As those of us who have lost our fathers and father-figures celebrate relationships with loved ones no longer present, let us remember the lessons and love they gave us.
On this Father’s Day, let us also keep a vigil for those African American fathers who were struck down by an oppressive system of racism and for the children they left behind.
Let us keep the candle burning as a reminder to dismantle the institutions and ideologies that force African American children to grow up without their fathers.