OUR VISION
Fathers and father-figures have the potential to be resources to their children, the mother of their children, and their communities at-large. The Moynihan Institute for Fatherhood Research and Policy (MIFRP) will utilize the historical work of Moynihan as a base to research and introduce policy that will positively impact Black families, with the father as the focal point within the family.
About Our Work
In 2015, Fathers Incorporated, in collaboration with the Urban Institute and the Open Society Foundations’ Campaign for Black Male Achievement, revisited the 1965 U.S. Department of Labor report, The Negro Family: The Case for National Action, more commonly known as the “Moynihan Report.”
The often cited yet controversial report argued that in order to impact poverty in the Black Community policy changes should focus on strengthening families, especially Black men and fathers.
Many of the issues identified for Black families in The Moynihan Report, 1965 have gotten progressively worse and additional challenges have emerged:
Family Stability
Education
Health and Wellness
Media Representation
In essence, the Negro community has been forced into a matriarchal structure which ... imposes a crushing burden on the Negro male and, in consequence, on a great many Negro women as well. The impact of unemployment on the Negro family, and particularly on the Negro male, is the least understood of all the developments that have contributed to the present crisis. There is little analysis because there has been almost no inquiry.”