African American Adoption

Spence-Chapin is proud to have been in the forefront of African-American adoption since 1946 when the agency challenged the then-popular notion that African Americans were not interested in adoption, and developed the highly respected program that flourishes today.

In 1953, Mrs. Jackie Robinson, wife of the famous Brooklyn Dodgers baseball player, was elected to Spence-Chapin’s Board of Directors and served as a spokesperson to help the agency recruit families. Throughout the 1950s, other illustrious African-Americans who helped to recruit families included Mrs. Ralph Bunche, Marian Anderson and Mrs. Hubert Delany.

In support of the agency's outreach efforts, Eleanor Roosevelt was the featured speaker for a Spence-Chapin conference in 1954. Mrs. Roosevelt was quoted in The New York Times as saying, “No matter what the color of their skin, all our children must be looked at as the future rich heritage of the country.”

Today, African-American adoption services are still a cornerstone of Spence-Chapin’s Domestic Adoption Program. Over the past twenty years, we’ve placed almost 700 African-American babies, whose average age at placement was eight weeks. Free information meetings are conducted for prospective adoptive parents, who may be single adults or couples. Skilled adoption specialists guide parents through the home study process and on to adoptive parenthood

African-American women facing an unplanned pregnancy, who turn to Spence-Chapin, receive counseling from caring professionals about all of their available options so that they can plan the best future for their child. Today, open adoptions, which take place through an exchange of letters, photographs and in-person meetings, are actively encouraged.

African-American Parents Advisory Committee

In 1991, the agency formed the Spence-Chapin African-American Parents Advisory Committee. The Committee, known as AAPAC, is a sounding board for the agency, providing input on matters concerning African-American adoption and bringing families together for social networking. AAPAC has also been instrumental in developing ideas on recruitment initiatives and program administration; and raising funds to assist families with adoption costs. All families who adopt through the African-American program are invited to participate.

AAPAC members meet monthly in the evenings via teleconference and quarterly at one another’s homes to conduct business and plan activities. They also get together regularly to enjoy family activities ranging from apple picking and pool parties to outing at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. One of the unforeseen and extremely positive outcomes has been the close ties formed by members and by their children. At first, the children reacted with surprise at meeting other African-American adopted children. Now, members share many accounts of how their children have benefited from knowing other adopted children, parents and regularly being part of the majority.

African-American Family Day, first held in 1991, is an annual summer gathering, hosted by AAPAC and filled with entertainment, games and plenty of food. Drawing a large group of adults and children, new and experienced adoptive families alike have an opportunity to meet old friends and make new ones. The sense of community that prevails in this African-American adoption program is strong and unique.