Norton Forum on Steep Decline of Black Marriage & Family Life - September 6, 2006
Norton Forum on Thursday Offers Frank Discussion on the
Steep Decline of Black Marriage and Family Life
September 6, 2006
Washington, DC-The sensitive subject of the decline of marriage and what it means to the future of the African American community will be discussed at a forum, "A Frank Discussion on Marriage, the Black Family and the State of the Race," at Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton's (D-DC) Women's Braintrust on Thursday, September 7, 2006 from 1 to 3 PM in Room 140B of the Washington Convention Center, during the 36th Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Annual Legislative Conference (CBCF ALC). The Panelists are prominent authors and commentators, Joy Jones, author and writer ("Marriage Is for White People," The Washington Post); Russ Parr, host of the "Russ Parr Morning Show," on WKYS- 93.9 FM and syndicated on Radio One stations nationwide; Clarence Page, syndicated columnist with the Chicago Tribune; and Iyanla Vanzant, bestselling author and host of "Starting Over;" an NBC daytime reality show.
In choosing this topic Norton said, "We need to consider where African Americans are headed as marriage in the Black community has become no longer the norm; as women face daunting conditions raising children alone, particularly Black boys; as African American men are siphoned out of the pool of marriageable Black men by many actions and forces, both internal and societal; and particularly, as Black children are left unprotected by normal family life." She said that these issues need to be "squarely confronted and dealt with openly instead of the laments of backroom discussions. The CBCF ALC provides a timely and popular forum in which D.C. residents and visitors from across the country can participate. The forum is free and open to the public and will include a question and answer period.
The forumis an extension of Norton's longtime work to help invigorate and preserve Black family life--nuclear and extended--at a time when most African American children are born to never-married women. The Braintrust also reinforces her work with the D.C. Commission on Black Men and Boys, which Norton established in 2001 to address the unique problems of African American males as a way to strengthen the Black family, the quality of life for African American children and Black men, themselves. An Action Plan is being developed to guide the public and private sectors of the local community in addressing these problems.
Last year, Norton supported congressional passage of Marriage Development Accounts (MDAs), a federally-funded program for the District to promote and save marriages by eliminating finances as a factor for low-income D.C. residents. The MDAs were proposed by Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS), the D.C. Appropriations Subcommittee Chair, after consultation with Norton. In April, Norton kicked-off the voluntary MDAs, which offer engaged or married couples small federal matching grants for housing, tuition, and small business expenses.
Again this year during the CBCF ALC, Pepco Holdings, Inc. will sponsor a reception, "Honoring Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, Her Quest for Full Democracy for the District of Columbia and Her Achievements in Promoting Diversity in Business and Business Growth in D.C." The reception will take place on Friday from 6:30 to 9 PM at the Acela Club of the Verizon Center (invitation only). "Each year the reception gives me an opportunity to thank D.C. residents and businesses who have worked beside me in the fight for full congressional voting rights and other benefits won for the city this year," Norton said.