ABSTRACT
Images of pregnant black teenagers and single black mothers are plentiful in the media and popular culture. These representations have fueled debates on the need for welfare reform and have focused public attention on adolescent pregnancy among black Americans. It is important to note that the issue of black adolescent childbearing has been largely constructed by mainstream white society. The national dialogue about adolescent childbearing featuring poor black adolescents is conducted about — and not with — those involved. The widening of the research lens beyond a focus on "adolescent childbearing" also led to a consideration of the participants in terms of their development. Theories of development traditionally identified specific tasks to be achieved during adolescence. Successful resolution of these tasks presumably led to a more autonomous, individuated, and independent self. In sorting out whether or how black adolescent childbearing warrants a separate focus, it seems essential to begin by engaging with perspectives of black women and black feminist scholars.
