Barbara Ella Milton Jr.

Inherited Wisdom: Drawing on the Lessons of Formerly Enslaved Ancestors to Lift Up Black Youth Barbara Ella Milton Jr.

Inherited Wisdom: Drawing on the Lessons of Formerly Enslaved Ancestors to Lift Up Black Youth underscores how practitioners and lay people alike can highlight the strength, fortitude, resilience, and community found in the narratives of enslaved forebears to help young people recover hope for the future. Readers learn how the resilient and resourceful actions of enslaved Africans many years ago can serve as a blueprint for the healing and survival of their progeny in contemporary society.




The opening chapter identifies the significant domains of internal and external connection that allowed formerly enslaved people to live into the 20th century: individual, familial, in-group, and out-group connection. Additional chapters explore the protective factors that promote resilience in each domain. The authors then link those lessons of ancestral wisdom with their lived experiences as a social worker and educator. The final chapter distills the hard lessons learned throughout the text and proposes transformational short-term and long-term strategies.




Emphasizing agency and allyhood, Inherited Wisdom serves as a healing balm for those who continue to struggle to overcome the traumas born of centuries of oppression. It is ideal for courses and programs in social work, education, and other helping professions in which individuals work with and support marginalized youth, families, and communities.
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