Mia McDowell

27 March 2016
Elizabeth Kent
UNIT 3
Source #3: Actual Book
The African American Guide to Divorce and Drama: Breaking Up without Breaking
Down

Barclay, Lester L. The African-American Guide to Divorce & Drama: Breaking up without
Breaking down. New York: Khari, 2013. Print.
This book really focuses on and tries to explain the African American divorce
epidemic. It stated that divorce in the African American community was way more
common today compared to how it used to be. More than half of all African American
divorces now end by divorce. The book listed multiple reasons on why the author felt that
divorce was now more prominent in todays African American community. One reason
listed was most African Americans inability to seek help from therapists or preachers when
clearly necessary. The author explained that he reckon they feel this way because seeking
help is often affiliated with being mentally ill. It also stated that most of these couples feel
ashamed that they are having these problems and feel that if they share what they are going
through they will judged. They feel that their peers or even their ministers will look down on
them for going through or considering a divorce. The book also stated that the high
unemployment rate of black men contributes to the high divorce rate, as well as the
extremely high rate of black male incarceration. These two factors are key factors in divorce
because being incarcerated has a strong impact on those outside relationships with others
and unemployment or lack of money can cause stress in any relationship. There is also a

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study found according to this book that states that there are many couples in this
community in domestically violent relationships. These bad or negative relationships also
have long lasting negative impacts on the children around them if allowed in that
environment or negative space. It is important to keep your children out of or away from
any drama. The last and one of the most important and impactful factors they listed was
that now the African American women are having to step up more. More women in this
community are now becoming the head of the household. This empowers a woman but also
makes her feel as if her husband is of no worth or value, which makes it easier to walk away
from her marriage.

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27 March 2016
Elizabeth Kent
UNIT 3
Website Source (HealthyMarriageInfo)
Griner, Maureen. "African Americans and Black Community." National Healthy
Marriage Resource Center. National Healthy Marriage Resource Center Inc. Web. 20 Feb. 2016.

According to the U.S. Census, African American households are least likely to
contain a married couple, when compared to other races and minorities. An African
American child is three times likely to be born out of wedlock than a Caucasian child.
Those African American children who are in a married family household only spend six
years together compared to fourteen years of a Caucasian child. Marriage in the African
American community appears to vary based on their income and education. Marriage also
contributes to the economic well-being of African Americans compared to other races. Only
45 percent of African American families have married couples, compared to 80 percent of
Caucasian families and 70 percent among Hispanics. More African Americans with college
education tend to marry more often compared to those without it. The divorce rate in this
community increased significantly between the years of 1970 and 2000. Black women
divorce at a rate nearly double the amount of white and Hispanic women. (The author of
this article then goes on to discuss how this is disheartening and disgusting because back in
the old days slaves were not allowed to get married. The only way they could symbolize
their marriage was to jump a broom, and now people have all these big elaborate
ceremonies and get divorced within the next few months. They also believe that because

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27 March 2016
Elizabeth Kent
UNIT 3
times have changed marriage is not view as important as it once was. I felt this source did
not give enough information as it should have but it gave pretty solid facts.

Essence Magazine Source

Jackson, Charreah K. "9 Interesting Facts about Divorce for Black Couples."
Essence.com. Essence Magazine Communications, 03 July 2013. Web. 18 Feb. 2016.

The article in essence opened up talking about how in the black community, we
embrace the phrase "it takes a village". It then, however, begins to describe this is not a
healthy way to run a marriage and is one of the leading causes for divorce in the African
American society. It talked about how many African Americans believe in getting their
family, their church, and even their community sometimes involved in their marriage. This
is extremely unhealthy for a marriage because it drives a wedge between husband and wife
having so many opinions for outsiders about the marriage. The article then goes on to say
that today's society in the African American community is more like a matriarch compared
to the old days. More African American women now are more educated and having higher
earning jobs. This tends to make women more independent and men feel more inferior.
Typically, African Americans do not embrace seeking help from therapists when their
marriage is in trouble. This is because many African Americans have a negative view and

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27 March 2016
Elizabeth Kent
UNIT 3
outlook on getting help from a therapist because they think this will make them become
labeled as mentally ill. This stigma causes those in the African American community to just
rather divorce instead of seeking help from professionals. All children are impacted by their
parents divorce, but African American children are impacted more heavily and negatively.
It is very typical in the African American community that when a husband divorces his
wife, he also walks away from his kids. This is more typical in the African American
community than in any other community of races. I also learned that apologizing can really
also prevent a divorce, but in the black community people really cannot seem to put their
pride aside to fix their differences. Having too much pride can really hinder working out
problems with your spouse. They covered the topic very well.

