ABSTRACT
Contemporary relations between Blacks and Whites must be viewed in conjunction with the history of slavery, legalized segregation, and anti-miscegenation laws; all of which were powerful obstacles to marriage as well as any other form of intimacy. Yet the understanding of this very aspect of contemporary interpersonal and sexual relations among Blacks can better understanding of trends within the African American community, as well as help to unravel the mystery concerning Black women’s absence from many Black men’s lives. The reflections of Black men on the conditions leading up to and affecting their interracial relationships can actually serve as a barometer for the state of race relations in United States society. What is perhaps most striking about any examination of interracial relationships over time within the United States is the extent to which public reactions to them have mirrored other types of societal trends and changes.
