Marriage Is for White Folks

I have seen plenty of stories and studies about the decline of the traditional family in the black community, but I have never before seen the subject viewed in quite this perspective. A fascinating discussion of a very disturbing trend.

I was pleasantly surprised when the boys in the class stated that being a good father was a very important goal to them, more meaningful than making money or having a fancy title.

[...snip...]

"Oh, no," objected one student. "We're not interested in the part about marriage. Only about how to be good fathers."

And that's when the other boy chimed in, speaking as if the words left a nasty taste in his mouth: "Marriage is for white people."

He's right. At least statistically. The marriage rate for African Americans has been dropping since the 1960s, and today, we have the lowest marriage rate of any racial group in the United States. In 2001, according to the U.S. Census, 43.3 percent of black men and 41.9 percent of black women in America had never been married, in contrast to 27.4 percent and 20.7 percent respectively for whites. African American women are the least likely in our society to marry. In the period between 1970 and 2001, the overall marriage rate in the United States declined by 17 percent; but for blacks, it fell by 34 percent. Such statistics have caused Howard University relationship therapist Audrey Chapman to point out that African Americans are the most uncoupled people in the country.

"Marriage is for white people"? Don't tell Shebird that! (Or Ma'am, for that matter. She is likely to wash out your mouth with soap just for suggesting such a ridiculous statement.)

Hat-tip: Michael L. Williams


UPDATE: There is an excellent post on this same article over at The Independent Conservative. — Songbird, 04/10/2006