Mia McDowell
27 March 2016
Elizabeth Kent
UNIT 3
Source Two: Divorces Increase by Half
"Divorces Increase by Half." Family in Society: Essential Primary Sources. Ed. K. Lee
Lerner, Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, and Adrienne Wilmoth Lerner. Detroit: Gale, 2006. 53-55.
U.S. History in Context. Web. 24 Mar. 2016.

Divorce is defined as the legal separation of a husband and wife in a court through
legal processes. A judge then dissolves the marriage. There is a step before divorce which is
separation, but divorce is the end. Back in the day, marriage was viewed as very sacred and
divorce was not even an option. Back then, marriage wasn't so easy to throw away because
it was considered as a contract between you, your spouse, and God. You are less likely to
throw something away especially when God is involved so deeply and intertwined. In
African American communities, the church praises marriage and it is believed to be such an
amazing thing. You needed an actual reason to be granted a divorce back then. The only
way you were getting divorced was when you experienced spousal misconduct. Now it is
way easier to divorce today than back then. I believe that also is a leading cause of why the
divorce rate in the African American community has rose so much. It is way too easy to
throw in the towel and walk away today than it was 50 years ago. In the 1960s, adultery and
abandonment were the only grounds for divorce. Most people are unaware, but you do have
to financial pay for a divorce. Divorce is mentally, emotionally, physically and financially
draining. Approximately more than 1400 divorces have increased 50 percent since 1919 and

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27 March 2016
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UNIT 3
it peaked significantly in the 1980s more predominately in the African American
community.

Source for Interview

Mitchell, Robbyn. Divorce Court: Rules on Love: Judge Lynn Toler of Divorce
Court on Divorce and 21 century romance. Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, FL.) 9 Feb
2016: 2. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 11 Mar. 2016.
This source is article written after an interview between Robbyn Mitchell, a Tampa
Bay Times Staff writer, and Divorce Courts very own Judge Lynn Toler. Judge Lynn Toler
is a divorce judge serving for almost over a decade, shes been on the television show
divorce court for over 10 years, and she also dissolves 160 marriages annually. In this
interview, she divulges some of the wild stories she has heard leading to divorce while
serving as a divorce judge. She also stated that she typically dissolve more African American
relationships, or marriages, compared to any other races for a number of different reasons.
She stated that she believed social media was the root or the cause of most divorces
especially in the 21st century. She said that social media makes cheating so easy and it also
makes finding out about the cheating easier as well. She believes that in the African
American community, she sees more couples ignore their economic realities instead of
addressing them. Then, she watches this reality turn into a strain on the marriage. She stated
that she also believe that now in this day and age, most women are the primary
breadwinners and this does not make most men feel secure which also creates a strain in a

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27 March 2016
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relationship or marriage. While she is not at work settling a case, she is at home spending
time with her retired husband of 27 years, taking up tennis or at painting classes. She said
that she has also written two books and is in the process of completing her 3rd. She has great
insight on how we can slow down and eventually stop the divorce epidemic.

Library Article Source: African American Women Unique Divorce Experiences

Molina, Olga. "African American Women's Unique Divorce Experiences." Journal
Of Divorce & Remarriage 32.3/4 (2000): 93. SocINDEX with Full Text. Web. 20 Feb. 2016.

The United States has the highest marriage rate in the world, however it also has the
highest divorce rate as well. More than one million couples get divorced every year and
more than 75 percent of these families include children. African Americans tend to be
slower with remarrying after divorce. It was stated that divorce affects African American
women differently. Some African Americans are completely sadden by their divorce and
feels that they are being judged by society as a failure. They tend to not feel the comfort or
support they should from others around as much during this troubling time in their lives
compared to Caucasians. The African American woman, however, tends to bare all the
burdens after divorce. It is proven that African Americans tend to have way messier
divorces. More than likely the African American woman is left fighting for child support

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27 March 2016
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and for the father to still be in the childs life although they tend to take on the role as the
common primary caretaker. This causes African American women a lot of stress especially
financially, wondering how they will provide for their family and children. Not to mention,
they still deal with self-esteem issues and feelings of being lonely from their marriage
dissolving. Some women, however, prefer not to go through a custody battle about the kids
at court because it truly affects the children so some parents end up coming to a mutual
agreement before things have to get so messy. This article also stated that it is expected in
society for Black women and her spouse not to make it. I do not think this source was a
really good one.

