Trends in African American Families Essay - 1455 Words

Research studies have shown that African Americans are currently the least likely ethnic group to be married in this country. This paper will examine some of the reasons why this trend exists when there was a time when marriage rates among blacks were about equal to those of whites. History, culture, economics and dominant culture influences have impacted the current trends in African American families. Many are choosing to postpone marriage, while others are finding alternative ways to cultivate family and raise children. Does the African American definition of family differ from that of the dominant culture? How has ecological systems influenced past and present trends in African American families? These questions and more are examined†¦show more content†¦Men were used as breeding machines to help make more slaves for the masters with no regard for the marital status of the men. Marriage during life on the plantations was even illegal. In spite of this, blacks were  "jumping the broom† (a traditional representation of marriage and commitment among couples that is still used in marriages today) and raising children with as much love and nurturance as they had to offer. The environment was filled with such constant emotional, psychological and physical trauma that, the dominant culture made sure that there was little to no room for cultivating loving, healthy families. With the end of slavery came the next 100 years of Jim Crow laws that allow for the continued terrorizing of African Americans in this country. When slaves were set free many had no resources or family to depend on. Men and women faced poverty and discrimination in limitless measures. Men and women were lynched for any reason that could be thought of in the minds of those in the dominant culture. They were left to get along in the best way that they knew how. Many gave up their dignity and their families in exchange for survival. When public welfare assistance was instituted, the laws were constructed so that black families could not be together and receive assistance. So many women and children were without husbands and fathers in order to receive the much needed financial assistance from the government. While the civil rights movementShow MoreRelatedAfrican Americans And African American Families921 Words   |  4 PagesThe number of two-parent African American households is dissolving. According to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, the black family has declined from 80% in 1890 to 39% in 1990. The result of conflict, and warring souls in the African American community, this trend can be stopped and reversed. The African American family must first gain an understanding of what is causing this dissolution, then they can be taught about what principals and skills they must adapt in order to reverse it. 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