When a Malawian judge put the kabosh on Madonna’s adoption of little Mercy, I can’t say that I was particularly broken up about the whole thing. For the most part, I don’t have an issue with black children being adopted by whites (the children need homes after all). But the way the whole Madonna thing went down seem to be more about money than anything else. But I have got to say that initially I was not sure what to think about the Newsweek story which profiles the African American family that adopted a little white Irish Catholic girl in Baltimore. Yes, Baltimore a predominantly black city.
The gist of the story is that in a post-racial Obama era, this still seems to be taboo subject. Are you surprised? Probably not. Everyone has grown accustomed to white families adopting children of other races (be they Black, Hispanic or Asian) but nobody knows what to think of the reverse. Trust me, eyebrows would be raised too if an Asian family adopted a little white child.
Although the article focuses on nine year-old Katie Odea-Smith’s relationship with Terri and Mark Riding, Katie was actually adopted by Terri’s mother Phyllis Smith. She is a former social worker who was once the President of the local chapter of The National Association of Black Social Workers. Katie, the child of a local prostitute, was a troubled toddler who was shuttled between a dozen foster homes. Smith took Katie at the age of 3, because no one else could handle her. The adoption was formalized
The Ridings, particularly Mark, must contend with weird looks,suspicion, stares and the occasional Good Samaritan who offers to rescue Katie from “the dangerous black man” when they’re out together. It is not easy for Katie either since the white kids at school and the black kids in the neighborhood give her grief. However, the family they’ve carved (which also includes Niles and Langston, the Ridings biological children) seems to work. Good for them. I see no reason to hate on them.
Reading this story, however, got me to thinking about whether I would personally adopt a white child. Probably not. The only way I could see that scenario playing out would be if I were the guardian of a friend’s child. Otherwise, there are more than 500,000 black children currently in foster care, plus scores of African and Haitian children who also need homes, so that would be my preference.
But I wonder if there will come a time when more of us take in children of other races. What then will become of our children? Will white people adopt the lion’s share of them? And will the child’s cultural identity suffer as a result?
I suspect that it will be a few decades (if not centuries) before we find out. We may have dreams about a colorblind society but clearly we’re not there yet.
Related posts: Madonna in Malawi: When Celebrities Adopt Black “Orphans”
If you liked this post, we think you might like these too:
April 24th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
Thank you for posting this!! Amazing read….
May 15th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
Thanks for posting this to your site. My goal for allowing my family to be featured in Newsweek was to broaden the conversation about race. This is particularly important given the media attention to “post-racial America”. I appreciate that you are adding to the dialogue.
May 16th, 2009 at 1:47 am
Hi Mark,
Thanks for posting a comment. I think that your family’s experience definitely broadens the racial conversation—giving us fuller picture of what a post-racial America really could be.
June 19th, 2009 at 8:45 pm
what i dont get is that ther a loads of children in the uk or usa madonna could adopt but she goes to malawi?i think its for press coverage but i fear this child will have no cultural understanding personally i think it would have been better for madonna to financially help the family til they became stable.forget money wat about love,not saying she doesnt love her kids but her career means shes not always there for them.newayz i probabaly wouldnt adopt a white child ,unless a guardian situation like you stated.
June 19th, 2009 at 8:46 pm
also depends on the society one lives in i imagine some places in s.or central america and the caribbean a child of a diferent race wouldn’t matter.
December 17th, 2009 at 2:40 am
Why isn’t everyone looking at the cause of many black children in adoption centers? Its futile treating the symptoms and not the disease. The Black people call pity upon themselves because they make Mark’s situation wierd to the black community. He has come out to prove to the world that a black person can take care of a white child because they are children like any other. Besides what makes them think that it is service to humanity if were a white family adopting a white child ? It gives the impression that the blacks( the myopic section) have cut a tiny piece off a huge cake because they think that is what they deserve. Pitiful minds!
Wake up like Mark!
December 17th, 2009 at 2:43 am
i meant a white family adopting a black child being perceived as service to humanity
February 12th, 2010 at 1:46 pm
Who cares where Madonna goes to adopt? It's her right after all. We're all god's children, and who are we to say she should have adopted from the US or UK?
And if we want to eradicate racism, why wouldn't a black family adopt a white child? Why is it so accepted for whites to adopt all races? A child is a child is a child. All come from God.
March 10th, 2010 at 5:00 am
So, I guess it's OK to leave a white child in those orphanages and foster homes, because there are so many other black children in the world that need help? That's terribly nasty. If the child needs help, the child deserves help. ALL children are innocent and ALL children deserve love. To passover a child based on their color is something that should never happen. I don't believe that someone that would do that should be allowed to adopt. That mindset only perpetuates the problems of racism and divisions in this country and across the world.