In this new article featuring our very own Lamar Tyler as a source, Nadra Kadeem Nittle takes an insightful look on what drives the media’s perception of African-American marriages. She states that, “This message that African-American women are unwanted, not only by black men but also by others, is frequently repeated in media coverage of black marriages.”
Quite honestly, it’s the best look at the ongoing story of black marriage that we’ve seen in a long time. The story states:
Clearly, this is a very complex and emotional issue. While it’s encouraging to see the mainstream media address the topic, a consistent flaw in the coverage has been the media’s failure to quote and gain information from the kinds of knowledgeable sources who can add substance, rather than sensation, to the conversation.
By seeking comments from these experts, the media can offer far more comprehensive coverage, as demonstrated by some of the interviews conducted for this article.
In recent years, the black marriage issue has been addressed by ABC’s “Nightline,” CNN and the Washington Post. This fall alone, the Guardian, the Los Angeles Times, Salon.com and ABC’s “The View” have also broached the subject of the black marriage rate. According to the 2010 American Community Survey of the U.S. Census Bureau, 29.3 percent of blacks are married compared to 52.1 percent of whites, 44.2 percent of Hispanics, 57.9 percent of Asians and 36.8 percent of Native Americans.
Another driving force behind recent news coverage of black marriage is Ralph Richard Banks’ controversial new book “Is Marriage for White People?” On the Nov. 11 episode of “The View,” co-hosts Whoopi Goldberg and Sherri Shepherd, who are both black, discussed the book’s suggestion that successful black women pursue interracial romance or risk ending up alone because black male professionals are few and far between.
BMWK family, what do you think? Is the media narrative about black marriage damaging? Is any of it constructive?
Niambi says
The media portrays this “false image” of Black marriages because it’s what sells. Just like sex and negativity. I thank God for BMWK because this is what is needed to reverse the negative images from the media. On a side note, I find it sad that Whoopi and Sherri feel that we should look into interracial dating because their appear not be “many options of black professionals”. That’s a lie and we need to stop feeding into that. A few weeks ago in the National Black MBA Association held it’s annual conference in Atlanta. It has been estimated that there are over 10,000 black men and women showed up to this event. There are plenty of educated, professional black men and you just need to know where to find them. Beyond that, there are good black men out there, period. I have one and he is a hard worker. He does not have a college degree but he is in a management position and worked his way up to the top and has been promoted several times by his employer. I am proud of my black, mocha, chocolate, handsome African American man and I love him and he loves me back 🙂
Lamar says
Niambi that comment was so good you should post it twice LOL
Niambi says
Thanks! LOL And many thanks to you and your wife. You are both great leaders and visionaries!
Lamar says
Thank you so much. Your words are greatly appreciated!
MRSW says
“A lie, told often enough, becomes the truth.” Lenin
That is what we have with the media and the state of black families and black marriage in America.
Niambi says
I hear what you are saying but this “lie” will never become “my truth”. This a poison that the media puts out about African Americans to make us stop loving ourselves and to embrace hatred of who we are. Black love is beautiful. It always has been and always will be…
Lamar says
The problem is that too many people are ingesting and internalizing the lie. They then feed it to their children and we begin to live out stereotypes like that is who we are and who we’ve always been. And we know that is far from the truth.
Briana Myricks says
We just have to keep showing everyone, the public, the media, and our community, that African American marriage is still powerful and possible. Sites like BMWK will show continue to show them, and will continue to be a force to be reckoned with.
Faithlroberts says
Black LOVE is ALIVE and Well in my community…. We get so caught up what the media is saying and we run with it. I am in group called NLT (No Limit Travelers) which consist of African American Marriage couples that love to travel. God is the head of our life. We encourage each other in all that we do.
Cindy LeRoy says
I agree with each comment above, any relationship a Black person or African American marriage if there is team work, respect for one another, and unconditional love for each other and God is in the mist of it all, how can our marriages become so negative. i believe black marriages are worth the hard work.. I am presently married for the past 15 years to a black man.