Black. Single. Mother. by Jamilah Lemieux begins as a memoir of Black single motherhood then expands into a meticulously researched disruption of racist and sexist stereotypes. Her story and the stories of the other Black single mothers she includes show that single motherhood is not to be looked down upon and that when socio-economic factors are controlled, children of single mothers are no less likely to thrive than children who grow up in households with both parents. She also challenges the notion that Black fathers are prone to absenteeism by citing research that shows that “Black fathers . . . are reported to be more active in the care of their children than dads of other races.” Because Lemieux weaves her research into her story, I found it to be more powerful than other texts I’ve read that address similar issues. It’s much easier to disrupt biases and reframe understandings when confronted with personal stories that humanize data.
In Black. Single. Mother., Lemieux provides a method for unlearning deeply ingrained societal biases. This is essential reading for anyone committed to understanding the intersection of race, gender, and family in America.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.