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Welcome! Nearly 10 years ago I began to think about the way that changing demographics and cultural norms affect the way that Blacks and Whites interact with one another. Like others who have wrestled with this issue, I concluded that increasing immigration, greater numbers of people of color who were solidly middle class, and more widespread beliefs in favor of equality for all contributed to more extensive social interaction between Blacks, Whites, Hispanics and Asians. Around that time, I began to notice that there were increased numbers of people from different racial groups who were doing more than just greeting each other politely — they were getting together romantically. At that time, I was intrigued by the apparent greater numbers of African American men relative to women who were in intimate interracial relationships. That interest led to a full-blown research project examining this state of affairs for Black men, and more recently, for Black women in interracial relationships. I welcome you to explore some of what I've learned about intimate interracial relationships among African American men and women. I am excited about my most recent project involving a detailed analysis of Black women who are in intimate relationships with men who are not Black. The book Black Women in Interracial Relationships: In Search of Love and Solace (Transaction Publishers, 2010) examines the experiences of African American women in intimate interracial relationships. It includes detailed reports of in-depth interviews conducted with Black women involved in intimate interracial relationships. The interviews include responses from "ordinary" women as well as those who may be more well-known. Each of the women I spoke with discussed in detail personal aspects of their lives including though not limited to their relationships with family members, strangers' reactions, beliefs about the influence of race in America, unique problems associated with interracial intimacy, as well as sexual attraction, racial identity and children.
Kelli's Latest Book
According to the most recent U.S. census, twice as many black men are involved in interracial relationships as black women. Do black women consciously resist such involvement? What motivates the relatively few women who are in these types of relationships? And how do they navigate the unfamiliar terrain in intimacy? One of the most popular explanations for black women's involvement in interracial intimacy is the unavailability of eligible black men. This explanation focuses on the dismal statistics popularly discussed in reports that forecast lonely futures for African American females. Craig-Henderson explores another, more provocative explanation. She argues that some black women may disassociate from larger social stereotypes by consciously and strategically making choices that distance them from what is considered characteristic of the "typical" African American woman. Scant serious attention has focused upon intimate interracial relationships, perhaps because of a general reluctance to deal with two extremely provocative issues: race and sex. As rates of interracial relationships continue to increase, discussions about interracial intimacy are relevant and timely. Craig-Henderson considers the continuing taboo of interracial relationships involving African Americans, the way this taboo is changing, and the way that contemporary race relations perpetuate longstanding stereotypes about race and sex.
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Black Men in Interracial Relationships: What's Love Got to Do with It?