For past years, being a single parent wasn’t looked upon favorably. Back then, divorce rates were very low and not common. Therefore being a single parent or guardian parenting African American kids was rare and so described as a ‘broken home’, with one of the parents missing. Nowadays, divorce and/or separation has taken a wholenew meaning, and it is no longer such a scar in the family home as much as it was decades ago. These days being a single parent to some, is something that has to be done. Yet both consenting parents are in agreement that the child and family may be happier in a single parent home. For generations, African Americans have been raised and brought up in single parent families.
Decades ago, but less nowadays, parenting African American children in single parent homes, usually by mothers was a usual thing. You will find a few reasons for this, not taking into account a divorce. One major factor is the crime and death rate in African American men. Another factor that has risen is the absenteeism of the father due to being in prison for long periods of time, or often. With the men missing, this left the mother to care for and be the male figure for their child( ren). Though, within the last few years, there have been a shift. Now, it seems single fathers are beginning to step up to their responsibility of taking care of their offspring. With this shift, it has allowed both parents to take part of child raising together. So although the parents are no longer together, they are taking care of their child(ren) together as best they can. This is one way that the black community is closing the gap of having so many single parents without the other parent involved in the home. Although these children are not within wedlock, effort is being made by the parents to still be there for the kids. This is now becoming widely accepted in society.
