Introduction
The marriage rate in the United States of America has generally declined in the current decade. Most Men and women are not considering marriage leading to its reduction with dramatic numbers among Black Americans. However, for more than half a century that has passed, the issue of marriage among Black Americans has been a problem. The marriage gap among Black Americans has been extended by the racial gap, which is beyond poverty level, education level, which affects their employment ability, and incarceration, which has been a vital issue affecting this group.
Statistics on Declining Marriages
The past half-century has experienced a gradual fall in the institution of marriage. The black American group is affected mostly as in 1960, approximately 61% of Blacks were married compared to 74% of whites married during that period (Mouzon, 2013). In 2008, the composition of married Blacks reduced to 32% as they experienced significant levels of divorce and remarriage compared to their white counterparts (Mouzon, 2013). The decline in marriages among black continues to drop.
Causes of the Decline
African American groups have had a low share in marriage for decades which continues to decline. The U.S census shows that Black households have a low chance of having a married couple than any other racial group (“African Americans and Black Community,” 2022). Black children have three times the chance of getting born outside wedlock compared to other ethnic groups in the United States of America (“African Americans and Black Community,” 2022). However, when a black child is born in a family in wedlock, the child will likely have an average of six years with both parents (“African Americans and Black Community,” 2022).
This is less than half the group of Hispanic and white where the children are expected to be with both parents for 13 and 14 years, respectively (“African Americans and Black Community,” 2022). It can be noted that the high value of weddings in the African American community has contributed to its decline.
Economic Well-being
Economic well-being significantly impacts the marriage of Black Americans. The report on jobs shows that about 11% of African Americans were unemployed compared to the overall United States population of unemployment which was 8% (Stewart, 2020). In 2019, African American women earned 62 cents per dollar, dramatically affecting their economic well-being and marriage (Stewart, 2020). Economic sexism and racism are also portrayed in the marriage rate of African American women. The 2010 census showed that approximately 70% of African American Women are unmarried, and the population is expected to rise with increased economic problems surrounding Blacks (Stewart, 2020). This can be attributed to the employment policy in the U.S, which has not given the minority enough opportunities and chances to improve their economic well-being through education and employment. The economic conditions surrounding the blacks have favored a decline in marriages as it promotes children being born outside wedlock, sing parenthood, separation of married couples, and divorce.
Unemployment
The United States of America’s labor market has excluded blacks from governmental and non-governmental opportunities, which could have promoted the lifestyle of the Black community. The policies have caused this minority group to get stuck at low wage rates, in underpaying occupations, and without the protection of labor laws, including collective bargaining and overtime payments (Ajilore, 2020).
Structural racism in the U.S has contributed significantly to the gap that exists between blacks and whites in the labor market. Since the onset of the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate data among blacks has been more than twice that of whites (Ajilore, 2020). Employment is a critical factor for individuals in marriage and those wanting to get married. This pushed most married and unmarried blacks to other illegal means of earning, such as drug trafficking and crime. The outcome of such activities is incarceration or death, leading to failed marriages as married women become widows. Additionally, the population of employed Black Americans is significantly small, and most face layoff at a particular point in their work life (Ajilore, 2020). This affects their marriages which promotes separation and sometimes divorce.
The unemployment rate of African Americans is below the set threshold. It is mostly associated with historical occurrences affecting their marriage and employment chances. For instance, slavery effects are perceived among the African American communities as most of them are in deep poverty, which affects the stability of their marriages and makes some of them not engage in marriages (Statista, 2022). In 2020, the median earnings of Blacks were $749, the lowest among all groups, as Asian Americans made $1,310 and whites $1,003 in a week (Statista, 2022). This results from low labor force participation and unemployment, promoting marriage decline.
Incarceration
Incarceration of the African American community has played a significant role in promoting their marriage decline for decades. In 1971, Richard Nixon, the U.S president at that period, declared war on drugs (Caucutt et al., 2021). In 1982, Ronal Reagan channeled resources into fighting drugs which promoted the funding of agencies that counter drug abuse and trafficking in the United States of America (Caucutt et al., 2021).
During this period, the war on drugs was intensive to the extent that the police were given incentives whenever they arrested a drug offender. Penalty codes on drugs such as Cocaine were set high, affecting the Black community as most were poor, uneducated, and unemployed (Caucutt et al., 2021). Most of them engage in drug abuse and trafficking as means of earning. In 1994, U.S president Bill Clinton endorsed the three-strike principle, which resulted in the adoption of laws to get prisoned for life after committing three offenses (Caucutt et al., 2021). In 2006, the state prison held the same number of drug offenders as the total prison population of any offense in 1980, with Blacks forming the highest composition.
