Moynihan Report on the African American Family in 1965 –Illegitimate births and divorce produced a “tangle of pathology” in the African American family –Stated that African-Americans could only achieve equality with the "establishment of a stable Negro family structure ” –Considered this pathology a product of the social realities of the new urban ghettos –Many thought that this was blaming the victim, and that poverty was the root cause of family instability –Ignored resilience of the African American family in its use of family extension to cope with poverty and single-parenting

Which Came First: The Chicken or the Egg? Does single parenting cause poverty in African American families? Does single parenting cause poverty in African American families? Or, does poverty cause single parenting? Or, does poverty cause single parenting?

The Role of Economics in African- American Families Poverty lowers the desirability of males as partners Poverty lowers the desirability of males as partners –Shortage of “marriageable” men –Higher rates of unemployment, low income –Higher mortality rates –Crime and incarceration rates higher –But this doesn’t fully explain it

The Role of Cultural Values in African-American Families Values of extended familism persist in the black middle class Values of extended familism persist in the black middle class Mediating institutions, such as the black church, assist sharing of resources across families Mediating institutions, such as the black church, assist sharing of resources across families Women-centered (mother-daughter) kinship pattern is an adaptation to poverty, but is found in all social classes of African American families Women-centered (mother-daughter) kinship pattern is an adaptation to poverty, but is found in all social classes of African American families

Census Data on Household Structure by Race Higher rates of single/no parent households over 100 years among Blacks Roots of non-traditional family types have historical precedent in African American culture Given higher rates of poverty, the question is why rates of single/no parent households are not even higher among Blacks

Two Perspectives on Minority Families Double and triple jeopardy: to be poor, female… and a minority Double and triple jeopardy: to be poor, female… and a minority Ethnicity as a resource: church, pooling resources, community institution building Ethnicity as a resource: church, pooling resources, community institution building Social capital and ethnicity: “it’s who you know” Social capital and ethnicity: “it’s who you know” –Ex. Koreans, Cubans