Author: Yamir Chapman Page 1 of 2

Isis Lewis is a current student at Virginia Commonwealth University and is on the pre-vet track studying biology. Isis grew up in Yorktown, Virginia, and remained there her entire life until she relocated to the Richmond area for school. Isis has two biological siblings and two step-siblings. Isis’ biological siblings are both older than her, one is her brother, and the other is her sister. Isis’ step-siblings are both younger than her and are her sisters. Isis is the middle child amongst all her siblings but is the only child in her household, as both of her older biological siblings share the same father and mother and live together.

In this video, Isis Lewis shares what it was like growing up as an interracial child amongst the tapestry of being raised by a single mother. Isis highlights the joys and challenges of her childhood growing up with both biological siblings as well as step-siblings. Additionally, Isis provides insights on what it is like to have biological siblings, but not live with them, an “absent, but present father”, and what it was like having some siblings who had both of the same parents and others who only shared one parent.

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S. Pearl Sharp talks about her sister

Playwright, film actress, stage actress, and poet S. Pearl Sharp (1942 – ) was among the cast of Gordon Parks’ The Learning Tree, and Minstrel Man. Sharp has also published six books and produced and directed eight films and stage plays.

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Sharp speaks about her younger sibling and the challenges faced by their parent’s divorce. Sharp speaks about her impacting her younger sibling by stepping into the mother role occasionally as their parents focused on their divorce. As Sharp shared her sister’s accomplishments she smiled and displayed a sense of accomplishment. Additionally she seems very proud of her sister and, as she comments, is very well pleased that her sister is a mother who has Black sons who have never done drugs or been to jail. While Sharp shares that she decided to not have children, she became a teacher and chose not to do a single adoption, which she comments is slightly connected to her mother being a single mother.

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Joyce Owens describes her relationship with her siblings

Joyce Owens Anderson is a Mixed-media artist. Joyce Owens Anderson (1947 – ) was an artist and art educator whose artwork was featured in many galleries and publications. She was curator of the Galleries Program at Chicago State University.

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Anderson begins this section of her interview by talking about some of the tension that existed between her brother and her step-sibling, but no conflict between her and her brother In fact she shares that her brother took the role of the protector in her life, assuming the role of her father. She also shares the important role of her older sister, as her mother traveled a lot, her sister took the motherly role, took care of her, and protected her. Additionally, since her sister was older than her when her sister got married and her mother needed to travel for her singing career Owens often opted to stay with her sister.

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Hugh C. Burroughs describes his relationship with his siblings

Foundation executive Hugh C. Burroughs (1940 – 2023) worked for the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, the Berry Gordy Family Foundation, and others during his philanthropic career. He also served as a member and chair of the Association of Black Foundation Executives.

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Burroughs begins his interview by mentioning that he does not make the distinction between half brothers or adopted siblings. To him, regardless of relationship, his siblings were his siblings, and he shares that they all have played an important role in his life. Burroughs speaks explicitly about his closeness with his 3 brothers and shares how, since their parents were divorced, Burroughs assisted with the parenting of his brothers by gathering them for meals. He concluded with how his brothers, then and now, seek him for council and look up to him because of the role that he played in parenting them.

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Charles Willie reflects on his siblings and his relationships with them

Professor and sociologist Charles Willie (1927 – 2022) was an expert in the area of school desegregation. Willie served as a court-appointed master, expert witness, and consultant in many school desegregation cases. Willie was an applied sociologist and the author or editor of more than thirty-five books and one hundred articles covering topics such as race relations, urban education, public health, community development, family life, and women’s rights.

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In this section of his interview, Charles Willie reflects on his relationship with his siblings, particularly sibling rivalry. He explains how he did not experience sibling rivalry between him and his siblings. Rather, he was very close with his siblings, particularly his older brother who often took on caregiving responsibilities for his younger siblings. Willie goes on to explain how he and his siblings were briefly separated during World War II as they were of drafting age, but since they returned they have maintained their close bond. This interview is valuable to our project because it illustrates how adolescent sibling relationships evolve over time into adult sibling relationships.

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Scholarship

Whiteman S. D., Jensen A. C., Maggs J. L. (2013). Similarities in adolescent siblings’ substance use: Testing competing pathways of influence. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 74, 104–113. doi:10.15288/jsad.2013.74.104

This article introduces Shawn Whiteman, a professor from the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at Purdue University, and Jennifer Maggs, a professor in the College of Health and Human Development at Penn State University. This study informs us of the role of siblings in their younger brother’s and sister’s decisions to engage with substances. Furthermore, the study concludes that the substance use of younger siblings was also influenced by sharing friends with their older siblings who used substances. This article can also assist in the curation of questions surrounding behaviors that siblings may have picked up from each other. If participants are comfortable with sharing their substance use, it would also be interesting to see when and how they started these behaviors.

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Scholarship

Soli, A. R., Mchale, S. M., & Feinberg, E. (2009). Risk and Protective Effects of Sibling Relationships among African American Adolescents. Family Relations, 58(5), 578–592. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40405715

This article introduces Anna R. Soli and Susan McHale, professors in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at Pennsylvania State University, and Mark E. Feinberg from The Prevention Research Center in University Park, PA. Their goal was to understand and explore how culture, measured in this study in terms of familial values, influences sibling processes. The findings of this study argue that positive sibling relationships, when paired with strong familial values, reduce the risks of maladjustment for African-American adolescents. Furthermore, sibling relational aggression and low familism values increase the risk of poor adjustment for African-American adolescents. While this article doesn’t directly investigate the relationship between siblings, it does shed light on how one’s sibling relationship status influences risk exposure and behavior. These findings are valuable to our project as they identify how sibling relationships interact with risk factors in society.

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Scholarship

Skinner, Olivenne D., and Susan M. McHale. 2022. “Context Matters: Longitudinal Associations between Marital Relationships and Sibling Relationships in Black Families.” Family Relations 71(3):987-1003. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12658.

This article introduces Olivenne D. Skinner, a professor in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Wayne State University, and Susan McHale, a professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at Pennsylvania State University. This study investigates associations between marital relationships and sibling relationships in Black families while also considering economic influences. The findings suggest that marital satisfaction positively impacts sibling relationships, while marital conflict can have varying effects. Furthermore, when families experience economic strain, there is more likely to be strain placed on sibling relationships as well. This article is important for our project because it illustrates the importance of family structure and stability for sibling relationships. These findings are valuable for our project because they identify two key influences on sibling relationships: parent’s marital relationships and economic stability. Overall, this study not only helps us better understand black sibling relationships but also helps us to create interview questions that address family structure and financial stability.

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Scholarship