• There remains a paucity of social research on issues related to fetal and infant death in the African American community. Providers need to further examine how the intersection of varied cultures, mores, and habits is manifested in our communities. The definition of what is actually African American is ever-evolving with African and Caribbean traditions, as well as influences from the dominant culture, all play- ing a part.


• The African American experience is not static--it is a changing dynamic that needs to be re-visited often.


African American: The experience of an FIMR interviewer. (Based on the presentation of Patt Young)


I have been a FIMR interviewer since the early 1990s and have interviewed hundreds of women—mostly African American women, in Oakland California, who had low income and had low educational levels. Today, I would like to share with you what I have learned from these women about their experience of grief and loss and how the FIMR interviewer can make a difference. My experience may not be typical of all communities in the United States but I believe that there are some common threads of knowledge that will assist all FIMR interviewers to better understand the women that they serve.


History and culture. African Americans have a rate of infant mortality that is two to three times higher than the majority population in this country. Nationally, the urban, less affluent, and less educated African American mothers make up a large proportion of the women who experience infant loss. In spite of this higher mortality, information on the grief experience of these African American mothers is limited.


In the early 1990s, Oakland had high rates of African American infant mortality but the least number of African American bereavement supports. The bereaved women in Oakland generally lacked familial support, partner support, and a social support system. There were no support groups and it was difficult to start one because women distrusted the “system.” So, interviewers today may still find there is a huge and unmet need for culturally appropriate and sensitive groups in the African American community, espe- cially for lower income families.


The black church historically has been a very important source of support and comfort for bereaved African Americans. However, it would be a mistake to assume everyone in the African American community belongs to achurch. Many of the younger women who have lost an infant in Oakland are not connected with any church. Many of them may never have gone to church at all and are not involved in any congregation. The lack of this resource added to their sense of isolation. However, most of these women had a Christian foundation and a very strong belief in God, even if they did not attend formalized religious services. They also tended to believe the baby was in heaven and this was comforting to them. They often referred to the baby as an angel, and this seemed to console them.


General bereavement customs. The women in Oakland often feel terribly isolated in their communities and don’t have anyone to talk to. When women of any background, but particularly African Americans, achieve a higher level of education, it is easier for them to


12 VOICES FROM THE COMMUNITY: CROSS CULTURAL EXPRESSIONS OF GRIEF AT THE LOSS OF AN INFANT


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