Fourth Annual Black Marriage Day
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact: Karla Frye Weaver
February 10, 2006
314-381-0899
The St. Louis Healthy Marriage Coalition and Coalition for Healthy African American Relationships and Marriages (CHAARM), together with the City of St. Louis, Salvation Army and St. Charles Lwanga Center will join dozens of organizations across the county to celebrate the Fourth Annual Black Marriage Day, Sunday March 26, 2006. The organizations will hold a kick off media conference February 16 at 10:00 am at the Jewel Box in Forest Park. Similar media conferences will be held simultaneously in 50 cities nationwide.
Black Marriage Day will be celebrated for a fourth year nationwide on Sunday March 26, 2006 to highlight the benefits of marriage, pay tribute to successful marriages, and to promote marriage in the Black community. This year's theme is "We Have Reasons to Celebrate." More than 100 celebrations were held across the nation last year.
"We've got something to celebrate and the momentum gets bigger each year", said Black Marriage Day founder, Nisa Islam Muhammad, President/CEO of the Wedded Bliss Foundation, Inc., in Washington, DC. "Since our first Black Marriage Day celebration in 2003 with only 30 cities participating, our numbers have continuously grown. Our goal this year is to have celebrations in 150 different communities across the country. This press conference is our kickoff toward that goal."
In St. Louis, the media conference will provide information about marriage education and preparation services available in our area, as well as details about Black Marriage Day Celebration activities that will be presented by various organizations in St. Louis City and County. Celebrations will be held in several major cities, including Chicago, Baltimore and Los Angeles, as well as smaller cities like Pine Bluff, Arkansas and Valdosta, Georgia.
"We want to spread the word about the benefits of marriage to adults and children. It is a proven fact that Black married men make more money, are greater accumulators of wealth and live longer and healthier lives. Successful marriages also free women from the burden of parenting and providing at the same time. It provides children with the comfort of both financial and emotional stability, and gives them access to the two most important people in their lives on a day-to-day basis," Ms. Muhammad said.
For many years, the Black community has experienced declining marriage rates. According to the 2000 Census, between 1960 and 1995, there has been a drop from 7% to 33% of African American children living with two married parents. In addition, 41% of African American adults are married, compared to 62% for whites and 60% of Hispanics.
The St. Louis Healthy Marriage Coalition is a not for profit organization that promotes and provides education in developing and sustaining healthy marriages. CHAARM, a member of the St. Louis Healthy Marriage Coalition and a part of the national African American Healthy Marriage Initiative, is a community based not for profit organization that is committed to strengthening families and promoting marriage and healthy relationships in the African American community. St. Charles Lwanga Center is a member of the St. Louis Healthy Marriage Coalition and presents three Pre-Cana Marriage Preparation Workshops each year and will be providing a "Marriage Maintenance" Workshop in order to provide tools to help couples maintain a healthy marriage relationship. The Salvation Army, a proud supporter of Black Marriage Day, is a Christian Social Service Ministry that focuses on families in many of the dozens of programs and services it offers in the St. Louis region.
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