The Papa Was Project

The Papa Was Project takes its name from the classic Motown song “Papa Was a Rolling Stone.” The story of the pain caused by absent fathers in the lyrics of the song became the inspiration for our project. We set out to collect stories of the joys and challenges fathers face in raising their children. With our partners, we recorded over 60 interviews where participants recalled their own fathers, and their own experiences as fathers. 

You can see some of those stories here on the website. Since then, we have continued to develop ideas for spreading the positive message about the ways fathers show up for their children. The answer to who “Papa Was” is as diverse as there are fathers.

The narrative of “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” tells of a young man who confronts the negative accounts of his father’s life on the day of his father’s death. His mother answers his plea for the truth about his father: “Papa was a rollin’ stone, wherever he laid his hat was his home, and when he died, all he left us was alone.” This song resonates with so many who yearn for connection with their fathers and to fill in the full truth about their fathers.

The song reflects on the pain of a father's absence. But there are fathers who are “beat down” in ways that keep them from their families. There are fathers who face challenges and show up for their children in many ways. There are men who are inspired by their own fathers and strive to live up to their examples. There are men who pledged to themselves not to repeat negative lessons from their fathers and are living into being there for their own children. All of these stories need telling.