Family Without Borders: Pew Survey Maps the Depth of Black America’s Kinship Ties

February 25, 2026

A comprehensive Pew Research Center survey of 4,271 Black adults reveals that Black Americans maintain significantly broader definitions of family compared to other racial groups, with 77% considering at least one non-relative as family versus 63% of non-Black adults. These chosen family relationships prove deeply meaningful, with 95% of respondents describing long-term connections and close friendships that have provided support during difficult periods. The study demonstrates that Black adults maintain particularly strong bonds with extended relatives like grandparents, cousins, aunts, and uncles, and are substantially more likely to both provide and seek emotional support from these connections.

Who is affected

Black Americans, specifically 4,271 Black adults surveyed
Non-Black adults (2,555 surveyed for comparison)
Albert Youngblood, 37, a plumber from D.C.'s Ward 8
Sakeena White, 33, who works for Verizon
Landry Baldwin, 48, who runs a landscape business
Extended family members including grandparents, cousins, aunts, and uncles
Non-relatives considered family members ("play cousins," church mothers, neighbors, longtime friends)
Parents, siblings, spouses, and partners within these family networks

What action is being taken

Black adults are providing emotional support to family members (67% to spouses/partners, 48% to non-relative family members, 38% to siblings, 36% to parents)
Black adults are giving money and financial assistance to family members (59% gave in the year prior to survey)
Black adults are receiving financial assistance from family (32% received help in the prior year)
Black adults are turning to various family members for emotional support
79% of Black adults are looking out for other Black people at least somewhat often

Why it matters

This research quantifies and validates a longstanding cultural practice within Black American communities where family extends far beyond legal or biological ties. The findings reveal critical support systems that have enabled community resilience, particularly given that many of these "chosen family" relationships formed during times when formal support structures were unavailable or inadequate. The high rates of financial assistance—despite personal financial costs—demonstrate both the strength of these bonds and potential economic vulnerabilities, as half of those giving support report it harmed their own financial situations. The data also illuminates how collective identity and mutual responsibility shape Black American experiences, with 75% considering their racial identity extremely or very important and 58% viewing other Black Americans as brothers or sisters, creating informal social safety nets that span beyond immediate personal networks.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The Washington Informer