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African Americans have the lowest marriage rate of any racial and ethnic group in America. Although the low marriage rate among African Americans has been largely examined through a sociological lens by documenting structural barriers, which has important policy implications, researchers have not sufficiently examined the psychological and interpersonal barriers to marriage or the interpersonal manifestations of sociological constraints. Examining this problem on an interpersonal, microsystem level of analysis is integral, as no policy can repair the fragility of African American relationships or change what happens between a couple behind closed doors. We present the disproportionately low marriage rate problem as a complex matrix of sociological and interpersonal constraints demanding a culturally sensitive, contextual analysis for understanding the question "Why are African Americans not getting married?" We address this question in the context of constraint theory and relationship development. Policy, education, and clinical implications are discussed.
Key Words: African American couples, African American marriage, dating couples, premarital couples, relationship development, transition to marriage.
The Zeitgeist of African American marriages in the 21st century is abysmal. African Americans have the lowest marriage rate, the highest divorce rate, the highest rate of children born outside of marriage, and the highest rate of never married persons compared to all racial and ethnic groups. According to the U.S. Census (2003), 42% of African American adults are married compared to 61% for Caucasians and 59% for Hispanics, and 68% of African American births are to unmarried women compared to 29% for Caucasians and 44% for Hispanics. Furthermore, 62% of African American households are headed by a single parent, compared to 27% for Caucasians and 35% for Hispanics. It is often said that if you want to tear down any society, neighborhood, or community, then tear down the family. Accepting that there is some validity to that premise suggests that many of the problems plaguing the African American community began with the breakdown of the family. Although we do not believe that strengthening African American marriages and families is the panacea for all of the problems that face African Americans, we do believe that it is an essential part of the solution.
Blackman, Clayton, Glenn, Malone-Colon, and Roberts (2005) conducted a comprehensive literature review aimed at delineating the benefits...