I would add that our laws have had an impact on this situation, for both black and white citizens. The infamous "man in the house" laws which were in force from the mid-1930's until struck down by the US Supreme court in 1968 where a strong contributor to this situation in many states. Once poverty takes root in a family, it tends to pass from generation to generation. Not always, for sure but it's a reality. There are other contributors, such as mass incardination under our war on drug laws, coupled with the easy availability of guns. It's another of the contagions that we live with.