In a recent article in The Washington Post, Colbert I. King ponders the idea of celebrating Black History Month at a time when we’re continuing to witness the disintegration of the Black family. “When Black History Month was celebrated in 1950, according to State University of New York research, 77.7 percent of black families had two parents,” he wrote. “As of January 2010, according to the Census Bureau, the share of two-parent families among African Americans had fallen to 38 percent.”

Although the number of two-parent households has fallen across the board since changes in the work force and the economy have made it more feasible for households to rely on one income, the image of the single black mother stands out as a common reality as compared to other ethnicities. In a way, it has become the norm and what is expected.

King uses data from the D.C. Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, to illustrate the connection between the short and long-term effect of single parent families on offspring.

To read more, continue on to The Washington Post