The African American single-parent family has tended to be a scapegoat for a variety of social problems, ranging from poverty to drug abuse. As a result, there exists much misinformation about this family form. In this collection, the African American matriarchal family is re-evaluated to present a more informed picture of its actual structure and functioning.

From an Afrocentric feminist perspective, contributors examine the history, legal dilemmas, media images and religious values of these families. The roles of children, grandparents, fathers, other support figures and the government...