Being a father is one of the great joys in life, and it is undoubtedly one of the biggest responsibilities a man will ever have in his life.  Fatherhood is challenging and in some cases unexpected.  When it comes however, you must make yourself prepared the best way you know how. 

Although there is no "guidebook" on how to be a great father, there are resources out there to help you.  Here at AfroDaddy.com we have built our website and in particular our "Black Fatherhood" section to assist you in your life as a father; providing as many resources as possible to include articles, Did You Knows, Q&A, and links to great parenting sites on the web.  This article lists some books that you might find helpful in your role as a great father.  Some of the books listed below are specifically geared toward African American men, others are not. Being a good father has very little to do with race; it has far more to do with compassion, love, financial responsibility and the care for your children.

10 Books For African American Fathers

Fatherhood - General		Championship Fathering by Carey Casey. This African American father and leader is the founder of the National Center for Fathering. His book focuses on being a good father and contains many sports references to keep us interested. Read more...
		DadLabs (TM) Guide to Fatherhood by Clay Nichols, Brad Powell, Troy Lanier and Owen Egerton.  Comedy meets parenting for the dads who need parenting advice for real situations that all dads go through. Read more...
Successful Black Fathers		I am a Father by David Manuel. Stories from youth about successful black fathers. Positive reinforcement for African American dads doing the "right thing". Read more...
		The Best Kept Secret: Single Black Fathers by Roberta L. Coles.  Discussing the single black fathers who take care of their kids.  Certainly a minority and truly the unsung heroes in America. Read more...
		God Has Smiled On Me: A Tribute to a Black Father Who Stayed and A Tribute to All Black Fathers Who Stay by Daniel Whyte III. I think the title says it all.  Read more...
Expectant Fathers		The New Dad's Survival Guide: Man-to-Man Advice for First-Time Fathers by Scott Mactavish.  "You are not the only one". The experiences that many new fathers face, with humor. Read more...
		The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Being an Expectant Father by Joe Kelly.  Getting ready for the new child in your life. For dads. Read more...
		Dysfunctional Father's Guide to Pregnancy, Birth and Babies by David Shaw. How to navigate the before and the immediate after of childbirth and fatherhood.  Humor and advice for new fathers.  read more...
Black Fatherhood – Social Issues		Black Fathers in Contemporary American Society: Strengths, Weaknesses, and Strategies for Change by Obie Clayton (editor), Ronald B. Mincy (editor), David Blankenhorn (editor). A discussion on the impact of black fatherhood and the absence thereof by a collection of black scholars Read more...
		Whatever Happened to Daddy's Little Girl?: The Impact of Fatherlessness on Black Women by Jonetta Rose Barras.  This last book is for you and “her”, her being your girlfriend, wife or any other woman you know who has grown up in a single-mother household.  Being without a father has definite impacts on young girls and this book talks about those. Read more...

How can we stick to just 10?  Here are 2 more books by African American authors that are entertaining and extremely valuable reading for the young black father:

Successfully Raising Young Black Men, by Kevin D. Barnes, Sr.

Becoming Dad: Black Men and the Journey to Fatherhood, by Leonard Pitts Jr

Note: Please recommend other books in the comments section.  AfroDaddy.com is a community project and this page is a community resource that we encourage all to contribute to. The books listed above simply start the conversation, not end it.

Thanks,

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