According to statistics, 72 percent of African American children are born to single parents.

A new documentary “72 Percent,” aims to analyze “beyond catastrophic” statistics through conversation about the effect of policies regarding welfare, social norms and celebrity examples on what they refer to as a “disturbing epidemic.”

From 72 Percent:

Why is it that black men continue to neglect their parental responsibilities? Through the perspective of various experts, 72% looks into the reasoning behind the rise of single mothers in the African-American community.

The film investigates the effects that colonization and slavery have had on the black family unit, which was once solid and intact. Today’s media is inundated with stories of black single mothers, child support cases, and so-called “welfare queens.” The African-American community at large has clapped back at criticism from Don Lemon, Rush Limbaugh, Fox News reporter Ben Carson, and even Black leaders like Bill Cosby and President Barack Obama. 72% provides a raw and analytical view of the media’s portrayal of this phenomenon in regards to African-American households.

Read more at 72 Percent

Watch the trailer for 72 Percent:

In the film, Director Jeremy Batchelor also follows the story of a single-mother who shares her struggle to raise her three children without a father figure around.

Critics of those who view the statistics as being an “epidemic” argue the use of the statistic perpetuates the assumption that children born out of wedlock do not have fathers involved in their lives.

A recent report  backed up the notion that black fathers were and continue to be very active in the lives of their children. The findings came via a federal survey of American parents.

What’s your take on the single black parent narrative?

Is it an epidemic? Or do the numbers paint a picture that just doesn’t tell the full story?

Sound off below!