Black matriarchy is a term for the black American families mostly led by women.^{[by whom?]}

First usage

The issue was first brought to national attention in 1965 by sociologist and later Democratic Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, in the Moynihan Report (also known as "The Negro Family: The Case For National Action").^[1] Moynihan's report made the argument that the relative absence of nuclear families (those having both a father and mother present) in Black America would greatly hinder further Black socioeconomic progress.^[1]

Statistics

A study of 1880 family structure in Philadelphia shows that three-quarters of Black families were nuclear families, composed of two parents and children.^[2] In New York City in 1925, 85 percent of kin-related Black households had two parents.^[2] In 1940, the illegitimacy rate for Black children was 19 percent.^[2]

When Moynihan warned in his 1965 report of the coming destruction of the Black family, the out-of-wedlock birthrate was 25 percent among Blacks.^[1] By 1991, 68 percent of Black children were born outside of marriage.^[3] In 2011, 72 percent of Black babies were born to unwed mothers.^[4][5]

Negativity

Some will disagree with the idea of a Black matriarchy because they see Black matriarchy being used in a derogatory way. The author of the article "The Myth of the Black Matriarchy" argues that black women were seen in a threatening way and their position in the family has resulted in the psychological castration of the black male and has produced a variety of other negative effects. These negative effects include low educational achievements, personality disorders, juvenile delinquency, etc.^[6]

Effects of absent fathers

2011 Census Bureau data compiled by Kids Count, a project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, shows that about 67% of black children^[7] are living in a household without their father. Fathers play an emotional role in families, and their absence can be detrimental to the development of their children. For young girls the absence of their fathers can influence how promiscuous the daughter is with her physical sexuality.^[8] Also they may seek more attention from men and tend to have had more physical contact with boys than other girls their age.^[8] It has been shown that boys without fathers tend to become gang affiliated more than those who have a two parent home.^[9] In the oral survey the writer conducted with 25 black males ages 15 to 25 who had either been to jail, or on probation, or had a criminal record or had criminal charges 13 pending, it was found that 21 out of the 25 subjects were raised by a single mother. Seventeen of them said they thought that if their fathers were present during their upbringing, it could have made a difference in their lives.^[9] These theories have been challenged by various collected data, including data shown by the Center for Disease Control (CDC).^{[10][need quotation to verify]}