9 The Family
Choosing Measures
Assessing family changes between 1950 and 1980 is challenging because it's unclear what improvements or declines mean. For instance, the rise of working mothers can be seen as positive for some but negative for others, depending on personal circumstances. The well-being of children can vary with mothers working or staying home. Similarly, living arrangements for the elderly are complex; more living separately could be seen as both positive and negative. However, two clear indicators pointing to family issues are illegitimate births and single-female-headed families.
Illegitimate Births
The issue of illegitimate births has been a topic of debate, but the increase in the proportion of unmarried women having babies is not as dramatic as often believed. Over twenty years, the rate of live births to single women has risen from 22 to 29 per 1,000. Interestingly, the birth rate among unmarried black women decreased during this time, falling from 98 per 1,000 in 1960 to 77 in 1980. The real concern stems from the growing total number of births, which surged from 224,000 in 1960 to over 665,000 in 1980, resulting in a higher proportion of illegitimate births.
Black women, in particular, saw a significant rise in illegitimate births; from 17 percent of all black births in 1950 to 48 percent in 1980. For white women, the increase was similarly notable but started from a much lower baseline, growing from less than 2 percent to 11 percent. The most alarming trend is among teenagers. Although the total number of births to teenagers in 1980 was not vastly greater than in 1955, the number of births to unmarried teenagers dramatically increased.
Among black teenagers, 82 percent of births in 1980 were illegitimate, which is an extreme contrast to other populations worldwide. Factors like low education and economic hardship impact these young mothers, making it challenging for them to provide for their children. Additionally, the rise in low birth weight among infants, particularly from young mothers, highlights serious health concerns linked to these trends. Overall, illegitimate births raise complex social issues that affect both the mothers and their children deeply.
“Female Householder, No Husband Present”
In 1965, a report highlighted the decline of black families, revealing significant differences in family structure between white and black Americans. By the mid-20th century, the stability of two-parent families for both races began to shift dramatically, particularly for black families. In 1968, the percentage of black husband-wife households fell sharply from 72% to 69% and continued to decline over the following years, reaching 59% by 1980. In contrast, white family structures remained mostly unchanged during that time.
While the breakup of families has often been attributed to cultural factors, economic class plays a substantial role. Official poverty statistics show that families led by single females, including divorced and never-married women, have increased significantly, especially among low-income and poor groups. By 1980, nearly half of poor families were headed by single females.
There are notable racial differences as well, especially among the poor; 65% of poor black families were single-female households compared to 34% of poor white families. Additionally, low-income black families saw a striking rise in single-female households, increasing from 10% in 1959 to 44% by 1980, indicating that economic changes influenced family structures significantly during this period. Overall, the family structure of poor black families transformed more drastically than that of their white counterparts.
Family Composition and Poverty
Poverty levels among families, especially those led by single mothers, have increased despite economic growth and increased spending on the poor from 1950 to 1980. This rise is partly due to the growing number of single-mother households, which often have high poverty rates because these women may struggle to find well-paying jobs or need to stay home with children. Changes in family composition contributed significantly to the poverty statistics in the 1980s. Federal programs aimed to support families through jobs, education, and health efforts, reflecting a general increase in social spending.
Choosing Measures
Assessing family changes between 1950 and 1980 is challenging because it's unclear what improvements or declines mean. For instance, the rise of working mothers can be seen as positive for some but negative for others, depending on personal circumstances. The well-being of children can vary with mothers working or staying home. Similarly, living arrangements for the elderly are complex; more living separately could be seen as both positive and negative. However, two clear indicators pointing to family issues are illegitimate births and single-female-headed families.
Illegitimate Births
The issue of illegitimate births has been a topic of debate, but the increase in the proportion of unmarried women having babies is not as dramatic as often believed. Over twenty years, the rate of live births to single women has risen from 22 to 29 per 1,000. Interestingly, the birth rate among unmarried black women decreased during this time, falling from 98 per 1,000 in 1960 to 77 in 1980. The real concern stems from the growing total number of births, which surged from 224,000 in 1960 to over 665,000 in 1980, resulting in a higher proportion of illegitimate births.
Black women, in particular, saw a significant rise in illegitimate births; from 17 percent of all black births in 1950 to 48 percent in 1980. For white women, the increase was similarly notable but started from a much lower baseline, growing from less than 2 percent to 11 percent. The most alarming trend is among teenagers. Although the total number of births to teenagers in 1980 was not vastly greater than in 1955, the number of births to unmarried teenagers dramatically increased.
Among black teenagers, 82 percent of births in 1980 were illegitimate, which is an extreme contrast to other populations worldwide. Factors like low education and economic hardship impact these young mothers, making it challenging for them to provide for their children. Additionally, the rise in low birth weight among infants, particularly from young mothers, highlights serious health concerns linked to these trends. Overall, illegitimate births raise complex social issues that affect both the mothers and their children deeply.
“Female Householder, No Husband Present”
In 1965, a report highlighted the decline of black families, revealing significant differences in family structure between white and black Americans. By the mid-20th century, the stability of two-parent families for both races began to shift dramatically, particularly for black families. In 1968, the percentage of black husband-wife households fell sharply from 72% to 69% and continued to decline over the following years, reaching 59% by 1980. In contrast, white family structures remained mostly unchanged during that time.
While the breakup of families has often been attributed to cultural factors, economic class plays a substantial role. Official poverty statistics show that families led by single females, including divorced and never-married women, have increased significantly, especially among low-income and poor groups. By 1980, nearly half of poor families were headed by single females.
There are notable racial differences as well, especially among the poor; 65% of poor black families were single-female households compared to 34% of poor white families. Additionally, low-income black families saw a striking rise in single-female households, increasing from 10% in 1959 to 44% by 1980, indicating that economic changes influenced family structures significantly during this period. Overall, the family structure of poor black families transformed more drastically than that of their white counterparts.
Family Composition and Poverty
Poverty levels among families, especially those led by single mothers, have increased despite economic growth and increased spending on the poor from 1950 to 1980. This rise is partly due to the growing number of single-mother households, which often have high poverty rates because these women may struggle to find well-paying jobs or need to stay home with children. Changes in family composition contributed significantly to the poverty statistics in the 1980s. Federal programs aimed to support families through jobs, education, and health efforts, reflecting a general increase in social spending.