ABSTRACT
This part introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters. The part focuses on black women who head families. There are several reasons for devoting the attention to these single-parent families. Like all single-parent families, black families headed by women are short on resources—both economic and human. There is less income to meet family expenses and fewer adults to complete household chores and help with child care. This puts a heavy burden on the householder. Black female-headed families have been the subject of attention among policy analysts, researchers, and the general public. Young mothers, many of whom have never been married, tend to have lower incomes and higher poverty rates than women who were formerly married. The vast majority of black female heads of household receive no public assistance, struggling to provide both economic and emotional support for their children.
