In one of his routines on fatherhood, comedian Chris Rock says no one appreciates daddy. There are responsible black fathers but no one gives them credit.

“I’m talking about the real daddies that handle their (expletive deleted) business,” Rock says. “Nobody ever says ‘hey daddy thanks for knocking out this month’s rent.’”

However, in another routine Rock chastises those black fathers who expect accolades for things they’re supposed to do like taking care of their children. “A n---a will brag about some s---t a normal man just does,” Rock says.

Ivan Page, associate professor at Albany State University in Albany Georgia, says the reality is that black men are not stepping up and being responsible fathers. Many are absentee fathers. “Approximately 47 percent of African-American households are headed by women and seven out of every 10 African-American children are born to a single mother.”

He says part of the problem is that black women don’t demand that their men be responsible and committed in a relationship. They must stop having babies by men who will not marry them. “African-American women must raise their own expectations and demand more out of us as responsible men.”

The election of Barack Obama has created a paradigm shift of sorts within the black male community. The way the President approaches fatherhood is a realty they can’t ignore. “African-American men are now being presented with an image of an African-American male who is a strong father figure, successful and in love with his wife,” Page says. “No longer can African-American men say they do not have a role model to ‘look up to.’”

In general, black women identify two main concerns in their relationships with black men. One is an unemployment factor. In a random interview of 27 black women, Page found that 20 to 74 percent of the respondents felt that black men expect a woman to take care of them. Many hop from job to job or simply won’t work.

Another issue is that many black men think black women are too aggressive and independent. “The strength of the African-American community must exist within the foundation of a strong family structure where men are responsible fathers and mates,” Page says.

Written by Alonzo Weston

Article reprinted with permission of USAonRace.com