Former NFL player, Marcus Smith II, has decided to take matters in his own hands and tackle misconceptions about black fathers by becoming a children’s book author. Smith is in the process of releasing his first children’s book called Bathtime With Rai. He intends to utilize the book as a way to bond with his two-year-old daughter, Sarai.
The Philadelphia Eagles 2014 draftee talked about his reasoning for writing the book in an interview with All Access.
“The book was written for the modern black dads of the world and for the little brown girls of the world,” Smith said in the interview. “I just want to put on for the black fathers to let us know that we are here and for the little young girls out there — there are fathers out there that are trying to become the best fathers they can possibly be.”
Not only was he inspired as a father of a growing child, but Smith was also motivated to bond with his daughter because of Los Angeles Laker legend and future Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant, who also had daughters and was known as a proud girl dad.
“I look at him and his daughters’ relationship, and I feel like that’s what a daughter-father relationship should look like,” Smith said. “I try to go off some of the same morals and principles that Kobe did.”
For any man, no matter what race, bonding with their daughters should start as early as possible to set a standard of what type of man she should value and one day develop a partnership. This is especially true for the black community as black mothers have suffered the brunt of a discombobulated family dynamic. Moreso than any other time, it is imperative that black fathers are not only present, but full participants of the family dynamic.
Speaking candidly, Smith posted a photo on Instagram of himself reading a book to his baby daughter. He captioned the photo with the statement, “I am a BLACK MAN! And black father! I build …. I don’t tear down other BLACK MEN! ….I have felt the pain of being torn down and I have decided I will be deliberate about building others! All too often, we men find it easier to criticize each other, instead of building each other up. With all the negativity going around let’s do something positive!! #Themordernblackdad”
A description on the back cover of Bathtime With Rai reads, “Each page and sentiment, captured through heartfelt illustrations, make this book an instant classic for generations to come.”
Smith was named a third-team All American, the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year and first-team All AAC in high school, which propelled him to the pros in his fourth year of college at University of Louisville. The Philadelphia Eagles drafted him in 2014. Smith went on to play with the Seattle Seahawks in 2017 before signing with the Washington Redskins in 2018.
Bathtime With Rai will be available on Dec. 2.
