African American Single Mothers
Understanding Their Lives and Families
Edited by:
- Bette J. Dickerson - American University, Washington DC, USA
Volume:
10
Other Titles in:
Family Life Education
Family Life Education
232 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
The African American single-parent family has tended to be a scapegoat for a variety of social problems, ranging from poverty to drug abuse. As a result, there exists much misinformation about this family form. In this collection, the African American matriarchal family is re-evaluated to present a more informed picture of its actual structure and functioning.
From an Afrocentric feminist perspective, contributors examine the history, legal dilemmas, media images and religious values of these families. The roles of children, grandparents, fathers, other support figures and the government are reviewed. This insider view of these households concludes with suggestions of more effective and sensitive policy approaches to this type of family unit.
Bette J Dickerson
Introduction
Bette J Dickerson
Centering Studies of African American Single Mothers and Their Families
Norma J Burgess
Female-Headed Households in Sociohistorical Perspective
Annie Ruth Leslie
Women's Life-Affirming Morals and the Cultural Unity of African Peoples
Sharon Elise
Teenaged Mothers
Dhyana Ziegler
Single Parenting
Willa Mae Hemmons
The Impact of the Law on Single Mothers and the `Innocent'
Suzanne M Randolph
African American Children in Single-Mother Families
Susan M George and Bette J Dickerson
The Role of the Grandmother in Poor Single-Mother Families and Households
Rose M Brewer
Gender, Poverty, Culture and Economy
Bette J Dickerson, Philipia L Hillman and Johanna E Foster
Empowerment Through the `Ordinary' Knowledge/Scholarship/Policy Nexus