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. In Reconceiving Black Adolescent Pregnancy, Elizabeth Merrick presents a new understanding of childbearing and adolescent development among lower income Black American teenage girls. The author focuses primarily on the individual stories and themes of the six participants in the study. The first section provides the context, and the...