formal, public child welfare system that evolved at the turn of the 20th century and served largely White children. A shadow system of child welfare has been in place in African American communities since the end of the 19th century. Its vitality was a response to the exclusion of African American children from the public child welfare system. Based on this history, implications for changes in current child welfare policies to better serve the needs of African American families are discussed.