Sometimes Rhythm, Sometimes Blues

Today’s women expect it all: a successful career, an understanding and equally successful mate, and children–all wrapped up in a white picket fence. But recent studies show that while black women have ascended to form a new middle class and have attained success in the business sector, black men haven’t followed suit. Perhaps as a result, with other sociological and economic factors at play, many successful sistahs are having trouble finding a partner to call their own. This groundbreaking anthology explores the many reasons why–analyzing materialism and financial expectations, single motherhood, bling bling culture, media representations of African-American gender roles, missing fathers, incarcerated partners, and more–and offers hope from women who have beaten the odds. Writers including Kevin Powell and Victor LaValle weigh in on the men’s side in a “Talking Back” section, while female contributors include Kiini Ibura Asalaam, Shawn E. Rhea, Shani O’Neal, and Asha Bandele.