Mia McDowell
27 March 2016
Elizabeth Kent
UNIT 3

Website Source: Divorce360

Moore, Don. "African-Americans and Marriage." Divorce360. Divorce 360.
Web. 18 Feb. 2016.

African Americans in todays society are now less likely to be married and more
prone to getting divorced according to experts who study divorce rates in the United States.
The biggest indicators for the failure of marriage in this community tend to be age, poverty,
and education. Age differences among couples or marrying entirely too young can really
have a negative impact on marriages at times. Being that in the African American
community levels of poverty are extremely high and education levels are extremely low it
really makes sense why the divorce rate is so high. Poverty issues can put stress on any
marriage as well as not having a good education can hinder you from landing a decent job.
Poverty affects marriages because you truly need money to run a family and run a
household. Divorce among black couples is more prevalent than among the Asian,
Hispanic, and Caucasian couples according to a 2003 study done by demographic research.
Research shows that 32 percent of African American couples divorce compared to 21
percent of white couples and 22 percent of the Hispanic couples. Andrew Cherlin, a
professor of sociology at John Hopkins University, tried to explain why he thinks African
Americans divorce rate is higher than other races. He stated he believed blacks were more
prone to divorce because their poverty level which really strains any marriage. He also went

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UNIT 3
on to say that African Americans tend to involve way more outsiders in their marriage
compared to other races as well. Researchers have found that 70 percent of black womens
first marriages will end in divorce compared to the 47 percent of Caucasian womens
marriages. Age, Income, and Education are the three main factors of marriage. It was found
in research that in the black community a baby has a chance of being born to an unmarried
couple. Dr. Pamela Thompson, a psychologist located in Atlanta stated that African
American couples tend to divorce more because now in todays society, the African
American woman is earning more money and reaching higher educational levels than the
average man which makes some men feel very inferior. If this woman overbears the man, it
could ruin the relationship. She also says that black women and their attitudes contribute to
the rate as well, which I feel is a personal opinion. A minister named Cedric Brooks of
Atlanta stated that divorce increases because of the decline of church attendance. Another
stated factor would be a materialistic attitude that African Americans have about the greed
of money and material things. A study called "The Consequences of Marriage for African
Americans" found that black men receive more benefits from marriage than black women.
Marriage is beneficial for African American children more than Caucasian children because
it gives that male child a father figure with their father in the home, and it improves the
overall finances of the family. I feel like this source is very valuable because it gave plenty
information and covered the topic very well.

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27 March 2016
Elizabeth Kent
UNIT 3

The Growing Racial and Ethnic Divide in U.S. Marriage Patterns: Journal Source
Raley, R. Kelly, Megan M. Sweeney, and Danielle Wondra. "The Growing Racial
And Ethnic Divide In U.S. Marriage Patterns." Future Of Children 25.2 (2015): 89-109. ERIC.
Web. 20 Mar. 2016.

Compared to both White and Hispanic women, black women marry later on in life,
they are less likely to marry at all and quicker to divorce. Black women have high rates of
martial instability as well. Structural factors such as declining employment rates and rising
incarceration for unskilled black men have really increased divorce rates as well. This
journal article states that in marriage, the racial and ethnic differences are evident especially
as it pertains to education levels. According to this article and research, divorce in the
African American community began declining in early 1960. Researchers says that race is
an issue in marriage because race continues to be an issue in economic disadvantages. Being
financially strained can have a negative impact on any marriage. Economic factors are
extremely relevant to marriage and marital stability. The racial gap in marriages have also
grown. Only one in one third black children live with their biological parents because of
divorce. They believe this has negative effects on a child's development. Young adults in the
African American community wait longer to marry than they use to in any other past
century and later than any other race. African American at all ages show lower marriage
rates compared to other racial and ethnic groups. Black women have extremely high rates of

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27 March 2016
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UNIT 3
marriage instability. Divorce rates are higher amongst black women and couples compared
to Caucasian couples. Asian couples tend to have the lowest divorce rates today. Research
shows that these marital dissolution rates will continue to increase and grow.

