The Resurgence Of The Black Family

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by Lamar Tyler | on September 10th, 2008 | 13 comments

All of our regular readers will know I’m not much for stats but I heard one that I liked so I’m going to use it, (isn’t that how it works)? It went something like in 1963 more than 70% of black couples were headed by married couples. With the success and popularity of the Obama family and their historic run for the white house I think this could be the catalyst for the resurgence of the black family.

I think the love that’s show between Barack and Michelle is enough to make it cool again to be married. Cool to have kids and take care of them. Cool for some of our sisters to be attracted to men that aren’t thugs. Cool to stand behind your partner and support him or her as they do their thing. Cool for a man to hold it down for his family and if someone talks mess about his wife or their kids he puts them in check. Call me optimistic but I think the image of this family in the white house could provide these things for our community.

They will provide the image of what it’s supposed to be like. Something to aspire towards and they will provide this without Barack having to effectively use his jump shot or without Michelle pop lock and dropping it.

After listening to The Monique Show and hearing all of those folks calling in representing black love and happy marriages I’m starting to think we’ll be hearing more from these folks if Barack wins. It will be more accepted and more effort will be put into finding families like this. BMWK family are you ready? We’re down for holding up the banner of black love and happiness, parenting, marital bliss, all of that. What about you?

BMWK, do you think marriage and the black family will be affected by Barack becoming President if it happens? Will we see an increase in marriages and two parent households in the black community as a direct result or do you think it will be business as usual like the past few years? Let us know.

About the author

Lamar and Ronnie Tyler are the creators of the award-winning blog BlackandMarriedWithKids.com . They also are behind the Amazon.com bestselling DVDs Happily Ever After: A Positive Image of Black Marriage, You Saved Me and Men Ain’t Boys that explores manhood in the African American community. The Tylers are also the proud parents of four children.

Kelli

I find it WONDERFUL that black love and family is back in style (LOL!). For so long, its been so hard to find a happy, stable, loving black family. I find it SO refreshing to see the Obama’s showing everyone on the international scene that it is truly possible!

I’m also thankful for your website. Please keep up the good work. Black LOVE!
http://www.mochadad.com Mocha Dad

I don’t think that the Obama’s relationship will change the current state. There are deeper social and cultural issues tat must be corrected.
ewok

Let’s hope it does inspire. But it will take more than Barrack to make some of these guys step up.
ewok

sorry for the typo……hopefully he inspires me to use spell check…lol.
http://rawdawgb.blogspot.com rawdawgbuffalo

to ans question no. but it is around we just not worth the raitings

rawdawgbuffalos last blog post..open thread (9.10.2008)
http://www.blackandmarriedwithkids.com TheMom

I don’t know if marriages will increase because of the Barack family. But I do know that Barack will help to influence how people in other countries view African Americans. I think people in other countries think poorly of African Americans..and I think Barack will help to change that image.
http://www.blackandmarriedwithkids.com TheDad

@ ewok- my hope is that Michelle makes some of the women step up also
T. Rogers

There are strong, intact, black families out here. They just do not get any attention. If Barak and Michelle have done anything they have cast the media’s light on a previously ignored segment of the black population.

Their presence alone does not change the numbers, but they can help change the perception.
http://www.DrJayJones.com Jay Jones

I think the Obamas project a good healthy family image. Most importantly Barack and Michelle give a down to earth impression that inspires people to believe a marriage can be made to work (as in, it doesn’t just happen). The widespread exposure of them as a family and as a couple will have positive results in strengthening American family and marital life. Even though Barack has said the family should be “off limits” as far as political focus (as it should) they seem to have been very generous about letting us have a “peek” into their lives. That’s a good thing.
Anna

I come home from work and watch “Good Times”. James and Flordia(she doed always wear orange)Evans were a struggling married couple living in the projects of the ghetto. Mr. & Mrs Obama are now my couple of “The Jeffersons” Movi’n On Up” to the White House. You don’t know where you are going if you don’t discuss or remember where you have been.

If ppl keep an open mind anything is possible. I of course do not want the ppl to leave the open minded gate open for another 4 yrs of the same ole same ole. I can’t afford it nor can our Country.

Michelle and her husband are a great example of a married couple. Will it make some rush out to get married. I don;t know. I hope they rush out together to register to vote and vote in Nov. as a family.
kim h20s

every black married couple does their bit to promote black marriage. so if michelle and barrack don’t inspire you to tie the knot, maybe you get that vibe from jay-z and beyonce or TheMom and The Dad!

i’m seeing a lot more twenty-thirty something african-americans who are married than i did just a few years ago. in conversations i’m hearing a lot more emphasis on getting married.

this is in ironic conversation, because many feminist (read: white) bloggers decry marriage as a destructive tool of patriarchy that’s outdated and a bad proposition for women.
Mz.Nik

I agree with one of the previous posters’…there are and have always been a lot of strong black families out there. Unfortunately, the over exposure and constant showcasing of “baby mommas & baby daddies” has far removed us from the scene or idea of a happy and functional black family unit. It’s the power of persuasion; constant negative images, inflated statistics, misrepresented generalizations only help to perpetuate the negative stereotypes and self-fulfilling prophecies. (If we keep hearing the same ole thing over and over, we’ll begin to believe in it and ultimately act it out.)

So with that said, sure I believe that having the Obamas’ in the highest office in the country will definitely be a great and exemplary definition of a black family unit. Will it cure all ills? Of course not..but if it changes the life of one person then that’s a step in the right direction!!
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The Resurgence Of The Black Family

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