Abstract
The Black Child Savers, by Geoff K. Ward, is a meticulous and well-constructed literary work that provides a methodical historical account of the African American juvenile justice struggle during times of uncertainty, danger, and injustice in early America. The book details the influence of the Black voice in the early Juvenile Justice System in the United States. Not only does Ward provide an intriguing rendition of the utter injustice and disregard for the lives of Black youth before 1900, but he also highlights the continuous plight for racial equality and institutional advancement for the African American race in the justice system.
The book begins by offering insight into the prejudicial and discriminatory treatment of Black youth in the developing Juvenile Justice Systems in America. Ward eloquently details the formation of the American liberal democratic idealism and the shaping of the ideas of punishment and systematic reform for early American society. The special and intricate needs of African American youths were never considered during the construction of the early Juvenile Justice Systems. African American youths were largely out of sight, out of mind when it came to quality governmental services, rehabilitative efforts, and education opportunities on behalf of the state governments. African American youths ideally were of little to no concern to mainstream America as long as they did not cause uproar. African American youth were often subjected to oppression, unfair treatment, poverty, and discriminatory laws such as Jim Crow Laws. Laws such as Jim Crow were the norm in the south, and they were utilized to keep African Americans unknowledgeable, powerless, and marginalized.
As the population of the nation continued to expand with the inclusion of European immigrants, the resourceful White Child Savers attempted to reform the poor White immigrant population through institutionalization and socialization. With these major advancements for poor White immigrants, little existed for African American youth. Often times, when African American youths would get into trouble, their sanctions included execution through the courts or a lifetime of working service in coal mines and railroads. African American youths were not afforded the same opportunity for rehabilitation or healthy institutional socialization.
Ward indicates that racial group power relations and White supremacy ideology was essentially the normal way of life in early America; not only did White America not want to assist in the advancement or reformation of the African American youth, but White America made it very difficult to cultivate an ideal reformed African American youth. Anything that refuted white supremacy ideology or promoted the advancement of African Americans was quickly silenced by intimidation tactics and revocation of resources. Political sanctions and long drawn out processes to receive funding to construct rehabilitative options for wayward African American youth were often used to discourage and cripple reformative efforts for anyone interested in preserving African American youth.
Essentially, the book is broken up into two sections. The premise of the first section of the book is stated previously; the second section of the book dives into the efforts of the Black Child Savers and the construction of the Black Child Saving Movement. Ward mentions that the Black Child Savers simply started similarly to the White Child Savers: through exclusive clubs for women also referred to as the Vanguard Movement. The Black Child Saver movement began in the south. Ward details this history, particularly Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Georgia. He highlights these three particular state’s quest for equality, reform, and justice for African American youth. Ward notes that as African American women’s clubs were attempting to acquire fairness for African American youth, African American advancement in any area was a bitter pill to swallow for White America. Several southern states tried to deter Black Child Savers from every opportunity for equality by limiting political pull, providing little to no resources, and referring to ancient Jim Crow tactics. Since many clubs had little to no financial resources, the African American communities and networks often had to pull resources together.
The women’s clubs that birthed the Black Child Saver Movement blossomed into so much more; it transcended into the Civil Rights Movement. The major theme of the Civil Rights Movement was the lack of equality, democracy, regard, and justice for African Americans; and African American juveniles were included in that group. In the quest for equality, race experts were solicited to assist in providing insight into the African American struggle and needs as well as presenting avenues for equal opportunity. The fight for equality, racial advancement, and opportunities turned out to be a double-edged sword for the African American community. With the success of the Civil Rights Movement, a new, oppressive, and punitive agenda became the forefront and relative face of the Juvenile Justice System. Now, with an equal playing field, African American youths are legally and justifiably being locked up and institutionalized by the thousands all over the nation.
The book closes with a discussion of a once tenacious and determined few people who changed the concept of African American youth reform, and ultimately the outlook of African American youth. Ward concludes that African Americans seem to have gotten content with the ill treatment of African American youth because of the propaganda portrayed in the media regarding the super predator youth. By giving up so much to the idea of democracy, African Americans have lost their desire, ability, and tenacity for change and reform. Because of this major decline in youth advocacy in the African American community, African Americans are now legally and justifiably marginalized and they do not even see it.
African American youths continue to struggle for equality in America. This book is an exceptional read because it reveals the struggle of the Black Child Savers and their dedication to progress. Unlike the White Child Savers, Black Child Savers had to make a lot happen with a little. Black Child Savers were influential because for every positive progressive change they made, they not only positively affected the lives of the youth they directly touched, but they (Black Child Savers) also single-handedly advanced the African American race.