Evolution of the African American Family: Journal Source

Revell, Maria A. "Evolution of the African American Family." International Journal
of Childbirth Education October 27.4 (2012): 44-48. Alt HealthWatch. Web. 21 Mar. 2016.

The African American family structures have extremely strong foundations that
stretch back for several generations. In this community, marriage is not only a union
between two people. Marriage is also seen as a union between the couple and God and an
extension of family and community as well according to this journal. It is also believed that
marriage is also a union of two families including the family of the bride and the family of
the groom. Back in the day, the African American family was often changed during the
years of slavery. This was considered one of the most disruptive things that ruined the
pattern of African American families for years to come according to this article. In the years
of slavery, men and women were moved away from each other whether they were coupled
or not. They also were taken away from their children. However, this did not stop the slaves
from marrying one another. The slaves were often forced to move to different locations once
they were sold and bought by different plantation owners. These slave masters or plantation
owners at this time did not consider the fact and did not care that they were destroying

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27 March 2016
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families in their process of conducting business. Despite these families being broken apart
because of slaves being sold or traded down south, in the northern states marriage was very
common and popular amongst African American couples. These couples did not separate or
legally divorce during these times because they were strongly against breaking up the family
especially because of all they had gone through together and all it took to be together free.
Since these times, family patterns in this community have changed dramatically. The
divorce rate has almost tripled, the number of African American children in a one parent
household has doubled, and 50 percent of households today in this community are ran by
strictly women.

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27 March 2016
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UNIT 3

Website Source: Divorce Saloon

Robinson, Denise. Black Couples & Divorce: Why Is the Divorce Rate for Blacks so
High in the U.S. Divorce Saloon. Web. 20 Feb. 2016.

Marriage amongst black couples seemed to decline so much, they have a day called
"Black Marriage Day". Another reason would be that the divorce rate of African Americans
are close to 70 percent and that amount does not even consider those married African
Americans that are legally separated and they do not cohabit together. This rate really began
declining since the 1970s. Some studies have shown that divorce can impact black children
more strongly and negatively compared to white children because they lose that father figure
in their life more likely than forever. This causes black male children to really lose their way
more frequently in a life of drugs and crime. There also was another study done that yielded
different results. In the second study, it showed that Caucasian children are more impacted
compared to bad children. They figured this because when Caucasian children lose their
father, they lose their family's primary breadwinner. They have to completely reshape their
lives differently to what they have grown accustomed to compared to African American
children who may be used to the struggle and extreme poverty levels. Both of these findings
say a lot about the African American community as a whole. It was revealed that Black
women typically have to fight for child support more opposed to White women. This is very
saddening because it should be equal. I think this is more likely because studies prove that

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UNIT 3
past matrimony Caucasian men are more involved with their children opposed to men in
African American community. According to this article marriage between African
American couples are even starting to become endangered. I felt this source was bias in a
sense towards Caucasians in my personal opinion, but it had some very valid points.

National Trends in Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage

Shiono, Patricia H. "National Trends in Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage."
Children and Divorce 1.4. (Spring 1994): 37-39. Epidemiology of Divorce Full Text. Web. 21 Mar.
2016.
Rates of first marriages of African Americans have fluctuated dramatically over the
past 70 years. Back in the 1920's, marriage rates were 99 per 1,000 single African American
couples. In the mid 1940's, it rose to 143 per 1,000 single couples. Shortly after it began to
decline for the next 30 years consistently. In the mid 1970's, the rate dropped to 85 per 1,000
couples. Then 76 to 1,000 couples in 1988. It was found in a study that African American
women are becoming less likely to marry compared to Caucasian women. Some researchers
blame black women not marrying for these women giving birth out of wedlock. They also
believe factors such as the age when couples decide to marry, their educational attainment,
and financial achievement. African American women who marry when they are over 30 are
least likely to become divorced. African American teenage marriages are very likely to
divorce at 75 percent. African Americans also do not think seeking help from professionals,
such as counseling, is an option. This author of this article believes that this is why so many

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27 March 2016
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UNIT 3
marriages fail in the African American community. She also believes that their children are
more strongly affected by divorce because of the mindset of not wanting to seek help.
According to the census, African American couples are the least likely to contain a married
couple. This finding is especially true compared to other races and minorities. It was also
found that only 45 percent of African American couples are actually married. In the African
American community divorce increased significantly between 1970 and 2000. African
American couples tend to divorce at a rate double the amount of other races.

