Black Women Do Marry

Here is a post that I started in April, 2010. I kind of like it; so I'm posting it now.

Last night Dateline NBC presented yet another story about how successful Black women often times find themselves single. No, I did not watch and for that matter choose not to play into the media hype about how I may never marry or have kids, etc. Black women continue to be "the mules of the world" (to borrow from my literary idol) being victims of some of the most heinous violence known to man, to recently being the poster child for yet another "societal ill" (being a woman, African American, single and successful). When did that become such a tragedy?

I for one know several African-American women who are married and have thriving families and careers. One of my best friends is my role model and I have seen her grow over the years. I've seen her find and marry a great African-American man, work on her PhD and have three beautiful children. She is who I look to every time I see those reports that we cannot find good available men.

And here are a few other stories of African-American women who are married and have men that love and adore them:

• My mom has been married to my dad for 52 years. Yes, they have their ups and downs, but he has always shown the utmost love and respect to my mom.
  

• One of my former students missed his current wife so much that when they were dating and she was away on a trip he showed up with a wedding gown at the airport and asked her to marry him.
  

• A large percentage of my African-American sorority sisters (shout out to Delta Sigma Theta) have husbands and families. I see and hear about their strong and loving families everyday on Facebook.

So the next time you hear a report that is not so favorable towards African American women and marriage, look around you. While you may not have found the man of your dreams yet, there are plenty of examples that prove we still can.