Is Marriage for White People? is a non-fiction book by Ralph Richard Banks, a writer and Stanford Law School professor. The book explores the decline in African American marriage, arguing that single is the new black, which poses serious problems for the African-American community. More than two out of every three black women are unmarried, and they are more than twice as likely as white women never to marry. The racial gap in marriage extends beyond the poor, with affluent and college educated African Americans also less likely to marry.
The most dramatic increase has occurred among black newlyweds, whose intermarriage rate more than tripled from 5% in 1980 to 18% in 2015. Among whites, the rate rose from 4% in 1980 to 11% in 2015. The most common racial or ethnic pairing among newlywed intermarried couples is one Hispanic and one white spouse (42%).
Is Marriage for White People? answers these questions through an exploration of the lives of the black middle class. African Americans are the most unmarried group of people in the United States, with black women being more than three times as likely as white women never to marry. When black women do marry, they are more likely than any other group of people to marry.
Racial differences in U.S. marriage patterns remain large, with black women being less likely to marry and to remain married than white women. Although marriage rates are declining across the board, the point remains that African Americans are among the most unmarried racial groups in the United States.
📹 Is Marriage Just For White People?: Rick Banks at TEDxStanford
Rick Banks looks at the ways race, the law and morality intersect and affect our society today. A graduate of Stanford University …
📹 Is Marriage for White People?
October 22, 2011 – In a discussion based on his book, Is Marriage for White People, Professor Banks discusses shifting trends in …
I know a number of attractive, intelligent (MSc educated), professional, wonderful black women that are not only unmarried, but also haven’t even been in a steady relationship for over 15 YEARS! Its a great great shame. Sisters, please do everything that you can to esteem yourselves, drop your fears and your prejudices and go and enjoy life. Get out there and meet the men you desire and get what you want and need. GO DO IT.
I don’t entirely agree with the “explaining black hair care” argument for why black women don”t date interracially. There are intergenerational stories that survive to this day about white slave-masters and black women. But I did have to chuckle. about the hair. I’m white, my wife is black but I never knew how deep black hair care was until I had to get our granddaughter ready for an outing. OMG after an hour of work, she was crying, I was crying and all I had was one sad-looking afro-puff.
I really identified with what you said about what your dad said about suiter criteria….it seems as though now desire trumps duty. I had an assoicate of mine just about fall off the planet and coudln’t understand why I kept my family together because he felt my significant other was not the fairytale man.
What a beautiful talk. But what is your opinion of all of these issues today? Are there changes or still the same? What is your innermost desire regarding these very issues at this point in time? Would you like to redress these issues again? A talk like this in continuum will help to blur the issues of border and prosper the relationship across borders and different mostly when it is given by a man of high intellect like you. Thanks for the talk and do not relent your efforts.
Brilliant and his findings are based on research, not opinion based, I have always dated professional black men and they were less likely to commit because of the scarcity and high demand for successful, good black men. I’m done waiting on the black men to get his act together, I’m taking your advice Mr. Banks well done
I don’t care what the social, economic or educational dynamics are, if a couple DOESN’T have and keep God as the ultimate head/guide over the relationship, it will have a crucial, adverse impact on the relationship. God instituted the covenant of marriage, but no one wants to do it His way. The world defines a successful relationship on superficial factors such as sex, money, commonalities, education and looks alone; these factors will never be enough to strengthen a relationship in and by themselves. As an African-American woman over 50 that’s never been married and have no kids, I used to base all of my relationship expectations on those, but now I know better. If the guy doesn’t have a heart for God, he certainly won’t have one for me. 🙏🏾
So many races/cultures are compared to “white”, or American / European culture because these Eurocentric societies have unquestionably dominated the whole world for centuries. As soon as one group has more influence than another, you can expect far more scrutiny directed towards them. Your question comes across as ignorant of this and may offend some people… it makes you sound similar to a lot of racists. Not saying you’re a racist, but perhaps you should be more sensitive to this dynamic.
Most women who are looking to getting married today she understand this point. If you find a man that you want to marry you must get down on one knee and ask for his hand in marriage and tell him you will serve him by any means necessary to make the marriage work. You should have been doing this for at least 3 years before you get down on your knees and ask him to marry you. Do not move in together but make sure you have your own face and he has his own place but go over to his place and serve him and cater to him each day then after the third year get down on your knees ask that man to marry you.
This article did not address how white supremacy plays a role in keeping black women and black men apart. He glossed over the Moynihan report which highlights the coming trends for the black community. This man did not address how black women help to create the men they complain about. I see why BW love this guy….He’s pro lgbt, feminism and IR dating, all tools of WS to keep black men disenfranchised.
I think one of the major problems that black women are not marrying white men is the fact that the black woman is not asking for his hand in marriage. Once you find yourself as a black woman into society and you qualify to have a white man then you have to ask him to marry you. The qualifications is for you to be single not screwing thuggo or Ray Ray, and have no children and be in the gym have that body in really good shape. Get in line with this formula and most white men little marry you.