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27 March 2016
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UNIT 3
Unit 3 Outline Assignment
I. Working Title: "The New Normal: African American Divorce"
I came up with this title because I believe divorce in the African American
community is now the new normal. I have come to this conclusion because of all of my
alarming findings I have seen during my research. Back in the day, marriage was extremely
common in the African American community opposed to now where it is exactly opposite
because divorce is more frequent.

II. Intended Strategy for Introducing Paper: Asking Rhetorical Questions

I would start my paper by giving a background on how powerful and impactful
marriage is and could be. I also would talk about why marriage meant so much to African
Americans especially during slavery times. During slavery African American families were
split up but they still married and in the northern states marriage was really common
amongst African Americans. I would also discuss past wedding traditions and marriage
ceremonies in the African American community. I also would give insight on the many
different factors that researcher believes caused the major shift between the past and now as
it pertains to divorce in the African American community.

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27 March 2016
Elizabeth Kent
UNIT 3
III. Working Thesis Statement
Marriage in the African American community at one point was so sacred and now
things are evolving where marriage isn't everything anymore. Why is this? Why is it now so
easy in the African American community to run a household solely on one parent or why is
it so common for African American couples to stay together for years without marrying?
There are so many working theories at that try or attempt to explain these alarming divorce
rates. One reason would be that the women in the African American community now are
becoming way more independent, seeking more knowledge and now earning higher wages
making their husbands feel inferior or making them feel they can do it on their own.
Secondly, people are beginning to mock the unhealthy marriage and relationship patterns
they witnessed growing up. Finally, financial burdens cause stress and tension in
relationships and the unemployment rate in African Americans males are extremely high.

I. Entry 1: Newspaper Article

I am deciding to use a newspaper article as my first entry because I believe this
opening would be very dramatic. It is very much news to me that these rates are so alarming
and I think it would be need to others as well. I want to open it like it is breaking news to get
that wow factor. I'm sure this will be news to others because many people are unaware of
these divorce rates in this community. I think using a newspaper article would be like
spreading the word or information which is the purpose of the newspaper or news in
general.

Mia McDowell
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Elizabeth Kent
UNIT 3

II. Entry 2: Interview with Judge Lynn Toler

My second entry would be an interview with a divorce expert herself which is Judge
Lynn Toler. I think people will really respect this and respect her views because that is her
career and what she does for a living. She deals with couples divorcing every day and she
could give insight on what the main causes of divorce amongst these communities of
different races. She could also help explain why she think the rates continue to rise.

III. Entry 3: Magazine Article

I would love to create a Jet look alike magazine. Jet is a common magazine in the
African American community. I would explain why some marriages are failing today in a
more urban way like a social setting almost. I would make the magazine article more
entertaining than my newspaper article entry.

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Elizabeth Kent
UNIT 3
IV. Entry 4: Picture/Photograph
This picture resembles how much divorce can affect you. It can affect you and stress
you out which is shown in the photograph. I chose this picture because it expressed how
marriage dissolving can ruin a family. It shows plenty emotion such as sadness and
depression that people go through during a divorce.

V. Entry 5: Descriptive Paragraph

I chose to use a descriptive paragraph as an entry because I think using this will
really help me to help my readers understand my topic more. This allows me to be more
descriptive about the topic as well. It helps me to give insight on divorce in the African
American community.

VI. Entry 6: Ad
My next entry would be an Ad because it is very common to see ads about divorce
lawyers and attorneys. This relates to how things can influence people's decision to go
ahead and divorce. These ads at times make it seem so easy and it sometimes seems like it's
coming off as encouragement.

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Elizabeth Kent
UNIT 3
VII. Entry 7: Timeline
My last entry would be a timeline to express how times have really changed when it
comes to marriage in the African American community. It would be very detailed and
express how much slaves couldn't be with their spouses and some could not marry if they
were not in the free states. Marriage meant a lot to those in African American communities
and now people seem not to care. I would show were marriage first initially started
declining and when divorce been to increase significantly. I think this would really help the
reader to understand how things and times have changed.

Intended Concluding Strategy

I intend to conclude my paper by tying everything together. Divorce is now the new
normal of most African American family dynamics. This divorce rate in the African
American community sometimes goes completely unnoticed. I want people to truly
understand after reading my paper why and just how much the divorce rate in this
community has greatly increased. In my conclusion, I will reiterate the main points I made
in my entries especially in my last entry, my timeline, to express how things were to how
they are now and what we can expect to happen in the future.