There is a prevailing stereotype in the United States of African American children having absent fathers, either physically or emotionally. The absence of father figures can negatively impact a child academically and behaviorally. On the other hand, having positive male role models can enhance a child's well-being.

Fathers Matter: Changing the Narrative on Black Fathers aims to turn the stereotype of the absent African American father on its head. In this anthology, Anthony McAllister and seventeen other African American co-authors reflect upon their varied fatherhood experiences. Some share stories of their childhoods with their fathers and father-like figures. Others write about their interactions with their children and being fathers or father-like figures themselves.

As the stories in this anthology illustrate, fatherhood can take a variety of forms. However the experience looks, it is powerful and impactful for all involved. Rife with emotion, Fathers Matter is a beautiful depiction of all that fatherhood does to a person.

Tyreese McAllister