In what ways does A Lesson Before Dying present an “ideal” of and for manhood, particularly black manhood, within the historical and fictional contexts of the novel?

The book A Lesson Before Dying details the end of the life of a young black man in the South who has been wrongfully sentenced to death for a crime he didn't commit. In the book, he fears his fate, but characters around him encourage him to "be a man" and "step up".
The book gives portrays masculinity, and black masculinity specifically, as never showing fear and stepping up to accept your fate, even as it hits you in the face. This attitude of stubborn resolve and unrelenting sternness in the face of trouble is the kind of perseverance that led to the emancipation of the slaves and has improved the lives of so many African-Americans.
However, it also has a downside. Because of the violent and damaging history they have experienced, many African-American men have a stern and almost self-destructive refusal of fear and other emotions, and this has led to more violence and anger within that community. This novel, however, presents the positive effects of being strong and maintaining resolve as an example of masculinity.