The Multiracial Child, by Alvin Lewis, Ed. D., M.S.W.
originally written for and appearing in the Pima Community College newspaper
Dr. Alvin Lewis makes the point that his book is a labor of love. As a parent of racially mixed children, it's easy to see where his impetus lies. He spent four years of care developing this volume, and it shows.
Since the ruling of Loving v. Virginia in 1967, there ahs been a significant increase in interracial marriages. Even without the increase fostered by that favorable ruling, as many as 80 percent of the population of this country is racially mixed, through interbreeding in colonial and slave times, and up to present-day America.
The population of the state of Hawaii is so strongly multiracial that multiracials are actually in the majority. The percentage of racial mixing in other parts of the United States remains unacknowledged, as prejudice and other issues cloud the field.
This unacknowledged position is a key factor in the self-esteem and identity difficulties faced by children of mixed race, in which identification is often forced by social factors to be with one group or another. Statistics and other information supporting this supposition form a large part of the book, and that is further bolstered by a section in the middle of the book by one of Lewis' children, his son, Affindi.
The most visible of the mixed-race children are the offspring of white and black parents, but there are certainly other races involved. For example, Asian-Americans are one of the fastest-growing social groups in the country, and there is considerable admixture betweenthem and the dominat white culture. Lewis makes the point early that these children are not as stigmatized as those of the black/white marriages, which only recently began to be a bit less socially stigmatized.
Another race that has been assimilated to some extent is the American Indian. Most families that have been in this country since the 1800s have some Indian blood in them. Lewis makes a number of points about the similarity of treatment between Indian children and those of black/white parents.
The book is about multiracialism, not about multiculturalism. While they are related, they are not one and the same, and this distinction is important to understand when reading this book.
Written in an easy to understand style, bolstered by surveys and other data, the book reflects upon important issues for the people of all nations. Implicit in understanding the book is the fact that all of us are multiracial, if you go back further in history.
Members of the general audience will find this book a key to understanding the issues involved in this major social issue. Such well-knowns as Tiger Woods, Mariah Carey and Derek Jeter are multiracial, and more multiracial or biracial figures enter the public consciousness every day.
Professionals will find keys to understanding the problems faced by multiracial patients.
Anyone reading this book will come away with new perspectives. Lewis relates how often people come to him to share personal stories, reminscence and anecdotes, and how the title of his book is to be used as the identifying tag of the first national symposium on the issue here in Tucson in October. Also gratifying to see are the personal stories and poetry that make up a portion of the book.
The issue is everywhere-Lewis younger son came home with a printed bulletin about growing up biracial several days ago. He is in the sixth grade.
Dr. Alvin Lewis is a Pima College Faculty Member. He does clinical work at several mental health centers, is on faculty of the University of Phoenix and Arizona State University and is a consultant at the Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind.
He is also the president of the organization Multiethnics of Southern Arizona In Celebration.
He says that the purpose of the book is to "Open new eyes to this issue." This reviewer recommends taking a look. |
