It's Black Marriage Day
By LaCharla
March 22, 2020, is Black Marriage Day, a time to celebrate marriage in the Black community. The Wedded Bliss Foundation promotes healthy relationships and marriages, better outcomes for children, and stronger communities and launched Black Marriage Day in 2003 as part of that effort.
Black Family Stats
According to Kids Count Data Center, statistics show that some 6.5 million Black children in the U.S. (67%) live in single-family-headed households. This compares to 35% for all children in the U.S.
Social scientists tell us that children living in single-parent households–especially when the father is absent–tend to have increased rates of poverty, incarceration, early pregnancy and high-risk behavior, along with lower academic achievement.
Marriage is not a magic wand, but a stable and loving two-parent family can give our children the kind of head start they deserve. And so, marriage is worth celebrating.
Honoring the Day
One way we can celebrate Black Marriage Day is simple: Get or Give.
All around us married couples are under pressure from marital strife, unemployment, debt, abuse, infidelity, depression and more. And many are muddling through their woes in silence. If that’s you, why not honor the Day by choosing to get help? Marriage counselors tell us that, on average, married couples wait 6 years too long to seek help. So get that help, and start turning your marriage around.
Some couples have weathered the normal storms of married life and still enjoy happy lives together. If you’re in that number, why not honor the Day by choosing to give. Find a couple facing a tough time and give them access to your experience. Be a mentor, a prayer partner, and an example that there is life after the storm.
Black Marriage Day can be the start of a year of sharing and renewal. Let’s connect with other married couples this year. On purpose. Let’s share the strength we have and find the strength we need.
Together, we can do this.
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