My Seven Black Fathers

I met Will Jawando because we both participated in President Obama's White House mentoring program. When Will left the White House and came to the U.S. Department of Education where I worked, we were sometimes invited to the same meetings. I was always impressed with his knowledge and the helpful way he contributed to the work of the Department. But I don't remember ever talking to him about the experiences that led him to become a political appointee in the Obama administration. The book answers questions I didn't know to ask.

My Seven Black Fathers is an honest and sometimes painful description of his aspirations, challenges, emotional struggles, and successes. The book is organized around a series of Black men who were like fathers to him. In the Introduction, he says that he wants to encourage Black men to take time to mentor Black boys. He builds a strong case for the impact that Black men who took him seriously had on him.

For me, a white man, the book opens up a window into the challenges Will faced, challenges that he says are not unique to him. Will says it is important for white people to learn the stories of Black men and "help to shape a new story about who America is." Reading My Seven Black Fathers is an excellent way to learn a story of an amazing Black man.