Black American Parents and "Whoopins"

Someone very dear and close to me asked me a question about the perceived differences between how Black and White Americans raise their children with regard to corporal punishment (i.e. spanking). You can even hear a number of Black comedians approach this very subject (check out how "grampa" uses his belt like a samurai on the cartoon "Boondocks"). Although there was a time when both of these groups employed it, over time one group has been abandoning it, while the other has been a lot slower in following suit. So, I sat down and thought about why this has pretty much been a normal way of raising children in the Black American community to this day. Nowadays, both groups are looking into alternative and additional ways of punishment/corrective action. Nonetheless, it is still more the norm in the Black American community than their fellow White countrymen. Here was my response to him. 

As far as your question goes I believe it’s a combination of a few factors; conservative Christian beliefs, plantation practices during slavery, and a holdover from traditional African culture. Let me go backwards. I have been to pretty much every region of this continent (north, east, west, and south) and though there is much more diversity here than in Europe or Asia, one of the shared norms is the belief in corporal punishment. Kids here get spanked/beat all the time--sometimes with a cringing level of brutality, but not always. I have also heard many such stories from friends and family of mine from these different regions; an uncle from Nigeria as well as good friends from Tunisia, Rwanda, Djibouti, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Cameroon, South Africa, Morroco and a few other places. In other words, the parents here do believe in "laying the wood" to their kids (or anything else that is near reaching distance). Therefore, it stands to reason that even though cultural aspects like language and certain religious beliefs were washed away during the involuntary Atlantic migration to the West centuries ago, or beaten out of them during the “mental breaking” process (i.e. Kunta Kinte into Toby), basic things like child rearing practices and disciplinary methods remained.

Next, I would say that Black America's history of practicing a more fundamental form of Christianity would play a significant role in this phenomenon. Put simply, scriptures like the following were used to justify this form of punishment:

"He who spareth the rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him correcteth him betimes" (Proverbs 13:24)

"Withhold not correction from a child: for if thou strike him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and deliver his soul from hell." (Proverbs 23:13-14)

Finally, I firmly believe that the brutal practices of beating/whipping slaves to instill fear for control also permeated into (and thus reinforced) how Black Americans brought up their children with regards to teaching them to respect/fear parental authority. It is seen in a number of ways. For example, a White person would more likely use the term "spank/spanking" while Black parents tell their children that they will get a "whipping" "whoopin'" or even a "beating." Sometimes you may even hear such phrases as "I'll beat the black off of you.", "I'll tear your ass up.", or even "I'll beat you down to the white meat." Although sometimes these phrases are brought up in a comical context, if analyzed, one must ask, "Where did such terms come from?" Of course the plantation. Literally, these descriptions paint a picture of tearing flesh, scarring, and even utilizing a form of punishment intended to brand such occurrences upon one's memory in a permanent sense. In addition, it is not uncommon to hear Black Americans describe being punished in such a way where they were required to remove some or all of their clothing. This of course was intended to ensure that the tool of punishment would have no barrier between it and bare skin of the child. Why would that be so important? One could assume that even after the stinging pain faded, the welts and maybe even scars would also serve as a reminder not to again trespass. Also, where some other groups may be more prone to spank with a hand or paddle, more than likely Black parents will use a "switch" (a small but firm "whip like" branch from a tree which has been stripped of leaves) or belt. These two instruments are more like leather whips used on slaves than any other instrument of corporal punishment. I have even heard plenty of my peers tell me they were whipped with extension cords and parts of water hoses. Unfortunately, in some circles, this was the norm.  Of course this is not limited to the practices of Black Americans. Many other groups in the US use such forms of discipline. Nonetheless, in the Black American community, this has been the primary and (sadly enough) at times, the exclusive form of punishment. I can recall many times that my childhood errors were not explained to me nor was there any other form of reasoning or follow up employed--just physical pain. The language of "pain only" has been the choice means of communication between master/slave, oppressor/oppressed, abuser/victim, etc. from the beginning. I don't want to get too much off subject, but one may even be able to draw some sort of connection between this form of child-rearing coupled with the high rate of absentee fathers in our community and the abundance of violence in our community as a means of conflict resolution and gaining respect. In conclusion, to further reiterate the theory that a good portion of this practice may be a cultural bit of residue from slavery, I remember once talking to a man in his sixties about how he was punished as a child. He was raised in rural Georgia by a father, whom I am sure was the grandson or at least the great-grandson of slaves, which would actually hoist him on a tree to whip him at times. Surely this mental picture conjures up thoughts of how the masters kept their slaves in line.