The incarceration rates of African Americans significantly promote the decline of marriages in this group. The incarceration rate among African Americans aged between 25 and 54 was five times higher than that of white men in the age range (Caucutt et al., 2021). This age range is an active age bracket where most get married. This makes them unmarried hence decreasing the marriage rate among the Blacks. The criminal justice system has indirectly promoted the decline of African American marriages through incarceration rates. The policies that run the system has made African American prone to arrests which affect their marriages at all levels (Warner, 2020). Most cases are separated as Black women have a low chance of getting incarcerated compared to men. Incarceration has a collateral effect as it includes the family, children, and community (Warner, 2020). Male shortage in African American communities is driven by incarceration, which affects the sex ratio and affects the marriage market.
Additionally, the sex ratio of white men and women is equal to that of Blacks. In a black community, it is approximated that there are 15% more women than men with an age bracket of 24 to 25 (Guner et al., 2019). At this age, women are more likely to get married, but with the variation in the population, most of them undergo behavioral changes, which pushes them to extend their education level to be able to secure a chance in the job market.(Blackman et al., 2022).
Effects of Declining Marriages
Poor Economic Well-Being
Marriage positively affects the well-being of the community and the family. Marriage shapes the life of Black Americans compared to those that are unmarried. From the study conducted by Blackman et al. (2022), Blacks that are married have a higher occupation level compared to their counterparts. It helps cushion married individuals against economic trouble as the unmarried continue to face significant challenges. Unmarried African Americans suffer heavily from material hardship, such as the inability to pay bills such as rent (Blackman et al., 2022).
Additionally, unmarried Black face the challenge of owning a home than married, indicating the effects of declining marriages in African American community (Blackman et al., 2022). Marriage also helps Black American women earn as they can get higher social security benefits than unmarried women (Blackman et al., 2022). This protects them from the poverty line as unmarried individuals in the African American community earn less than married individuals. This portrays that marriage positively affects the Blacks as it acts as a wealth-creating institution.
Social and Familial Outcomes
Marriage has a critical benefit in promoting social outcomes such as virtue, family relations, and crime. This benefits Black Americans as they are primarily associated with virtue and criminal issues (Blackman et al., 2022).
Families whose parents have separated, widowed, or divorced among African Americans face significant problems with ethical behavior. Their counterparts can reject illegal offers, such as engaging in drug abuse and trafficking, as most of them are associated with religious activities. Women can gain the social domain, which helps raise kids, reducing the chances of getting involved in criminal activities (Blackman et al., 2022). Unmarried groups often have negative interactions with their family members promoting the buildup of unethical behavior. Moreover, it prevents married individuals from getting involved in criminal activity compared to the unmarried group, divorced or separated.
Psychological Well-Being
Psychological well-being among Black Americans significantly varies with the status of their relationship. Unmarried individuals, separated or divorced, have higher emotional problems than their married peers. In addition, the probability of committing suicide for this group is significantly higher than for married individuals (Blackman et al., 2022). Marriage has a positive effect on the psychological well-being of Blacks, and its decline has a negative impact on this community. Widowhood, divorce, and separation significantly affect the mental health of African Americans.
Conclusion
Marriage among African Americans has declined significantly in the current period due to economic well-being, unemployment, and incarceration. Statistics show that despite marriage among Blacks being low than among other groups, it continues to decline rapidly. Economic well-being determines whether an African American can get married or not. Individuals living in extreme poverty find it challenging to engage in marriage because of its requirements and needs.
This has been supported by their low education levels. Unemployment significantly promotes the decline of marriages as Blacks cannot cater to their needs as well as their couples, leading to separation, divorce, and even living unmarried life. Incarceration has significantly promoted a decline in marriages by promoting separation. Additionally, it has increased in sex ratio leading to behavioral change among women. The decline in marriages in African American community has various outcomes such as poor economic well-being, social and familial outcomes, and psychological well-being.
References
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Caucutt, E. M., Guner, N., & Rauh, C. (2021). Incarceration, Unemployment, and the Racial Marriage Divide. Web.
Guner, N., Rauh, C., & Caucutt, E. (2019). Incarceration, unemployment, and the black–white marriage gap in the U.S. CEPR. Web.
Mouzon, D. (2013). Why has marriage declined among Black Americans? Scholars Strategy Network. Web.
Statista. (2022). U.S. African American unemployment rate 2021. Web.
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