Outlook: Lower Marriage Rates Among Blacks

Joy Jones
Author

The Washington Post
Monday, March 27, 2006; 2:00 PM

"Marriage is for white people." That's what an African American sixth-grader said to author Joy Jones when she taught in a D.C. public school a few years back. Though the comment took her aback, she quickly realized that, at least statistically, the boy was right: According to the U.S. Census, African Americans have the highest unmarried ratio of any racial group in the United States. African American women are the least likely in our society to marry. Marriage rates for blacks have been declining since the 1960s. Blacks, in short, are the most uncoupled people in the country. Why is this the case, and what does it mean for marriage?

Joy Jones was online Monday, March 27, at 2 p.m. ET to discuss her Sunday Outlook article, 'Marriage Is for White People', (Post, March 26, 2006), and the state of marriage in black America today.

See complete transcript.

What Have You Done For Love?

What lengths have you gone through for love?

What have you done to start up or shore up an important relationship?

Have you gone to the extreme?

Did you cross the line?

Was it worth it?

Share your story here.