ABSTRACT
Objective African-American families have a rich and diverse history in America. During their enslave-
ment, they developed coping mechanisms that enabled them to survive the hardships of confinement while flourishing into a family-centered community with rich traditions. Many of these coping mechanisms were predicated on the belief that eventually good would prevail and things "would be all right." Thus the motto "keep your eyes on the prize" became a rallying cry for the importance of having a goal and remaining cognizant of that goal. * Today, African-American families are not physically enslaved, yet many still suffer from the legacies of physical confinement and subsequent Jim Crow laws. However, regardless of their situation, many AfricanAmerican families still face hardships with the belief that things "will be all right." Keep your eyes on the prize still resonates and serves as a rallying cry for the community.
