Book excerpt: "Baba and the Crew is a candid story of Bill Davis' challenges and triumphs as a single dad raising four children ages 3, 5, 7, and 9. Despite the naysayers who believed children belong with their mother, Bill demonstrates that love, compassion, and structure will produce well-rounded, socially conscious, responsible adults. Readers meet each member of the Crew and hear in their own words what it was like growing up in the strict, family-first, Davis household. With help from "the village," Sekou, Toussaint, Imani, and Naeemah are accomplished, socially-conscious adults, and continue to make Baba proud. "What makes Baba and the Crew special is that it dispels the myth of the absent Black father. It goes against the erroneous stereotypical notion that single-parent families, headed by Black fathers, can hold a family together." It shows the Black father has love, cares for, and has hopes and dreams for his family as much as any other culture." Bruce S. Morgan1st VP New Jersey State Conference NAACP "In our cultural climate of African American inequality, mass incarceration, and racism, Baba and The Crew is a great example to eradicate the myth of absentee or deadbeat African American fathers. Bill Davis has taken on his role as Baba, the Swahili term for father, with love, courage, and determination to raise and equip his children with the knowledge, compassion, and tools to thrive in society. Bill's story is one that needs to be highlighted more often in mass media." Dr. Randal Pinkett Chairman and CEO, BCT Partners and Co-author, Black Faces in White Places "In this revealing memoir, "Baba" Bill shares not only his parenthood journey, but he also demonstrates the extent to which childhood experiences, and the way we are parented, shape the way we decide to parent. Without rancor, recrimination, or braggadocio, Bill assesses, with great objectivity-and clarity, the generational parenting behaviors in his family he chose to emulate while rearing his own children. Bill did not elect single fatherhood, but when life dealt him those cards, he took up the "Baba" challenge with a loving, willing determination to do everything in his power to make sure he had a winning hand. While this memoir looks back at family history and moves forward toward the family's future, it is grounded solidly in the present lives of Baba and his Crew. This is not a parenting primer or "how-to" guide from an "expert" but rather an unflinchingly honest, self-effacing, and sometimes humorous, behind-the-scenes look at how this single father raised four children to be culturally centered, kind, aspirational, compassionate, critical thinking, self-reliant adults." Virginia DeBerry, NY Times Best-selling Author "I strongly endorse Prof. Bill Davis' book. He was my former undergraduate student at Rutgers College, and I had the great pleasure of calling him Bill "Black" Davis. He was a very good student and became an outstanding father and single parent to high achieving children. I remember seeing him, with his children, on the television show-Reading Rainbow, as he represented a strong role model as a Black father and single parent." Dr. Leonard L. Bethel, Professor Emeritus, Rutgers University, NJ "What always impressed me about Bill was his ability to advocate for others, and maintain his love and guidance for his five children. That balance is a role model for all single fathers." Ronald E. Bolandi Former Piscataway Twp. Superintendent of Schools "Bill Davis' story stands in stark contrast to the dominant narrative around black fathers. This book is an inspiration for all parents, and the advice that Brother Bill provides will help you raise your children to become strong adults." LeDerick Horne, Poet, Disability Activist