Final answer:
E. Franklin Frazier argued that the systems of slavery and subsequent racist laws were central contributors to the supposed weakness of the Black family, disrupting traditional family structures and resulting in economic disadvantages and adaptations in kinship dynamics.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to E. Franklin Frazier, the weakening of the Black family unit can be attributed to the long and complex legacy of slavery and subsequent discriminatory practices such as Jim Crow laws. Slavery disrupted Black family structures by granting slave owners the power to separate family members at will, selling or hiring them out irrespective of marital or family bonds. The effects persisted post-emancipation, as Black families faced economic disadvantages, unequal access to opportunities, and institutional racism that hindered the ability to form traditional nuclear families. Societal norms and laws tailored to keep Black Americans in inferior positions engendered alternative family structures and dynamics due to necessity, resilience, and survival, differing notably from those of their White counterparts.
The struggles of Black families to maintain stability were exacerbated post-slavery by laws that undermined Black economic independence and family formation. For instance, Jim Crow laws hindered Black men from asserting themselves as heads of households due to economic incapacity, thus leading to a prevalence of female-headed households and securing a cycle of poverty. Even into the industrial era and subsequent deindustrialization, jobs that paid a family wage were scarce for Black men, and the economic ramifications further affected marriage rates and the structure of Black families.
In summary, the systemic issues faced by Black Americans during and after slavery have had a profound and lasting impact on their family structures. The inability to achieve economic stability, along with continual discriminatory practices, prevented the formation of traditional family units and necessitated adaptive strategies within Black communities to preserve kinship and support systems.