Because
the ratio of black females to black males has been steadily
increasing in African-American communities all across the
country, many folks have begun to wonder, “Where have
all the brothers gone?” This thought also occurred to
director Hisani DuBose who decided to pose the same question
to a variety of experts and ordinary people from all walks
of life to see whether they’ve noticed the trend towards
extinction and what they make of it.
The
upshot of DuBose’s efforts is The Vanishing Black Male,
a thought-provoking documentary essentially comprised of a
series of informative interviews on the subject. What makes
this movie so valuable is that each contributor brings a different
set of life experiences to the table, and addresses the issue
in a heartfelt manner from his or her own particular perspective.
Refreshingly
honest in tone, don’t expect any candy-coated aphorisms
or simplistic solutions here. Among the picture’s memorable
contributors are politicians, a shrink, a social worker, a
pastor, firefighters, educators and students, and more. The
diverse panel’s standouts include Sgt. Delacy D. Davis
of the Black Police Officers Against Brutality and Dr. Duane
Dyson, M.D., Executive Director of The Violence Prevention
Institute.
Davis
speaks eloquently about the negative effects of advertising,
the breakdown of the black family and about his organization’s
effort to support single-moms and their kids in an effective
manner. Dyson, meanwhile, stresses the importance of
elementary school education while indicting the suicidal
nature of the ghetto gangsta’ mentality. For,
as an emergency room physician in an inner-city hospital,
he has witnessed, first-hand, gunshot victims on a daily
basis. And he soberly informs us that all of the wounded
and dying young males arrive stripped of their macho
veneers by the time they end up on his operating table.
Overall,
along the way, we learn that guns, the street, failing
schools, drugs, the criminal justice system, absentee
fathers, suicide, unemployment and a host of other factors
are all contributing to the phenomenon of black male
extinction. And while the daunting dilemma does appear
to be overwhelming, the concern exhibited in the conversations
do provide considerable reason for hope. For it is inspiring
to hear the sage reflections of so many who share a
dedication and determination to alleviating the same
pressing problem.
Designed
with every demographic in mind, The Vanishing Black
Male is a remarkable movie not to be missed by young
or old, by male or female, by black or white or anyone
with an interest in a frank discussion of the future
of African-American men. This critic’s pick for
the Best Documentary of 2005.
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