Black men and fathers face more systemic barriers to building wealth and securing stable employment, according to a report from Equity and Transformation (EAT) and Fathers, Families & Healthy Communities (FHHC).

The study, called “Breaking the Chains: Reclaiming Wealth, Power, and Dignity for Black Men,” showcases the stories of African American men and fathers, including 100 formerly incarcerated men, from Chicago’s South and West Sides. The report found that the legacy of slavery, Jim Crow-era segregation, industrial disinvestment and mass incarceration have blocked Black men from opportunities to build wealth.

The systemic obstacles faced by Black men are at odds with traditional views of fatherhood. Namely, being able to financially provide for a family.

“There is a reality to the trauma of being a Black man and the vision of what fatherhood looks like,” said Richard Wallace, co-author of the report and founder of EAT.

Wallace said many men in the study worked through temporary staffing agencies that offered little job security or upward mobility. According to the report, Illinois’ Black male labor force participation rate was just 53.1% in 2021, compared to 63.5% nationally.

And joblessness among Black men ages 20 to 24 in Chicago reached 55.2% that same year.

“There’s a history of Black exploitation,” Wallace said, noting chattel slavery and unpaid prison labor.

Arthur Anderson is a father of four who serves on the board of Brightpoint, a child and family service organization, and co-chairs the DCFS Parent Advisory Board. He became a dad at 20, dropped out of college shortly after, and was denied shelter access as a single father.

“I had to get a small apartment,” said Anderson, as no shelters in the area served men with children. “It wasn’t the best place, but it was the only place I could go.”

He credits a peer support group at Brightpoint, Thriving Fathers, with helping him stay afloat. “In the meetings, we can talk about anything without fear of being ridiculed,” Anderson said.

A new report from Brightpoint, “Stronger Together: How Peer Groups for Black Fathers Help Them Thrive,” found that fathers’ participation in peer groups positively impacted their mental well-being, communication skills and motivation to be involved in their children’s lives.

“We want to be respected as fathers,” Anderson said. “We teach each other how to be better fathers.”

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