What was I doing on Sunday? Oh yea, I went to church, I went by my sister’s house and watched Secret Millionaire on ABC (while bawling like a baby) and talked back to the TV while watching Celebrity Apprentice on NBC. So why in the heck did I miss the 9th Annual National Black Marriage Day this past Sunday, March 27th? If you are like me and were unaware, here is a little info on the event:
Sponsored by the Wedded Bliss Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to assisting “teens, couples and singles create healthy relationships and healthy marriages,” Black Marriage Day, as you can probably guess, has the goal of promoting marriage amongst the African-American community, which has for years struggled with single-parent households (specifically, single-mother households).
According to the latest Pew Research Center data, nearly three quarters of black women giving birth in 2008 were unwed, more than any other ethnic group and nearly double what the number was just a few decades ago.
Children raised in single-mother homes struggle to find male role models in their lives. They’re also more likely to suffer from mental and emotional problems than their counterparts raised in two-parent homes. The result is that children raised by single mothers go on to struggle in school, commit more crime, and go to prison more often.
While a slew of other factors contribute to the African-American community’s troubles, it’s still not very hard to see that children are better off when brought up with two parents.
What are your thoughts on Black Marriage Day, is it necessary?
Shay Moore is a radio personality, blogger, community activist, voice-over actress and writer. Follow Shay on Twitter @shaymooreonair. Check out her site www.lipglossbosses.com
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