I Didn't Work This Hard Just to Get Married: Successful Single Black Women Speak Out
Despite the continued cultural emphasis on marriage, 70 percent of black women will live their lives as singles—widowed and divorced, but mostly never married. Whether this statistic is viewed as good, bad, or indifferent depends on a woman’s individual perspective. Beamon, a television news writer–producer, presents interviews with 21 successful black women fully enjoying singlehood with a range of opinions on their marriage prospects. Among the women interviewed are actress Kim Coles, author Deborah Gregory (of Cheetah Girls fame) movie producer Effie Brown, and an assortment of other professionals. The women applaud the television shows Living Single and Girlfriends for depictions of beautiful and successful single black women, and discuss the sometimes negative images of black women and the impact of the high unemployment and incarceration rates of black men on marriage prospects. Mostly, they recount their own personal journeys to accepting, enjoying, and capitalizing on their time as single women. Though written from black women’s perspectives, this book has appeal for all women looking for a fresh take on being single. --Vanessa Bush