Insight into the Black Family

The Black Family

Divya Varde

Africana Studies 100-Intro to the Black Experience

Spring 2016

May 13, 2016

What is considered the ideal family structure in today’s society? A two-parent household in a single, family home with a white picket fence? Or is it a single, working mother, raising children in a small apartment in a suburban city? When asked this question, most would end up agreeing with the first option, as a nuclear household is seen as the archetype for success. However, when it comes to the African American familial structure, there tends to be a prominent causal shift towards the later—a single-parent household. Historically, particular aspects of the African American familial structure seen today in the United States originated from traditional African cultures, that have been brought through slaves during the Atlantic Slave Trade. Having a family structure based on kinship and descent is one of the major aspects of traditional African family values and practices, along with extended or nuclear family arrangements. The discussion over the fate and functionality of African American families has been constantly up for debate and research over the course of several years. “Two distinctive features of African American family structure are well known: Blacks are far more likely than whites to become single parents and to reside in extended families” (Ruggles, 1994). With various historical and current factors overlapping each other, the foundation of majority of African American families lie within structural, economical, and demographical factors. Together, these factors have worked hand-in-hand in creating hardships and drawbacks for African American families.

The black family is the most widely researched aspect of African American sociology; helping to illustrate the foundations of various struggles and disadvantages within black communities. While there are both male- and female-headed households seen throughout different cultures, the most prominent change in African American families has been the increased growth of female-headed households. The rise of failing marriages, increasing rates of black male incarcerations, and overall economic statuses have all equally contributed to rising female-headed households. Based on research regarding African American marriage patterns, “by 1998, the African American divorce rate was more than twice as high as the white rate (422 per thousand compared with 190 per thousand)” (Besharov & West, 2001). Not only do these failed marriages affect the parents, but also affect their children and have shown to predict their behavior as they grow up. Another aspect that affects the household structure of African American families is the high rate of black male incarceration. While some might propose advantages to male incarceration—an opportunity for females to continue education, career opportunities, and even becoming financially dependent—there are many negative side effects as well. “Between 1970 and 2000, the proportion of working-age black males who are institutionalized increased from 3 to 8 percent. Over the same period, the proportion of black males who have ever served a prison sentence increased from approximately 7 to 17 percent” (Bonczar, 2003). Due to the imprisonment of males, the sex ratio within society is greatly affected as well as there are more available females than males. The mass confinement of these men pushes these now single, mothers to uptake an egalitarian role in the house. Moreover, without a source of income, females are urged to continue their education or find a career to help uphold stable conditions in the house and provide food to the child(ren). Lastly, another feature of the African American family is the increase in nonmarital births. Whether due to personal choice, accidental, or based on the circumstances, many young teenagers are engaging in sexual relationships and end up becoming pregnant. “The black female is more likely to be engaged in unprotected intercourse and less likely to marry or have an abortion if she becomes pregnant” (Staples, 1985). With their choice of going through with the pregnancy, most of these mothers are, once again, unmarried and lack the resources to sufficiently provide for the child, let alone herself, putting them in a financially and psychologically unstable environment.

Historically, governmental and societal bodies have engaged and established policies that have aided the ill-treatment of Black families. During and after the era of slavery, whites have continuously hindered blacks from advancing economically, whether by denying blacks positions in jobs or establishing very low wages. Even now, the socioeconomic status of African American families portrays the differences between blacks and whites, based on education, income, and employment. Most African American families in the United States range from low to middle class, with many living in poverty. Parents simply lack the resources and money to afford anything else besides the basic necessities for themselves and their children. While, on the other hand, most whites in America range mostly between low to upper middle class, some even in the upper class. These families are more likely well off financially, and have the resources to provide their children, especially when it comes to education. When it comes to education, black children are more likely seen as performing poorly in school as compared to their white constituents. “Lower wealth, lower health, lower parental education levels, more dealings with the justice system and other circumstances create a perfect storm that leaves blacks without the same educational opportunities as whites” (Cook, 2015). Due to their circumstances, many African American children are attending educational institutions that fail to provide them the necessary information, experience, and teachings to help them succeed. Predominately white schools are seen to have better textbooks, facilities, and technology available to their students for educational purposes as compared to schools that contain minorities, such as Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians. The differences in school quality begin to add up overtime, where these education gaps lead towards higher unemployment rates for African American individuals. “According to research from Valerie Wilson, an economist at EPI, for black Americans with the same level of education level as white Americans, the unemployment rate is consistently nearly twice as high” (White, 2015). Although some companies and individuals claim that race and ethnicity have nothing to do with the employment and salary outcome for African Americans, it is very easily seen how race can contribute to this discrepancy. Since the beginning of time, blacks have been seen as inferior in all aspects, especially when it comes to critical and heavy decision making. For instance, that is why African Americans are underrepresented in certain sports positions such as quarterbacks and centers in football and pitchers and catchers in baseball, which all require a more complex thought process. Together, these subtle factors have added up and hindered African Americans from pursuing career opportunities, thus not allowing them to receive a stable income and pulling them into a struggling environment.