Single, Raising Children, and Trying to Get Ahead: Can Black Mothers Still Achieve the American Dream?

There are many Black women in America raising children without being married, and some are doing so with only a high-school education. The question is not whether these women are capable of succeeding. They are. The more important question is: What obstacles are standing in their way, and what can help them move forward?

Being a single parent is difficult regardless of race. One person may be responsible for paying the rent or mortgage, buying groceries, paying utilities, providing transportation, arranging childcare, and meeting the everyday needs of children.

When a mother has only a high-school education, the challenge can become even greater because many jobs available to workers without additional training do not pay enough to comfortably support a family.

For many Black single mothers, this can create a cycle.

They work because they have bills to pay. They need additional education or job training to earn more money, but attending school may require childcare, transportation, tuition, and time away from work. They may know exactly what they need to do to improve their situation but simply do not have the resources to make the transition.

That does not mean success is impossible.

A high-school diploma does not have to be the end of a person’s education. Community colleges, trade schools, apprenticeships, certificate programs, and specialized training can provide pathways into better-paying careers without requiring four years of college.

Healthcare, technology, transportation, skilled trades, government employment, insurance, bookkeeping, and other industries can provide opportunities for people willing to learn new skills.

Financial education is equally important.

Learning how to budget, save, build credit, avoid high-interest debt, and eventually invest can change the direction of a family. Even small amounts of money saved consistently can begin creating financial stability.

We should also begin teaching these principles to our children.

Children who grow up understanding saving, investing, education, entrepreneurship, and career planning may enter adulthood better prepared than previous generations.

But we must also recognize something else: telling people to simply “work harder” is not enough.

Affordable childcare matters.

Affordable housing matters.

Access to education and job training matters.

Transportation matters.

Good-paying employment matters.

And having family and community support matters.

We should encourage personal responsibility while also recognizing the economic realities many families face.

The goal should not be to criticize single Black mothers. The goal should be to ask how we can help more women move from surviving to becoming financially secure.

Success may mean earning a better salary.

It may mean buying a home.

It may mean starting a business.

It may mean building retirement savings.

And perhaps most importantly, it may mean creating opportunities for their children that they themselves never had.

Being single, having children, or having only a high-school education does not determine a woman’s future.

It may make the road harder, but the road does not have to end there.

Education, training, financial discipline, community support, and opportunity can change the direction of an entire family.

The real question we should be asking is not, “Can these women succeed?”

The question should be:

“What are we doing to make sure they have a real opportunity to succeed?”

Join the conversation. What do you believe would make the greatest difference for single mothers trying to build a better future for themselves and their children?

Marvin Dixon/Founder

VMGreview.com, Verifacts Investigation, and Frontline Investigator Training Academy.